Renewable Energy Policy

Climate and energy security concerns are drivers of a quick transformation towards a largely renewable power sector. The European renewable energy targets foresee an almost doubling of renewable electricity to about 35% between now and 2020. The Renewables-Grid-Initiative promotes the expansion of distributed and bulk renewable energy generation and transmission capacity in Europe.

CONNECTED = EMPOWERED

The Supersmart Grid & Europe's Electricity Story

The brochure presents in a few words the story of the Renewables-Grid-Initiative: What is the purpose of RGI? What is its vision? What solutions are we aiming at and how do we make it happen?

Have a look!

European Grid Declaration

On Electricity Network Development
and Nature Conservation in Europe

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 of Europe's largest grid operators and environmental organisations. The European Grid Declaration was signed by 24 inaugural signatories and was handed to European Commissioner for Energy Günther H. Oettinger on 10 November 2011 at the European Grid Conference in Brussels.

Read the full Declaration and join the signatories!

Grids for a sustainable future

A Super and Smart Grid will allow for speedy and efficient implementation and dissemination of large-scale renewables, such as offshore wind from international European waters and large-scale solar from North Africa, into a still scattered national grid system. This is deemed necessary to meet the renewable energy targets set by the EU for 2020 and beyond. Thousands of kilometers of new transmission lines and cables will need to be built in the coming decades.

Picture: © TenneT

European Grid Conference

BEYOND PUBLIC OPPOSITION
Three Building Blocks for Public Acceptance:
Transparency, Participation, Benefit Sharing

Keynote by Günther H. Oettinger, Commissioner for Energy
Conference hosted by MEPs Rebecca Harms, Sirpa Pietikäinen and Angelika Werthmann

10 November 2011 in Brussels

Hosted by Renewables-Grid-Inititative (RGI) and Smart Energy for Europe Platform (SEFEP), the European Grid Conference raised public acceptance related issues in discussions with decision-makers, corporate stakeholders and representatives from the NGO community.

Find further information here.

Grid operators and environmental organisations team up

RGI is a coalition of stakeholders supporting grid expansion to integrate renewables and raise public awareness of this need. The recently signed European Grid Declaration also lays the ground for cooperation on specific pilot projects to develop best practice and improve the implementation of grid development in line with nature conservation objectives. The coalition of more than 20 signatories also pledges to encourage transparency and address public acceptance.

Read the press release about the European Grid Declaration
and find further information.
Picture: © RGI

Technical Workshop in Arnhem, Netherlands, September 2010

The technical workshop revolved around European grid planning and technical aspects of transmission technologies such as the choice between AC vs DC, and overhead lines vs underground cables. Furthermore, the Dutch and German legislation approaches for grid infrastructure projects transmission and project case studies on what issues TSOs face when developing such projects were demonstrated and discussed with the participants.

Find the full documentation here.
Picture: © RGI

Understanding the Grid - Sustainable system integration of renewables

Renewable energies are at the core of the social and political debates on the future of our energy supply system and current system security developments. How many new grid lines are necessary and why? What happens on windy days in the grid? How can system reliability be assured while integrating high shares of renewable energies? Will the new grid system be an extension of the actual or is it necessary to build a completely new one? What electricity transmission data can and should be disclosed to enable an integrative discussion on the future grid system?

RGI Workshop Understanding the Grid took place on 17/18 October 2011 in Berlin/Cottbus.
Picture: © Gridlab

Storage Workshop in Montreux, Switzerland, January 2011

Today it is broadly accepted that the share of renewable energy sources in the European power grid is going to increase substantially and will reach very high percentages in the future production mix. Expansion of storage capacities is often considered pivotal to allow for this “renewable revolution”! The workshop addressed technical (technological/operational), regulatory and political complexities of storage related to today’s and the future’s production mix based on renewables.

Find the full documentation of this workshop here.

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How environmental friendly are grids?

on the 16th of June 2011, RGI organised its a workshop at the Strathclyde University of Glasgow to better understand environmental impacts of grids and to identify steps needed to enable the necessary grid expansion while safeguarding biodiversity, the environment, and citizens’ quality of life. State of the art strategic planning and environmental assessment were discussed, and innovative solutions for environmental enhancement explored.

Find the full documentation of the workshop here.

Statement by Antonella Battaglini, Executive Director of RGI

"Europe's energy and environmental commitments don't need to be in conflict - we can build grids fast for renewables and also protect nature. We need new alliances across society to acknowledge the challenges and to find acceptable solutions. We invite the Commission to use this declaration as a first building block for European guidelines on grid expansion and nature protection."

Find the full press release of 10 November 2011 here.

