Court of Auditors report

‘EU must do more to revamp electricity grid’

Zonder investeringen in het elektriciteitsnetwerk komen we er niet, aldus de Rekenkamer.

The European Union needs to do more to modernise the electricity grid. So says the European Court of Auditors. This is the only way to combat energy independence and climate change.

According to an analysis by the European Court of Auditors, grid operators are investing less than what is needed, “while an improved power grid is important to reduce dependence on other power blocks, combat climate change and meet the growing demand for electricity.”

Plans to modernise the electricity grid between 2024 and 2050 are currently worth €1871 billion, the European Court of Auditors finds. The European Commission estimates that 1994 billion to 2294 billion euros will be needed over that period. “EU electricity demand is expected to more than double by 2050. So a lot of money needs to be invested in the grid,” says Keit Pentus-Rosimannus, who is behind the analysis on behalf of the European Court of Auditors.

New technologies

The need for investment can still come down, according to Pentus-Rosimannus, for example through flexible use of the grid and the application of new technologies. This would allow the current grid to be used more optimally, eliminating the need for large-scale expansion. The ECA cites smart meters as an effective means of smoothing “peaks in demand” for electricity.

However, the introduction of these meters has been slow in some member states, the body said. The European Court of Auditors identifies more obstacles to renewing the electricity grid, such as staff shortages, poor grid planning and lengthy authorisation procedures. These too need action within the EU, the organisation argues, such as streamlining licensing processes.

According to the ECA, “striking a balance between investment needs and keeping electricity bills affordable remains a challenge”. This is partly because the long-term effects of investments are still unclear.

Also read:

This article was automatically translated from the Dutch language original to English (British).

Author: Matthieu Van Steenkiste

Source: MobilityEnergy.com

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