RGI News

RGI Offshore Workshop "Stakeholders' perspectives on offshore grids and the marine environment"

A workshop kindly hosted by Statnett

On June 27th and 28th, the RGI Offshore Workshop will take place in Bergen and Hardanger, Norway. Even though grids to connect offshore wind farms and interconnectors to link national energy markets with each other are currently being planned or implemented in a variety of European countries, the experience of project planners, authorities, governments and NGOs is low in comparison to onshore planning procedures. Questions and uncertainties about the what, when and how of the offshore grid infrastructure remain to be answered. 

In our 2-day workshop, we will therefore discuss the offshore need question, current planning status, marine environment and public acceptability. Lessons learned from Statnett’s project in the Hardanger fjord will give insights on stakeholder engagement during offshore projects.

More information and the registration form can be found here.


Project BESTGRID has started: European Union supports four pilot projects

Berlin, 9 April 2013 – The Renewables-Grid-Initiative is pleased to announce the start of the project BESTGRID. Four pilot projects for renewables grid expansion will be developed and implemented within the coming 30 months. During the projects, new approaches to increase public acceptance and to speed up permitting procedures, while respecting or surpassing standards for environmental protection, will be tested.

The BESTGRID consortium brings together grid operators (National Grid, Elia, TenneT, 50Hertz and Terna) and non-governmental organisations (BirdLife Europe, Germanwatch) from across Europe to cooperate in designing, implementing and evaluating the pilot projects in Germany, Belgium and the UK. The renowned International Institute for Applied system Analysis (IIASA), will accompany the project, monitor and evaluate the success of the tested approaches.

The BESTGRID project will disseminate the lessons learned widely across Europe and establish an intensive exchange of best practices. Moreover, two guidebooks will be produced and disseminated, focusing on “Participation and Transparency” and “Protecting the Environment and Engaging Environmental Stakeholders” in grid development projects.

A special focus of the dissemination will be on countries where ‘Projects of Common Interest’ will be developed, to ensure that best practices will be applied here. The BESTGRID project will thereby be a key milestone towards implementing the EU Regulation on trans-European energy infrastructure which has been adopted by the European Parliament and Council in March.

BESTGRID Partners: 50Hertz, BirdLife Europe, Elia, Germanwatch, IIASA, National Grid, TenneT, Terna, Renewables-Grid-Initiative (coordinator)

For more information, contact Antina Sander, antina@ich-will-keine-spamrenewables-grid.eu


The BESTGRID project has been selected for EU co-funding under the Intelligent Energy Europe programme, coordinated by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI).

Summary and presentations of Cable Workshop online

How many kilometres of EHV underground cables are feasible while securing system stability? What are the impacts on the environment during the construction and the operation of underground electricity grids? How high are additional costs of underground solutions compared to overhead lines? And what are potential savings? What criteria could be used to decide between underground and overhead solutions during planning and permitting procedures?
These and other questions were addressed during RGI's Cable Workshop "Understanding Underground Cables" in Switzerland by speakers and more than 70 participants from TSOs, NGOs, industry, academia and politics. Check out our workshop summary and the event website for presentations and discussion outcomes. 

 

Council and European Parliament have adopted guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure

25 March 2013 - The regulation on guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure, proposed by the European Commission in fall 2011, has gone through the formal legislative procedure. After the European Parliament had passed the bill at the beginning of this month, the Council took the same step last week. The first list of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) will be adopted by 30 September 2013. RGI welcomes that the new regulation will enhance transparency and public participation in grid development projects. We will follow the procedure of establishing the list of PCIs closely and hope that the implementation allows for genuine participation of important stakeholders such as environmental NGOs. 


The final text of the regulation is available here.
See RGI's position paper on the first draft of the regulation here.
Commissioner Oettinger welcomes the new regulation in a press release.


RGI at the CeBIT: German Environment Minister wishes success for Grid Expo

The Grid Expo was represented with a booth at this year's CeBIT, the no.1 show for the digital world, from 5-9 March 2013 in Hanover, Germany. Three different pylon models attracted not only German Environment Minister Altmeier and Chancellor Merkel, but also many other fair visitors from all around the world. Have a look at the photos below: 

 

For more information about the Grid Expo, check out the website: www.gridexpo.eu

 

RGI Newsletter March 2013 online

The first issue of RGI News in 2013 is out now. Find out more about current and past RGI activities and discussions about the electricity grid in Brussels. Topics include: next RGI workshop in Bergen, Norway; RGI at the CeBIT; 2nd European Grid Conference; European Grid Declaration on Transparency and Participation; European Infrastructure Regulation; ENTSO-E TYNDP stakeholder group. 