Critical Infrastructure

Key to the transformation of the power sector is the availability of a grid infrastructure that enables the transmission of electricity from production to consumption and storage areas. Renewable energy sources are abundant and vary, but they are most available in remote areas where demand is low and economic activities scarce. Grid overhead lines and underground cables allow us to do this. It is necessary to make better use of the existing grid, and it is crucial to enable the development of this key infrastructure to become more flexible and integrated at a European level in order to meet evolving energy and environmental needs.

Picture: © TenneT

Strategic Participatory Planning

Strategic Participatory Planning (ENTSO-E map). A key mission of the Renewables-Grid-Initiative is to create a broadly accepted vision of the future grid architecture. RGI will work as a platform for experts and stakeholders to bring clarity in key aspects of the grid debate. Based on planning activities of partners such as ENTSO-E, RGI will contribute to developing a common vision of the required future grid architecture, by discussing questions such as:
How can we plan and construct a grid which is suitable to meet long-term energy and climate targets?
Studying the EU-wide scenarios for the energy system development 2050 (generation and demand concepts) and the related grid layout; how can the grid development anticipate on these scenarios while considering already existing EU-scenarios?

Picture: © ENTSO-E

Keeping the Lights On

The Renewables-Grid Initiative confirms the economic and technical possibility of building a power system largely relying on renewable sources while maintaining system reliability and stability, provided the necessary grid developments can be performed in due time. TSO's are responsible for maintaining the electricity transmission system and guaranteeing permanent power supply. NGO's contribute with their expertise in safeguarding social and nature conservancy interests. The Renewables-Grid-Initiative provides them the dialogue platform for making sure this essential infrastructure is realised timely to deliver benefits to all.

Picture: © Swissgrid 2010

Antonella Battaglini, RGI

"New thinking and new alliances are required to meet the challenges posed by increasing energy needs and climate change. Thanks to science and technology we have seen years of extraordinary development, but we have also created problems which we urgently need to solve. Our energy system needs to be transformed and become largely based on renewable energy sources. A large consensus across society is necessary for this transformation to take place. NGOs have a key role in representing general public long term interests, in supporting necessary infrastructure expansions and in contributing to the political process to develop clear, long term mechanisms and regulations. The transmission operators have a central role in planning and implementing the future grid architecture in full consideration of the decarbonisation requirements set by the 2050 targets. The Renewables-Grid Initiative sets the ground for speeding up investments in grid infrastructure, to fully integrate renewable energy sources wherever they are produced and whenever they become available, in full recognition of environmental concerns. A clear framework for tailored investments in grid expansion will enable simultaneously large renewable expansion projects, which substantially contribute to the 2020 and 2050 targets, while stimulating the economy."

view further statements.

Picture: © RGI

Stakeholder Dialogues

A key mission of the Renewables-Grid-Initiative is to create a broadly accepted vision of the future grid architecture. RGI will work as a platform for experts and stakeholders to bring clarity in key aspects of the grid debate. RGI will address questions such as:
What is the role of the electric grid in the expansion of renewable energy sources?
Which appropriate technologies should be applied and what are the respective advantages and disadvantages of overhead/underground and AC/DC lines?
How can pumped storage capacities around Europe be best accessed to balance variable power sources such as wind?
How does the grid of a reliable and decarbonised power system look like?

Picture: © RGI

Pan-European Solutions

The electricity sector has to change rapidly because the European renewable energy targets foresee an almost doubling of renewable electricity to about 35% between now and 2020 and an increase to 80% by 2050. Bulk renewable power plants such as concentrated solar power plants in the Mediterranean area and offshore power parks in the North sea are considered as potential parts of the solution. The Renewables-Grid-Initiative considers that the green power system of the future requires pan-European approaches and plans, long-term visions and plans and rapid effective implementation.

Picture: © flickr - penguin policy

Christoph Bals, Germanwatch

"We will only reach the necessary reduction of CO2 emissions by a massive extension of local renewable energies on the one hand and cross-regional renewable energy resources on the other hand. The expansion of the grid is therefore essential. By following such a strategy - combined with remarkable progress in energy efficiency - we can avoid dangerous climate change and keep global average temperature rise below the science based danger threshold of 2OC above pre-industrial times. The fast expansion of grid structure and renewable energies allows us to fight jointly against the climate crisis, the economic crisis and the imminent energy crisis."

view further statements ››

Picture: © RGI

RGI News

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.

European Grid Conference on 10 November 2011

cc by Jon Rogers (flickr: hounddog32)

BEYOND PUBLIC OPPOSITION
Three Building Blocks for Public Acceptance:
Transparency, Participation, Benefit Sharing

Hosted by Renewables-Grid-Inititative (RGI) and Smart Energy for Europe Platform (SEFEP) the European Grid Conference “Beyond Public Opposition” raises public acceptance related issues in discussions with decision-makers, corporate stakeholders and representatives from the NGO community.

