Mitigating the Grid Collapse on the Iberian Peninsula – and Why This Must Become Standard

Author: Dr. Nenad Končar, M.Sc.Eng.
Date: May 2, 2025

A system collapse — but not for everyone
When the Iberian power grid collapsed in seconds on April 28, 2025, life came to a standstill. But not everywhere.
According to AENA, the Spanish airport authority, backup systems enabled terminals to keep operating even amid the worst energy crisis in the region’s history.
And they weren’t alone:

• hospitals,
• telecom hubs,
• data centers

— in many cases remained operational thanks to local microgrids and battery systems, supported by emergency diesel generators.

What saved us — and why isn't it everywhere?
Batteries and microgrids are no longer “extras” — they are core security infrastructure for a world where:

• outages last hours,
• centralized systems have limits,
• and electricity is the digital “oxygen” of every service.
  Systems with local control, energy storage, and islanding capability kept working.
  Those without — went dark.

How much would it actually cost to avoid darkness next time?
For less than 10% of the damage caused by the collapse, we could deploy:

• microgrids around all critical points (hospitals, stations, airports),
• local battery systems for balancing and black-start,
• smart infrastructure for auto-islanding and recovery.

Comparison:
Damage in Spain alone: €1.6 billion
Cost to install 1,000 battery-backed microgrids: < €1 billion

From reaction to resilience
Instead of reacting after the fact, it’s time for a new logic:

• The grid is no longer one system — it is a network of microgrids.
• Every city, port, and major service must have its own resilience.
• This means batteries, inverters, smart controls, and local automation.

Adriadiesel offers the solution
Our containerized systems:

• use second-life EV batteries,
• deliver power in milliseconds,
• function as part of a microgrid or standalone units,
• enable black-start in isolation.
  What was once a luxury is now basic security.

Conclusion: Every community needs a Plan B — and that’s a microgrid
The Iberian collapse showed who was prepared and who wasn’t.
Next time, that difference may go beyond interrupted services — it may mean lives, health, and national security.

Contact
Adriadiesel is ready to help plan, equip, and implement battery-based microgrids for:

• cities, municipalities, and regions,
• airports and seaports,
• hospitals and data centers.
  Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.