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European electricity grid needs overhaul

Europe’s electricity grid needs a complete overhaul to be able to handle the region’s target of 20% renewable energy by 2020, says the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC).

In a report for the EU, EASAC – which brings together experts and scientists from the region’s national academies – concludes that the region needs to develop an integrated pan-European electricity grid.

In coming years, European energy policy is pushing for a competitive, region-wide electricity market and a substantial increase in electricity generated from renewable sources such as wind and solar.

Both these factors – and especially the integration of renewable energy sources, which are often in remote locations far from points of use – will require transfer of large amounts of electricity over long distances and across borders.

But the existing electricity grid and the low levels of integration and coordination between countries are simply not up to the task, says the EASAC.

Europe needs to take a coordinated approach to the grid to make sure that investments are made in the right places and agree a common set of mandatory planning principles, recommends the report.

The transmission capacity of existing networks also needs to be improved, says EASAC, and where possible high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology should be considered. Although HVDC transmission lines are more expensive to install, they are more efficient and result in lower transmission losses.

There are already existing proposals for a European ‘supergrid’ that would enable the sharing of renewable energy from wind and marine generation sources in the North Sea with the rest of Europe.

For further information:
www.easac.eu/default.asp
www.easac.eu/document.asp?id=96&pageno=&detail=5&parent=

12 June 2009

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