CEDEC - European Federation of Local & Regional Energy Companies’ Post

Today all the DSOs associations operating in Brussels (CEDEC- European Federation of Local & Regional Energy Companies, EU DSO Entity, E.DSO, Eurelectric and GEODE - The voice of local energy distributors across Europe) organised the Breakfast Energy Session "𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭: 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧, 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲", hosted by MEP Anna Stürgkh (European Parliament). The event was an important moment of cooperation in which we aimed to inform the new MEPs and advisors about the role and the EU relevance of #DSOs. ✒️ Opening the event, MEP Anna Stürgkh stated: “Electricity grids are the backbone of the energy transition. I am pleased to see that the relevance of distribution grids has reached the necessary attention on the EU level. It is now important to adapt the legislative framework to update grids to the needs of a decentralised, renewables based and modern energy system”. The discussion was the opportunity to hear from Director Lukasz Kolinski (DG ENER, European Commission), Mr. Krzysztof (Chris) Bolesta, Poland Secretary of State in the Ministry of Climate and Environment and MEPs who joined the event and who will work on an own-initiative report on electricity grids in the coming months. To wrap up the event, the associations presented four key measures and principles of important relevance for DSOs in the next five years. 🇪🇺 Introduce a grid mainstreaming approach to ensure DSOs’ needs are considered in every new and revised regulation. 📈 Align EU financing instruments with the net-zero targets and DSOs’ needs to gear #investments towards the required development of the distribution grid. New EU Competitiveness Funds and other funding for infrastructure should ensure easier access for DSOs to that funding, taking into account their regulation. 🤝 Ensure the #EUGreenDeal’s implementation on the ground by enabling anticipatory investments, ensuring faster-permitting procedures, supporting the #supplychain, and providing suitable and forward-looking regulatory framework to guarantee the right investment-friendly environment. 🧑🏫 Launch a European Grid Academy within the framework of the EU’s Net-Zero Academies to build and develop the right #skills in the direct & indirect grid value chain to address the labour market shortages and transformation. 👏 Thank you to all the participants for the engaging and fruitful discussion! Anna Stürgkh | Krzysztof (Chris) Bolesta | Lukasz Kolinski | Peter Vermaat | Jonathan Bonadio | Charles Esser | Savannah Altvater | Carmen Gimeno de la Fuente |   #Grids #cooperation #EnergyTransition #KnowledgeSharing #EnergyTransition #EUcompetitiveness #Brussels #EuropeanUnion #DistributionGridMatters

🆕 The European Commission is calling for an EU Electrification Action Plan! 🎉 Today in Strasbourg, President Ursula von der Leyen announced her picks for her new College of Commissioners, including EU Energy Commissioner-Designate Dan Jørgensen. Just as the SolarPower Europe and Electrification Alliance teams arrived in town, the President published her Mission Letter for the new Commissioner-Designate, including the proposition for an EU Electrification Action Plan. Our CEO, Walburga Hemetsberger said: "Commissioner-Designate Jørgensen’s portfolio, combining energy and housing, makes perfect sense. #Solar on social housing, for example, is low-hanging fruit to decarbonise our grid and ensure no-one is left behind.   We’re thrilled to see the reference to an Electrification Action Plan within Commissioner-Designate Jørgensen’s Mission Letter. Together with the emphasis on #renewables, #energystorage, and energy system integration – including flexibility – the letter sets a solid foundation to build an electrified, competitive Europe." Read our full reaction 👉 https://lnkd.in/e3-qH9WW ⏳ The countdown is on when the new European Commission is finalised. To keep the momentum for the Electrification Action Plan, there's #100daysToElectrify. #ElectrifyNow #flexibility #electrification #SolarSeptember #SolarforEurope #LetsFlex

On 25 November, Eurelectric and the Clean energy for EU islands secretariat hosted a webinar exploring challenges and solutions for enhancing grid systems on islands and non-interconnected regions. Highlights from the session: 🔹 Grids4Speed Report: Eurelectric shared findings on the regulatory and technical changes needed to meet the EU's REPowerEU targets, emphasising investments, digitalisation, and skilled workforce development. 🔹 Study on Non-Interconnected Islands: The Clean energy for EU islands secretariat presented key recommendations and introduced the Pact for Island Grids to foster collaboration among grid operators, regulators, and stakeholders. 🔹 Case Studies: Experts from the Azores, Corsica, Guadeloupe, and Italian islands demonstrated innovative solutions like battery energy storage and streamlined regulatory approaches to integrate renewables and enhance grid stability. European Commission's Vision: Tadgh O'Briain, Deputy Head of Unit at DG ENER, highlighted the EU’s commitment to investing €500 billion in grid upgrades and upcoming initiatives like the Citizens Energy Package and Electrification Strategy to ensure a just and inclusive energy transition. Find the slides and the recording here: https://lnkd.in/dKmp5h2e #CE4EUIslands

⏳ 𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗛𝗜 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻! Ahead of the official presentation expected for next week, Mario Draghi will present today his report on the future of Europe’s competitiveness to the Conference of Presidents meeting, presided over by European Parliament's President Roberta Metsola. 💡 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗲: Kristian Ruby emphasised that for Europe to stay competitive while pursuing #decarbonisation, "the industrial strategy of the EU should incentivise the switch of manufacturing industries from fossil fuels to clean electricity. This will also help sustain investments in renewable and low carbon power generation.”   Another top priority? Prioritising and supporting Europe's energy infrastructure—the backbone of not only our energy system but also the internal market. Curious about what's needed to prepare our distribution grids for the energy transition? Dive into our #Grids4Speed report here 👉 https://bit.ly/3ysMmPP #energy #energytransition #electricity #electrification #industry #competitiveness

