ENTSO-E welcomes the publication of the European Wind Power Action Plan presented today by the EU Commission as well as the specific actions related to offshore wind power.

Achieving the objectives of REPowerEU is strongly linked to the development of electricity grids infrastructure to ensure efficient, reliable, and timely connection, as well as the integration of the European renewable energy (RES) potential. The timely expansion of transmission infrastructure is a critical component for the delivery of the EU Green Deal, including the ambitious offshore deployment targets of 111 GW by 2030 and 317 GW by 2050, announced by EU Member States earlier this year.

Last September, ENTSO-E organised the EU High Level Forum on Electricity Grids, where conclusions drew attention to the need to facilitate grid roll-out in Europe and for key cross-border electricity infrastructure.

ENTSO-E is supportive of the emphasis on the efficient and effective permitting for renewables indicated in the Wind Power Action Plan. This same emphasis is equally important for grid infrastructure – most notably, for cross-border transmission lines but also national electricity grids. ENTSO-E therefore sees a strong link between the permitting of new wind power installations and related grid infrastructure. This will ultimately facilitate the growing demand for wind power. For these reasons, we must ensure maximum coherence between the EU Wind Action Plan and the upcoming EU Grid Action Plan.

Actions related to increased predictability through faster permitting, such as the digitalisation of the permit-granting process in all Member States, will yield substantially higher acceptance by local communities as well as bring forward the transposition and implementation of the revised Renewables Energy Directive (RED) provisions on permitting. ENTSO-E sees the link between RES deployment and adequate grid infrastructure as a paramount contribution to the full understanding of the complexity and needs of the energy transition.

On the facilitation of access to EU funding, as highlighted in the EU Grid Forum conclusions, ENTSO-E is glad to see that facilitation measures have been included to support wind energy manufacturing. ENTSO-E highlights that a holistic approach is needed to include access to funding, ensuring stability and predictability for investors through an appropriate legal and regulatory framework, to adequately support the necessary grid expansions.

ENTSO-E recognises the need for skills and manufacturing capacity mentioned in the Wind Power Action Plan. This is a first step towards achieving the necessary network infrastructure and overcoming the significant capacity constraints that exist today. Equally, ensuring a high-level of cyber and physical resilience in the electricity system is a must, in line with relevant EU legislation and the upcoming Network Code on cybersecurity of cross-border electricity flows.

ENTSO-E’s Ten-Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP) shows that opportunities for improving Europe’s power system exist all over the continent, provided that key grid infrastructure developments are implemented in an effective and timely manner. New installations of offshore wind power throughout European sea basins are a key pillar of the strategy to make the European energy system sustainable, resilient, and self-reliant at the lowest cost to society.

The first European Offshore Network Development Plans (ONDP), to be released by ENTSO-E in January 2024, will further streamline the strategies for the realisation of offshore infrastructure throughout European sea basins.

In the coming weeks, ENTSO-E will further analyse the elements of the European Wind Action Plan, including the offshore-related actions and their implications on the European Electricity Transmission System, as well as the links with the upcoming EU Grid Action Plan. While doing so, ENTSO-E will continue to actively contribute to accelerating the transition to a decarbonised, reliable, and affordable energy system for Europe.

About ENTSO-E

ENTSO-E, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, is the association for the cooperation of the European transmission system operators (TSOs). The 39 member TSOs, representing 35 countries, are responsible for the secure and coordinated operation of Europe’s electricity system, the largest interconnected electrical grid in the world. In addition to its core, historical role in technical cooperation, ENTSO-E is also the common voice of TSOs.

Press contact: Media@entsoe.eu