Ahead of the EU High-Level Electricity Grid Forum, WindEurope and Eurelectric have warned of the need to accelerate the development of transmission and distribution grids, strengthen existing grids and increase their flexibility.

In an official statement, WindEurope explains that Europe needs to invest more in its electricity grids. “Europe is not investing enough in its electricity grids. Renewables are expanding rapidly, EVs are growing and heat pump sales are taking off. But the grid is not expanding at the same pace. Europe needs to ramp up grid investments from €40bn to up to €80bn a year. Much of it will go into new lines and infrastructure. But Europe must also optimise its existing grids. The technology – and finance – is readily available. The EU should make electricity grids one of its key energy priorities,", says WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson.

The wind power industry association warns that delayed grid reinforcement and connections are among the main bottlenecks to the timely installation of new wind energy projects. More than 100 GW of renewables projects are waiting for grid connection in Spain, more than 50 GW in Romania. Governments must simplify the grid connection process and ensure applications are approved as fast as possible. They should also clarify the rules on grid connection and publish regular data on congestion, curtailment and available grid capacity.

While Eurelectric explains that today, the capacity of the copper cables to integrate mass electrification and meet higher decarbonisation targets is limited. "It is high time legislators embrace an anticipatory approach to future-proof electricity networks," says. 

According to Kristian Ruby, Secretary General at Eurelectric, “Getting our electricity networks fit for net zero should be a top priority in the coming years, both at EU and national level. This requires a new mindset among regulators and legislators. One that anticipates Europe’s capacity needs to integrate more renewable projects, and one that accommodates unprecedented electrification of transport, buildings and industry to match the speed and scale needed for Europe’s energy transition.”

Scarce capacity, Eurelectric says, translates into longer waits for grid connections, more congested areas, and higher costs for network users. To avoid this, Europe must reinforce and expand its grid infrastructure to add capacity while trying to make the most of the capacity that already exists. Anticipatory planning of grid extension is now key to meeting EU electrification needs by 2030 and ensuring reliable electricity across thousands of kilometres of power lines throughout Europe. The surest way to enable such an urgent build-out is to plan and invest ahead.

WindEurope also points out that Europe needs to expand its manufacturing capacities for grid equipment. "Europe’s grid equipment supply chain – substations, transformers, cables, transformers, switchgear – is not big enough today. It can produce up to 1,900 km of offshore cables a year today – Europe needs up to 3,200 km by 2030. Europe also needs to expand its transformer and substation manufacturing," says. 

Governments should support this with dedicated funding and financing – and expedite the permitting of new factories. The EU has proposed the Net-Zero Industry Act to strengthen and expand its clean tech manufacturing capacities. This explicitly includes grid technologies. But as it stands, the Net-Zero Industry Act falls short – the EU must put money on the table to help make investments happen. 

For WindEurope, visibility is essential for investments in new factories. Long-term framework agreements between grid operators and suppliers will be key. There should also be incentives to standardise equipment design and reduce its environmental and material footprint. National variations in the application of network codes should be avoided and cybersecurity and physical security must be a key considerations for grid infrastructure.