A Wake-Up Call for Power Grid Resilience
On April 28, just as the Iberian Peninsula was about to experience a significant power blackout,the SAFEPOWER consortium held its 1st General Assembly Meeting โ reviewing progress, aligning technical milestones, and advancing solutions to make our power systems more resilient.
The timing was no coincidenceโit was a powerful reminder of the critical importance of our mission.
The blackout exposed once again how vulnerable our energy infrastructure can be in the face of increasing demand, extreme weather events, and ageing systems. In this context,the SAFEPOWER project is not just relevant – it’s essential.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ข๐ช๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฆ๐ผ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น?
- ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ง๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
SAFEPOWER is pioneering the use of artificial intelligence for Condition & Health Monitoring (C&HM) of power systems. This allows operators to anticipate and prevent failures before they cascade into major outages, like the one we narrowly avoided. - ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐
By integrating wide bandgap semiconductors (such as gallium oxide and silicon carbide), SAFEPOWER enables converters that are highly efficient and resilient under stress, ensuring more stable and recoverable power systems. - ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐
Advanced MVDC technology helps balance variable renewable sources like wind and solar, which are critical for Spainโs and Europeโs green transition. - ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
The project supports the move toward decentralised energy systems, reducing reliance on vulnerable Central Grids and increasing local energy autonomy.
The blackout was not just a technical failureโit was a wake-up call.
As we discussedย during our General Assembly, Europe cannot afford to wait. The energy systems of tomorrow must be predictive, intelligent, and built for resilience. SAFEPOWER is ready to lead that transformation.
