ENTSO-EResearch, Development and Innovation Reports
ENTSO-E’s RDIC publishes three major reports on TSO’s RDI planning, activity and monitoring:
RDI Roadmap outlines the long term methodology that TSOs are using for their RDI policy in response to the EU climate and energy objectives.
RDI Implementation Plan paves the way for the key milestones of the RDI Roadmap to become reality.
RDI Monitoring Report assesses the ongoing RDI activities of the TSOs against the ENTSO-E RDI Roadmap and the RDI Implementation Plan.
Besides these ENTSO-E’s RDI Committee releases position papers and technical reports
Roadmap 2024–2034
The success of the deep transformation of Europe’s energy system requires a massive ramp up of research, development and innovation efforts, encompassing activities ranging from new concepts and computer modelling solutions to both small-scale and large-scale demonstrations. The ENTSO-E RDI Roadmap 2024 – 2034 proposes innovation missions and milestones for the core TSO activities in response to the EU climate and energy objectives. It is a Roadmap to accelerate the development of the future power system, a system that needs to be sustainable, flexible, digitalised and at the core of the European energy system of systems.
The world of energy has changed drastically since 2020 as the effect of a global pandemic and the geopolitical turmoil have disrupted the availability of energy sources, materials and equipment crucial for the European energy sector.
In response, the European Commission’s REPowerEU action plan sets the tone to accelerate the clean energy transition, improving energy independence while increasing the sustainability of the industrial ecosystem as a whole, towards an affordable, secure and sustainable energy for Europe.
The grand challenges entailed by the energy system decarbonisation and the present international situation call for outstanding solutions to keep the power system reliable and resilient. The ENTSO-E Research Development and Innovation Roadmap 2024 – 2034 (ENTSO-E RDI Roadmap 2024 – 2034) lays down missions for the next 10 years to overcome these challenges and implement the power system for a carbon-neutral Europe.
The ENTSO-E RDI Roadmap is a legally mandated document that outlines key research, development and innovation priorities for modernising the power grid over the next decade. It targets a broad audience, including decision-makers within electricity Transmission System Operators (TSOs), the companies and organisations interacting with the grid, policymakers and anyone else involved in the future evolution of the power grid.
Implementation Plan
The Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Implementation Report 2021-2025 lays out thirteen project concepts to be initiated by TSOs in collaboration with key stakeholders and supported by policy makers and regulatory authorities in the coming years.
The Report builds on the vision set out in the form of 6 Flagship topics in the ENTSO-E RDI Roadmap 2020 –2030 and translates its milestones into tangible RDI project ideas. The Implementation Report justifies the prioritisation of activities and serves as a guiding instrument for TSOs and the wider energy sector to prepare and activate urgently required RDI projects.
The thirteen project concepts are more tangibly outlined than in earlier reports, more system-challenge focused, and less technology driven. They still focus on what is relevant for TSO core activities in ensuring a cost-effective, secure energy transition. An overarching aim is to bring innovative ideas to a technology readiness level which allows their uptake in grid planning, asset management and operations.
Previous Implementation Plans
Monitoring Report
Research is already a business support activity within the TSOs – is one of the major outcomes of the new RDI Monitoring Report that is published now. Out of the screened 117 RDI projects of the TSOs, the majority, 51 percent are financed or co-financed by the TSOs themselves, while 35 percent is financed or co-financed by the EU.
The purpose of the RDI Monitoring Report is to assess the coverage level of the recently finished or ongoing TSO RDI projects against the more than 80 milestones of the ENTSO-E RDI Roadmap 2020-2030 and thus to provide input to the new ten-year RDI Roadmap by identifying macro-trends and potential gaps.
The Report shows that 80 percent of these milestones are already covered at some degree, which highlights the deep commitment of TSOs towards carbon neutrality and the strong alignment with the Green Deal and the REPowerEU action plans.
Previous Monitoring Reports
Position Papers and Technical Reports
The RDI Committee of ENTSO-E publishes papers and reports on various topics, stemming from the milestones of the RDI Roadmap. These papers build the basis for future implementation activities or provide points of focus for the TSOs related to subjects which appear on a longer time horizon.
Deployment of Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles and their Impact on the Power System
October 2023
Study on Power and Heat Sectors: Interactions and Synergies
2023
Study on Flexibility from Power-to-Hydrogen
2022
Innovation Uptake through Regulation
2022
Stability Management in Power Electronics Dominated Systems
2022
Previous Position Papers and Technical Reports
Assessment of Future Flexibility Needs
Electric Vehicle Integration into Power Grids
(Position paper)
Grid-Forming Capabilities: Towards System Level Integration
Position paper on Offshore Development focuses on interoperability
The use of internal lead sheathing in power cables
(Position paper)
Transition Times from SF6 to alternative technologies for HV and EHV applications
(Position paper)
Workstream for the development of multi-vendor HVDC systems
Digitalisation of Energy Action Plan (DESAP)
The ENTSO-E and DSO Entity Joint Task Force (JTF) on Digitalisation of Energy System EU Action Plan (DESAP) was established to tackle the complex challenges of digitalizing Europe’s electricity system. The initiative is driven by the European Commission’s action plan for Digitalising the energy system – EU action plan (COM/2022/552).
Common TSO-DSO Challenges & Opportunities for Digital EU Electricity System.
The recently published joint ENTSO-E and DSO Entity report “TSO-DSO Challenges & Opportunities for the Digital EU Electricity System” marks a significant milestone in addressing the evolving landscape of grid management and energy transition.
The report underscores the critical need for digitalisation to enhance grid operation, planning, and customer integration, which is essential for achieving global and European carbon emission reduction targets. The report provides comprehensive compilation of anticipated priority challenges in the transition toward a fully digitalised electricity system.
Furthermore, the report also compiles insights and expectations regarding digital twin solutions, gathered through various representatives from the energy sector (via workshops, surveys, and focus groups). Additionally, it highlights existing gaps, improvement opportunities and necessary measures to advance digital solutions across Europe’s power systems.
Read the complete report on Common TSO-DSO challenges & opportunities