EU Commission announces electricity grid action plan

EU Commission Announces Electricity Grid Action Plan

BRUSSELS, Nov 28 (Reuters) – The EU’s energy commissioner Kadri Simson announced on Tuesday an action plan to overhaul its 40-year-old electricity infrastructure to meet new renewable energy demands as the energy transition speeds up.

Electrification of transport along with the hooking up of new offshore wind farms and solar plants are among the myriad of projects planned for coming years to connect to the bloc’s power market.

EU Power Demand and Renewable Integration

The Commission expects EU power demand to rise 60% from this year until 2030 with more industry, home heating, cars and some hydrogen projecting adding to the mix.

“Networks will also need to integrate a large share of variable renewable power,” the Commission said in the plan.

“Grids needs to adapt to a more decentralised, digitalised and flexible system with millions of rooftop solar panels and local energy communities sharing resources.”

Cross-Border Infrastructure and Funding

The Commission said that cross-border infrastructure between member states should double in the seven years. In total, the Commission estimates 584 billion euros ($637 billion) will need to be spent on the upgrades, as previously reported by Reuters.

In wattage, this translates to an increase of 64 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 of cross-border transmission with an initial aim of adding 23 GW by 2025. The 27-member bloc has 93 GW of cross-border power connectors.

Projects of Common Interest (PCI) and Stakeholder Collaboration

The Commission also announced 166 new projects of common interest (PCI) with the majority in electricity and hydrogen. Being on the list is a precondition for projects to apply for EU funding in 2024.

“Having the right infrastructure in place is the last piece of the puzzle,” Simson told reporters

Half of the projects will modernise and better connect power networks and add new energy storage facilities, as well as cover 12 offshore projects in the North Seas, Baltic Sea and the Atlantic.

Implementation and Climate Adaptation

The official said implementation of the grid action plan should begin in 18 months.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being Indicator 9.1.1: Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added SDG 13: Climate Action Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into their national policies, strategies, and planning

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Source: reuters.com

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