Previous issues of RGI news are available here.

 

GRID EXPO and RGI at CeBIT 2013

Bettina von Kupsch, Swissgrid & Antonella Battaglini, RGI at the RGI Cable Workshop in Switzerland

The Grid Expo and RGI will be presented at the CeBIT, the no. 1 fair for the digital world, from the 5th until the 9th of March 2013!

The Grid Expo booth will be situated within the CODE_n area in hall 16. Special features are four large pylon models reaching from 1,85 m to 3 m. Additional to that a panel session and a presentation by Antonella Battaglini, Executive Director of RGI, on the SuperSmart Grid are scheduled for the program of the Energy Day at the CeBIT on Friday, 8th of March.

More information on the Grid Expo and the conference program on: 

www.gridexpo.eu/grid-expo-cebit-2013/


Keynotes by Commissioners Günther H. Oettinger and Janez Potocnik online

The keynotes by Günther H. Oettinger, Commissioner for Energy and Janez Potocnik, Commissioner for the Environment are online now as video version and in text form.

Blue-Mic-Statements online

During the 2nd European Grid Conference, RGI collected statements from the signatories of the European Grid Declaration on Transparency and Public Participation.
Find all statements here. 

 

European Grid Report handed over to Commisioners Oettinger and Potocnik

5th December 2012. At this year´s European Grid Conference in Brussels, the second part of the European Grid Declaration was signed by 28 parties. The European Grid Report met great interest by both the European Commissioners and more than 200 participants.

More impressions.

Find more information below.

PRESS RELEASE | Grid operators and environmental organisations team up to promote sustainable modernisation of electricity grids

To support a successful implementation of the European Grid Declaration, signed by a coalition of Europe’s 29 largest environmental NGOs and grid operators in 2011, the Renewables-Grid-Initiative (RGI) launches the European Grid Report. The report publishes over 80 selected practical experiences by different RGI members across Europe. Today at the 2nd European Grid Conference in Brussels, jointly organised by RGI and Smart Energy for Europe Platform (SEFEP), the report and the extended European Grid Declaration on Transparency and Public Participation were presented to European Commissioner for Energy Günther H. Oettinger and to European Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potočnik.

Under the guidance of RGI, a coalition of Europe’s 29 largest environmental NGOs and grid operators pledged to work in partnership to ensure that the goals of grid modernisation and environmental protection can be achieved side by side. In November 2011 the ‘European Grid Declaration on Electricity Network Development and Nature Conservation in Europe’ was publicly signed in Brussels and handed to EU Energy Commissioner Oettinger. Signed today, the second part of the European Grid Declaration on Transparency and Public Participation states the willingness of RGI members to better inform and involve concerned stakeholders and the broader public about grid extension plans and projects.

Building on the principles of the European Grid Declaration, it is absolutely crucial to enhance and to stimulate the use of “better practices” in designing, planning, and communicating grid modernisation projects. To foster a swifter implementation of successfully proven concepts, RGI launches today the European Grid Report “Beyond Public Opposition – Lessons Learned across Europe.” The report provides a comprehensive overview of ongoing activities and relevant experiences that have been gathered in seven countries across Europe.

Signatories of European Grid Declaration on Transparency and Public Participation:
50Hertz, Bellona, BirdLife Europe, CAN Europe, Civilscape, Climate Parliament, Creos SA, Deutsche Umwelthilfe, Dii, European Climate Foundation, Elia, Eurobat, European Hydrogen Association, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Friends of the Supergrid, Germanwatch, Global Nature, Greenpeace, National Grid, Red Electrica de Espana, RSPB, RTE, Smart Energy for Europe Platform (SEFEP), Statnett, Swissgrid, TenneT, Terna, WWF

Please find press release here with quotes of:

  • Antonella Battaglini, Executive Director, Renewables-Grid-Initiative
  • Günther H. Oettinger, Commissioner for Energy, European Commission
  • Janez Potočnik, Commissioner for the Environment, European Commission
  • Sir Graham Watson, MEP and Chairman of the Climate Parliament
  • Kristina Steenbock, Executive Director, SEFEP

Finden Sie hier die deutsche Pressemitteilung.

