As Europe once more finds itself rocked by an energy crisis, it has become a strategic imperative to accelerate the delivery of electricity grids that can support a shift away from volatile fossil fuels towards secure, homegrown renewable energy. To facilitate this transition, Europe needs a more coordinated, resilient and forward-looking approach to planning and delivering grids that will meet the needs of an evolving energy system.
EU and Member State policymakers will need to take decisive, coordinated action to ensure Europe has the grids it needs in a timely and affordable manner. Current EU legislation offers opportunities to address these challenges, most notably the European Grids Package but also across related files. Now is the moment to set a coherent framework and a shared vision that can unlock delivery of a future-proof, secure and competitive energy system.
In this briefing, we set out three areas for action where the EU and Member States must deliver ambition to quickly deliver a resilient and competitive electrification of Europe’s economy.
- A common vision for Europe’s grids. Strengthen coordination and planning by setting out a vision with a clear direction to guide planning and investment decisions, ensuring the right infrastructure is built in the right places. A European Grids Package centred around a transparent, accessible and forward-looking Central Scenario would be a key step forward.
- Stronger national and regional planning frameworks to speed delivery. Ground planning in independent advice that reflects the challenges of a changing energy system and is supported by robust regulatory oversight. A move towards national-level independent system operators and planners (ISOPs) would improve decision-making and ensure cost-effective infrastructure, complemented by clear, climate-aligned regulatory mandates and harmonised regional governance.
- Energy system resilience at the core of Europe’s security. Embed a security-by-design approach and strengthen EU-wide coordination on security standards to meet the needs of a highly electrified, renewables-based and digital energy system. This includes alignment on operational standards, grid rules and key grid components as well as recognising the role of interconnectors as critical components of system resilience.