Investments aimed at smartening of the electricity infrastructure are crucial if the EU are to achieve their climate and energy goals. Alongside ESMIG, smartEn Smart Energy Europe, and T&D Europe we urge Tinne Van der Straeten, the Minister for Energy of Belgium, holding the EU Council Presidency, to include a call for the development and use of smart grid indicators in the Conclusions of the Energy Council on 30 May, recognising that: 🔌 Acknowledge that smart grid indicators are an essential tool to guide investments in the efficiency, smartening and modernisation of the grid. ⚡ Encourage stakeholders to develop and consider the smart grid indicators in the preparation and deployment of grid investment plans You can read our joint letter below 👇 : Layla Sawyer | Tomás Llobet | Michael Villa | Diederik Peereboom #smartgridindicators #energygridinvestment

Join us on Monday at the launch of the Pact for Island Grids! I will share the findings an recommendations of Eurelectric's #Grids4Speed study focusing investment needs and solutions of the challenges of DSOs across Europe. See details below #CE4EUIslands #PactforIslandGrids #IslandGrids

European islands are showing that innovation, investment and collaboration can light the way forward, proving themselves to be resilient leaders in the clean energy transition. Their geographical isolation, limited grid infrastructure, reliance on imported fuels and seasonal consumption patterns impose significant hurdles to integrating renewable energy. Yet, these challenges also place islands at the forefront of innovative solutions, offering a glimpse into the future of energy systems. Join us on Monday to discover more 👇

I had the pleasure of joining Manon van Beek and Mando Vroling at the Dutch Transformation Forum, hosted by TenneT in Wijk aan Zee. Wijk aan Zee is home to the largest electrical substation in the Netherlands, covering an area equivalent to 23 football fields and soon capable of providing green energy to nearly two million households. We discussed the future of our energy system. By 2050, the share of electricity in the energy system is expected to grow from 20% today to 40-60%. Renewable energy generation in the Netherlands is projected to increase tenfold, and fivefold in Germany. The energy transition is advancing faster than the time needed to adapt the network, so we must prepare now for the future. The electricity grid needs to be ready by 2040 to support the societal and political goal of a sustainable energy system by 2045, including the greening of industry. However, the future of the Dutch energy system will be significantly influenced by network costs. TenneT has recently shared the 10-year forecast for grid fees. I highlight the importance of addressing the substantial rise in grid connection costs. We cannot proceed with large scale green hydrogen projects without finding solutions for these extremely high grid tariffs. We need to work together with the Dutch Government, Ministerie van Klimaat en Groene Groei, other developers and large scale consumers, NLHydrogen, Energie-Nederland and others involved. Thank you to everyone involved for an inspiring and insightful event. Let's work together to overcome these challenges and build a sustainable future. https://lnkd.in/dkBfUaaa #hydrogen #wasserstoff #waterstof #hydrogène #brint #idrogeno #hidrógeno #sustainability #energy [Photo via TenneT]

Let me introduce our second baby Scandinavian Energy Centers, a sister company to Scandinavian Data Centers by thanking Regeringskansliet, Klimat- och näringslivsdepartementet for our first government sponsored seminar with the leading actors in the Swedish energy landscape. We will officially launch both companies in the near term. While the core take away was that new renewable energy production is being hampered by long permitting processes and grid constraints there is a growing uneasiness about the reliability of the speed of electrifying our economies not least because the surreal amount of capital and resources expanding the grid would necessitate. Just expanding the grid would make Europe run out of cooper in 15 years according to the panel. However, an even bigger question remains the size of increased demand if the current green projects do not materialize as previously forcasted. Whilst policy makers should not try to guess what technologies will be the best solutions in the future, they should do everything in their power to promote as much flexibility as possible. What I missed in these debates was the surreal amount of energy demand the AI mega trend will engender around the globe and especially in the Nordics. What an opportunity if we get it right and huge risk if we do not. Current trend is that they will be placed in areas with power, but by extension increasing the power demands on the grid and by extension the price of electricity. This outcome will hamper the already poor European productivity and be a death knell for new green industries that need highly affordable electricity prices.  What if we create smart incentives to place PPA buying data centers and grid batteries in urban areas who work to stabilize and strengthen the grid allowing them through private line connections to new wind and solar parks. In one fell swoop we help ensure the continued roll out of renewable production infrastructure, limit the needed grid roll-out, support the twin transition of digitization and circularity and as a nice cherry on top, heat our cities with electricity mostly paid by someone else.  If only someone was thinking of doing this?

📢 We support the call to maintain the distribution grid at the centre of the EU agenda! ChargeUp Europe is one of the signatories of EU DSO Entity’s joint statement on the key role of distribution grids for a competitive, green and resilient Europe. In particular, we call to: ➡️ Align EU financing instruments with net-zero targets and DSOs’ needs ➡️ Introduce a grid mainstreaming approach to ensure that grid expansion doesn't lag behind. As the #1 bottleneck to the rapid and widespread rollout of #EVcharging infrastructure across Europe, strengthening grid infrastructure is a core priority of ChargeUp Europe. Policymakers should treat it as such! AVERE - The European Association for Electromobility | CEDEC- European Federation of Local & Regional Energy Companies | CurrENT Europe | E.DSO, EU DSO Entity, European Heat Pump Association | European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF) | ESMIG | Eurelectric | Europacable | GEODE - The voice of local energy distributors across Europe | SGI Europe | SolarPower Europe | T&D Europe | Transport & Environment (T&E)