Conclusions I The Benefits of Innovative Grid Technologies: Make Europe Fit for 55
Thank you for joining us on the 8th of December 2021 when currENT, together with Consentec, published and presented a new study on how innovative grid technologies can reduce network congestion and contribute to Europe’s Fit for 55 targets. Almost 200 participants registered for the discussion on the day.
The webinar was the official launch of the Consentec study, which was commissioned by currENT Europe earlier that year. The study examines the technical and economic potential of Dynamic Line Rating, Modular SSSCs, and Superconductors to reduce congestion and its associated costs in European transmission systems, and how the technologies complement each other to maximise the overall benefits.
The study shows that the combination of Dynamic Line Rating, M-SSSC and Superconductors reduces the congestion and redispatch costs by more than 90% and the congestion-related curtailment of renewables infeed by 3 TWh in 2030.
Conclusions
A STRONGER ACCOUNT FOR EFFICIENCY IN GRID CAPACITY
The key outcomes of the study suggest a vast improvement to reduce the congestion and re-dispatch costs and congestion-related curtailment of renewables infeed, and a more substantial efficiency and optimisation using innovative technologies. The study furthermore tells us that up to 500 million euros can be saved on re-dispatching and curtailment every year alone for the six sample countries. What is the potential across Europe? The proven complementary benefits of the technologies tested indicate the further potential to discover more integration of markets, reduced congestions, and price differences to faster deployment of renewable generation, faster electrification of grey industry, more rapid emission cuts, and ultimately reduced risk of investing in stranded grid assets.
EUROPE NEEDS MORE STUDIES ON BENEFITS OF GRID OPTIMISATION
The webinar marks the Consentec report as the first study in which Dynamic Line Rating, Modular SSSCs and Superconductors have been included in a European-scale power market/grid simulation. Given the ambitious energy transition towards net zero, with a 55% decrease in CO2 emissions, rising electrification, and more than 40% of renewables by 2030, Europe’s ambitions energy transition targets require a fit for purpose affordable and secure power network that adapts and makes use of all technologies available. All solutions – additional lines, reinforced lines, and the optimisation of existing lines – are needed in combination to achieve the successful energy transition. Other simulations – including those used for grid investment planning – assume no use of these innovative technologies in the decades to come. It is therefore strongly suggested to continue research on optimising power grid in Europe and implement the evidence-based outcomes to accelerate the energy transition.
Webinar Agenda
After an introduction of the webinar by Susanne Nies (Board chair currENT), Christoph Maurer and Thaddäus Kreisig (Consentec) presented the key findings of the report.
A group of leading industry experts joined in a discussion to share their perspectives on what the study means for Europe:
Jan Kostevc, Energy Infrastructure Team Leader at the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER).
Antonella Battaglini, CEO and founder of Renewables Grid Initiative – RGI.
Gert Brunekreeft, professor of energy economics at the Jacobs University Bremen in Germany.
Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope.
Alan Croes, convenor of System Design Strategy and co-convenor of Scenario Building steering group at ENTSO-E
The roundtable was followed by a Q&A moderated by Brussels correspondent for Montel, Siobhan Hall.
Anders Skånlund (Board member currENT) provided the conclusions.