ENTSO-EAt this year’s INNOGRID2020+ conference, co-organisers EDSO for Smart Grids and ENTSO-E will jointly present their ‘Ten priorities for Europe’s research policy to deliver the Energy Union’ and hand them over to the Commission.
Electricity is a fundamental commodity and service in today’s society. Set up in the last century, Europe’s electric system was mainly based on analogue technology, and requires large-scale innovation to prepare it for the digital age and high shares of renewables, while safeguarding secure supply to consumers at the lowest possible cost.
Beyond 2020, at least half of our electricity consumption will be covered by variable renewable sources; around 20 million electric vehicles will plug into the power network and there will be a very high number of prosumers and smart devices connected to the grid. The transformation from a centralised, unidirectional and fossil fuel-based system to a more flexible, multidirectional and renewables-based one is unprecedented. The crucial role of networks in the energy transition should be acknowledged by the EU in future research programmes, including FP9, the HORIZON EUROPE plan.
Laurent Schmitt, ENTSO-E Secretary General, commented, ‘We ask for any EU research programme to de facto include a digital layer. Digitisation is horizontal. It glues sectors, geographies, operators together and enables new links between consumers and the system’. He added, ‘_The flipside is cybersecurity. This should remain a top priority for the industry and policy-makers alike’. _
EDSO’s Secretary General, Roberto Zangrandi, explained that _‘digitalisation and the coupling between electricity, mobility and other sectors are important to optimise the system and enable the energy transition. Strong and reliable networks with built-in cyber security provisions and privacy protection feature are the backbone of this transition. Network operators therefore have a crucial role to play, serving the citizens in the best possible way’. _
Close to 30 projects in grid innovation will be exhibited during the two-day conference at BOZAR in Brussels. Sponsored by Smart Wires, n-Side and InnoEnergy, INNOGRID2020+ is taking place under the patronage of the Bulgarian Presidency and in partnership with the Florence School of Regulation.
The 10 innovation actions can be found on both ENTSO-E and EDSO’s websites.
Contacts for the press
Claire Camus, ENTSO-E Communication Advisor, T: +32 (0)476 97 50 93, @clairecamus_1, cca@entsoe.eu
Henning Twickler, Policy Officer, T: +32 (0)27371344, henning.twickler@edsoforsmartgrids.eu
About InnoGrid2020+
InnoGrid2020+ is a yearly conference co-organised by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) and the European Distribution System Operators for Smart Grids (EDSO). Begun in 2012, InnoGrid2020+ has over the years become the unmissable conference on innovation in power systems and networks. Participants to the conference can visit a poster exhibition showcasing more than 20 innovation projects.
About ENTSO-E
ENTSO-E gathers 43 transmission system operators from 36 European countries. Created by EU legislation, ENTSO-E has several legal mandates including analysis of pan-European electricity system security, infrastructure development and coordination, harmonisation of technical and market rules, and market transparency. ENTSO-E is working on innovation and the smartening of power grids, notably in cooperation with the European associations of distribution system operators. It also works with several international organisations in the energy sector, in particular to develop global industry standards. www.entsoe.eu / @ENTSO_E
About EDSO for Smart Grids
EDSO for Smart Grids gathers 36 leading electricity distribution system operators (DSOs), including 2 associations, from 20 European countries. Through its work on electricity distribution-related technologies, policies and projects, its members cooperate to ensure the reliability of Europe’s electricity supply for citizens and enable their active participation in our energy system. In short, EDSO is shaping smarter grids for your future.
EDSO represents the key-interface between Europe’s DSOs and the European institutions, promoting the development and large-scale testing of smart grid models and technologies in real-life situations, new market designs and regulation. www.edsoforsmartgrids.eu / @EDSO_eu