A solar eclipse crossing Europe on Wednesday afternoon will temporarily slash solar power output across the continent, with continental generation estimated to drop by roughly 9.7 gigawatts at the peak of the event.
The eclipse, total in northern Spain and northeastern Portugal, arrives in the late afternoon when solar panel output is already declining, softening the blow. Grid operators plan to offset the shortfall with increased gas-fired generation and battery storage. In Portugal, national grid operator REN estimates a 450-megawatt loss, or about 45% of the country's solar production during the event. Spanish counterpart Red Eléctrica forecasts solar output could fall by up to five gigawatts in Spain alone.
The Iberian Peninsula remains sensitive to grid disruptions after a major blackout last April crippled the power systems of both Spain and Portugal for several hours.