ENTSO-E welcomes the EC’s proposals for a Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and a Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which aim to

  • Increase European manufacturing capacity for identified strategic net-zero technologies and
  • Implement raw materials recycling and processing capacities in the EU to ensure the transformation and recovery of materials to improve the circular economy and secure a sustainable supply.

In the context of increasing international competition, the EC’s proposals are a first step to ensuring that the EU will not suffer from a lack of manufacturing capacities, specialised skills, or critical and strategic raw materials.

Power grids are the backbone of the power system and play a strategic role in the energy sector decarbonisation, as well as in the EU system adequacy and system security. In 2022, the interconnected electricity system demonstrated its resilience during the winter. Grids and interconnections are essential for the EU’s secure, reliable and efficient electricity supply towards a clean energy transition. In the coming years, TSOs’ need for grid technologies will dramatically increase to cope with the scaling up of electricity demand as well as integration and connection to renewable generation.

Transmission operators welcomes the inclusion of grid technologies as part of the Strategic Net-Zero Technologies list. This recognition is key to contributing to answering the manufacturing aspects of grid development needs and, therefore, facilitating the achievements of the Green Deal Industrial Plan, part of the European Green Deal.

ENTSO-E has four main recommendations to ensure the NZIA deploys the right tools to tackle the challenge of European technologies’ manufacturing needs for the next decade:

  • Ensure that industry stakeholders are properly included in the value chain dialogues
  • Streamline permitting procedures to ensure the timely emergence of European manufacturing capacities
  • Clarify public procurement provisions for a consistent purchasing policy compatible with EU climate objectives
  • Provide a clear and coherent regulatory framework to incentivise innovation in grid technologies

Please find the full Position paper here