Brussels, 10 November 2011
13:00 Reception Lunch
14:00 Signing Ceremony of the Joint Declaration on Electricity Network Development and Nature Conservation in Europe
15:00 Keynote by Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger
18:30 End of the Conference
20:00 Dinner (on special invitation only)

Find further information here.

Understanding the Grid - Sustainable System Integration of Renewables

© Gridlab

Renewable energies are at the core of the social and political debates on the future of our energy supply system and current system security developments. How many new grid lines are necessary and why? What happens on windy days in the grid? How can system reliability be assured while integrating high shares of renewable energies? Will the new grid system be an extension of the actual or is it necessary to build a completely new one? What electricity transmission data can and should be disclosed to enable an integrative discussion on the future grid system?

The Renewables-Grid-Initiative invites you to discuss these issues at the upcoming RGI Workshop on Sustainable System Integration of Renewable Energies on 17-18 October 2011 in Berlin/Cottbus. Special features: visit of the 380kV cable underneath Berlin and of the GridLab in Cottbus.

Find further information here.

Environmental Impacts of Grids

cc by Melanie Burger

Renewable energy technologies are now established and appreciated as a key means of producing electricity in a climate and environment friendly way. However, to transport the electricity from these new generation sites to the users, additional power lines are needed. These new lines can raise serious concerns regarding their impact on the environment, including biodiversity, ecosystems and the landscape. Concerns about the impacts of grid expansion need to be fully understood and addressed.

This participatory event will bring together TSOs, environmental NGOs and others to identify steps needed to enable the necessary grid expansion to proceed while safeguarding biodiversity, the environment, and citizens’ quality of life. State of the art of strategic planning and environmental assessment will be discussed, and innovative solutions for environmental enhancement explored.

The Renewables-Grid-Initiative is organising a workshop on Environmental Impacts of Grids taking place on 16 June 2011, 09:00 to 18:00 at University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. A RGI Dinner and the visit of the largest European windfarm at Whitelee are also offered to the participants of the workshop.

Find further information here.

Grid Debate Dinner

Following the visit of EU Commissioner Oettinger on 13 April 2011 (view the news here below), RGI invited 40 stakeholders to a Grid Debate Dinner hosted by MEPs Rebecca Harms and Sirpa Pietikäinen at the Members Restaurant of the European Parliament. Welcoming words by Sirpa Pietikäinen were followed by a keynote by Jean-Arnold Vinois (EC Head of Energy Policy, Security of Supply and Networks) and statements by RGI founding members to introduce a lively debate with spontaneous declarations by MEP Claude Turmes and ENTSO-E Secretary General Konstantin Staschus. The Dinner was realised with the kind support of the Elia Group, a member of RGI.

Events such as the Grid Debate Dinner shall contribute to a common understanding by TSOs, NGOs and policy-makers of the road ahead towards full grid integration of renewable energies.

Find further information and impressions here.

RGI and EU Commissioner Oettinger cooperate for greater public acceptance of grids for renewables

RGI members with EU Energy Commissioner Oettinger

On 13 April 2011, RGI members met EU Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger in Brussels. Commissioner Oettinger invited RGI to support the Commission in developing a regulatory framework and consultation guideline to address the issues related to public acceptance of power grids for renewable energies. RGI's input on the discussion about centralised and decentralised generation and storage should also be considered.

Find further information here.

 

    

Storage Needs, Options and Challenges - Today and Tomorrow

Grande Dixence, some rights reserved by Thebmag / Julius Dillier

Expansion of storage capacities is often considered pivotal to allow for a substantial increase of renewable energies in the future European production mix. However, many questions remain: What is the incremental need for storage capacities in the next decades? Which technologies are most suited to meet the expected need, and which innovation is coming into the sector? Similarly, what is the role of transmission and demand-side management to reduce storage needs? And finally, what are the political, technical and market design challenges of integrating storage capacities in the grid?

To find answers to these questions, the Renewables-Grid-Initiative organises a storage workshop on: Storage Needs, Options and Challenges - Today and Tomorrow taking place on 26-27 January 2011 in Montreux, Switzerland.

Find further information here.

Cable vs. Overhead - AC vs. DC - Innovations

Grid expansion is inevitable but often controversial. The Transmission System Operators (TSOs) need to accommodate not only the 2020 targets but also to prepare for the more challenging full de-carbonisation of the power sector by 2050. The NGO community is still not united with respect to supporting or opposing grid expansion. A number of technical, environmental and health questions need to be addressed and clarified to improve a shared understanding among and across TSOs and NGOs.

The RGI will discuss these issues with experts and stakeholders at two workshops: A Technical Workshop on Transmission Technologies and Technical Developments: Cable vs. Overhead – AC vs. DC – Innovations, taking place on 8 September 2010 in Arnhem, The Netherlands. A second workshop on Environmental and Health Concerns of Grid Expansion will be defined later. 

Find further information here.