In this episode of Energy Realities, energy expert Kathryn Porter of Watt-Logic joins David Blackmon, Tammy Nemeth, and Stu Turley to break down the Spain and Portugal blackout and what it reveals about the vulnerabilities in Europe’s power grid. From root causes to policy missteps, the panel explores how the push for Net Zero may be impacting grid stability and what needs to change. Don’t miss this episode it’s a must-watch for anyone concerned about the future of energy and grid reliability.

Highlights of the Podcast

00:00 - Introduction

03:15 - What Happened in Spain?

07:50 - Grid Design Problems

12:00 - Cross-Border Dependencies

18:30 - Misaligned Policies vs. Engineering Reality

23:40 - Gas and Dispatchable Power Still Needed

28:30 - Demand-Side Measures and Smart Grids

33:50 - Media Misunderstanding and Energy Illiteracy

38:10 - The Cost of Poor Planning

43:15 - Insights on Resilience Planning

48:50 - Energy Market Design and Capacity Markets

55:40 - Final Thoughts on Net Zero and Realism

01:01:30 - Wrap-Up