Today Europe’s grid technology industry met with Commission Vice-President Šefčovič in the Clean Transition Dialogue on Green Deal Infrastructure to discuss the crucial role the sector is playing in enabling the energy transition. The representatives of the leading electricity grid technology providers, CurrENT, Europacable and T&D Europe stressed the urgent need for action, in particular:

• translating technology needs in firm commitments
• making sure Europe remains an attractive region for grid technology providers to invest in by ensuring a level playing field
• incentivising the rapid deployment at scale of already available innovative and digital technologies
• Improve EU funding programmes for demonstration of innovative electricity grid technologies
• Making the most of existing capacities by looking inter alia at streamlining tendering and procurement processes
• supporting a competitive supply of critical raw materials
• significantly increase the availability of skilled professionals for Europe’s grid technology industry
• an effective and coherent implementation of legislation across Member States

Following today’s constructive meeting CurrENT, Europacable and T&D Europe support Vice-President Šefčovič’s proposal to continue the Dialogue on a regular basis, focusing on tangible objectives.

As highlighted by Energy Commissioner Simson, the European electricity network is a key enabler for Europe’s clean energy transition. Today however networks and grid infrastructure are facing a number of challenges which hampers the move towards a future-proof, flexible and resilient electricity network, while being supported by a strong, innovative, and globally competitive industrial base. These challenges are wide and have a direct impact on the Union’s climate ambitions to adapt to a more decentralised system and integrate a great share of intermittent renewable energy, with the millions of solar panels, heat pumps, and electric vehicles, and electrolysers producing green hydrogen. A growing share of electricity will be produced where the wind blows and the sun shines, and this electricity will be transmitted by a strong grid to consumers.

The good news it that much of the necessary grid technology is already available. However, Europe must improve its innovation framework to ensure critical new, smarter and more efficient electricity grid technology moves from demonstration to commercialisation. Europe can approach the current challenges with confidence. Europe probably has the best and at the same time most intricate electricity system in the world, managed by very experienced transmission and distribution system operators.

At the same time Europe is also home to a strong clean energy eco-system that can deliver on Europe’s needs. For transmission and distribution of electricity, Europe is home to a world-leading grid technology sector, providing conventional, digital, and innovative solutions for a future-proof electricity network that is more and more decentralised and more and more digital. The strength of the sector lies in the combination of large, multinational corporations and a large variety of specialised SMEs. Together they form a strong industrial base in Europe, which needs to be preserved and strengthened. The grid technology industry is committed to do its part in delivering a future-proof energy system for Europe.

Christian Kjaer, Chair CurrENT: “Commission Executive Vice-President Šefčovič is right to instil a sense of urgency and need for greater European coordination in developing European energy infrastructure fit for decarbonisation, energy independence and technology leadership. This great European moonshot will fail without grid technology innovation. Europe must become better at scaling innovative grid technologies that are already commercially mature, and we must become better at assisting innovative grid technology through the valley of death from demonstration to commercialisation.”

Dr. Volker Wendt, Secretary-General Europacable : “Power cables are a strategic, net zero grid technology empowering Europe’s decarbonisation. The investment announcements made by European cable manufacturers are bold confirmation of the industry’s determination to supply Europe with the cables it needs. It is vital for the EU to secure a viable European cable manufacturing basis to safeguard Europe’s energy sovereignty and the global technology leadership of EU cable manufacturing.”

Dr. Jochen Kreusel, T&D Europe President: With the Clean Transition Dialogue on Green Deal Infrastructure and the Grid Action Plan the Commission has set the frame to bundle all European forces required for the transformation of Europe’s power grids as the key enabling infrastructure for the energy transition. The European grid technology providers, together with the grid operators, are fully committed to seize this opportunity, building on Europe’s unique leading technological position in power system technologies and developing it further.

For more information, please contact:

• Diederik Peereboom, [email protected]
• Layla Sawyer, [email protected]
• Volker Wendt, [email protected]

Download the full statement here