Vision for electricity networks of the future
The SmartGrids Technology Platform has published its 'Vision and Strategy', intended to drive the development of electricity networks up until '2020 and beyond'. It outlines the need for flexible, accessible, reliable and economic networks, suitable for Europe's future. EU Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik said: 'The need to renew Europe's electricity networks, meet growing electricity demand, enable a trans-European electricity market and integrate more sustainable generation resources (including renewable resources), presents major challenges.' The challenge for Europe is to move away from power stations, often located in remote areas, which supply electricity from fossil fuels throughout an inflexible energy 'grid'. By 2030, more than a quarter of electricity needs will be met by renewable sources, and to accommodate the new ways in which these technologies will deliver electricity, the system simply has to change. This can be achieved only through cooperation and a shared vision. The Commission's recent Green Paper, 'A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy', emphatically outlines the need for sustainability to underpin any new system. New systems have to be matched with increased efficiencies of demand, which are already developing apace. 'Technological advances in transmission and distribution of electricity supported by FP6 [the Sixth Framework Programme] are not an exception: they are stimulating the generation of new knowledge, innovation and European integration,' said the Commissioner. SmartGrids brings together a large number of players from industry, transmission, distribution, research and regulatory bodies to develop a coherent strategy. This strategy includes movement away from large, isolated power stations to smaller, local power stations that can exploit limitless and renewable resources. The vision outlines five approaches or tools that need to be tackled: - a toolbox of proven technical solutions that can be used quickly and efficiently, in order to adapt current grids to accept new forms of power supply; - harmonising regulatory and commercial frameworks to ease the cross-border trading of power from a large variety of operating situations; - shared technical standards and protocols for cost reductions in manufacture, and simple standardisation of products; - information, computing and telecommunication systems for new forms of service arrangements; - interfacing old and new designs so that all systems can be interoperable. How to tackle these five challenges will be outlined later in the year in the SmartGrids Strategic Research Agenda. In the meantime, SmartGrids aims to make becoming a partner in the platform as accessible as possible, and to maximise the transfer of information from regional to national to European levels.