RGI in BirdLife report on the 2020 biodiversity target

Today, BirdLife is releasing the report "On the road to recovery" on EU member states' progress towards meeting the 2020 biodiversity target. We are glad to see that RGI and the European Grid Declaration are mentioned as positive examples (full report, page 17 and 32).

The report acknowledges our work of bringing together TSOs and NGOs:

"Increasingly, renewable energy developers and grid operators recognise the importance of avoiding unnecessary harm to biodiversity in planning new developments. The Renewables-Grid-Initiative is an innovative coalition of grid operators and environmental NGOs, exploring ways to improve the public acceptability of new power lines that the EU needs to accommodate for a high share of renewable energy. The European Grid Declaration on nature conservation, and other RGI initiatives to build dialogue and trust, show how much can be achieved where NGO and industry stakeholders come together to find common ground (see case study: Renewables Grid Initiative)."

For more information on the overall report, visit the website: www.birdlife.org/eubiodiversityreport2012/
The case study on RGI is available here: www.birdlife.org/eubiodiversityreport2012/?page_id=1811

 

Flyer showing successful implementation of the European Grid Declaration

Discover our new flyer which provides a few examples of how the European Grid Declaration on Electricity Network Development and Nature Conservation is being implemented by the transmission system operators. With this flyer, we wish to raise awareness of these projects, to share learnings and good practice, and to encourage further organisations to sign the Declaration and get involved. A broader collection of best practice will be published in a report in November.

 

RGI supports interconnectors between NO, the UK and DE

The Renewables-Grid-Initiative welcomes the official announcement of the development of two interconnectors from Norway to the UK and from Norway to Germany by the Transmission System Operators National Grid, TenneT and Statnett.

The interconnectors will contribute to a higher share and more stable uptake of energy from renewable sources in the regions and are thus key to realising European climate goals. They will increase security of supply and help the transition towards energy production from renewable energies in Europe.

The projects will enter a challenging permitting procedure soon. RGI underlines that this permitting procedure needs to fully respect legislation on environmental protection and biodiversity from the initial stages and that early public participation is of high importance. RGI furthermore underlines that an early cooperation between TSOs and NGOs will help to achieve these objectives and so support the achievement of a fast permit granting. 

 

There is no contradiction between building grids and environmental protection

Berlin, 15 June 2012: Regarding the announcement published yesterday by the German Federal Minister for Economy Dr. Philipp Roesler that it is necessary to discuss on the EU level to which extent existing birds and habitat directives hinder a timely expansion of the energy grid, Antonella Battaglini, Executive Director of the Renewables-Grid-Initiative, states:

"The 29 signatories of the European Grid Declaration, including a large number of transmission system operators (TSO) and environmental organisations (NGO) from across Europe have already agreed that there is no contradiction between building grids and environmental protection. Opening up the subject again will not deliver a faster grid development, rather a polarization among different stakeholder groups with unpredictable consequences. The European Grid Declaration provides a set of guiding principles to build up the necessary grid with full respect of environmental regulations. We should refer to it for guidance and inspiration”.

RGI is a platform for such debates. RGI takes on this issue and invites the German Federal Ministry for Economy (BMWI) to join. TSOs and NGOs strive for a strong cooperation to find common solutions for the current challenges in order to accelerate the 'Energiewende' in Germany and in Europe.

 

Press Release | European Grid Conference

Grid operators and environmental organisations team up to promote sustainable modernisation of electricity grids
Innovation and expansion of European power grids to unlock full potential of renewables

Brussels, 10 November 2011 - The unlocking of Europe's full potential for renewable energy via the modernisation and expansion of its power grids should go hand-in-hand with nature conservation efforts, said a coalition [1] of Europe's largest grid operators and environmental organisations. The “European Grid Declaration on Electricity Network Development and Nature Conservation in Europe” was handed to European Commissioner for Energy Günther H. Oettinger today at the European Grid Conference in Brussels.

In October, the European Commission put forward a draft law making it easier to build and finance cross-border power lines, which are essential to making Europe’s energy system greener. The coalition of grid operators and civil society organisations supports Europe’s ambition to boost renewable electricity and cut carbon emissions.

Read the full press release including quotes and the full text of the European Grid Declaration including the list of inaugural signatories. A photograph of the Declaration being handed over to EU Commissioner for Energy Günther H. Oettinger will be ready for download on this website at 16:30 on 10 November 2011.

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