Per Hallberg from EURELECTRIC speaks on the role of smart grids in Europe’s electricity distribution and consumption, EURELECTRIC
Release Date: 2010-04-13
“Europe’s Distribution System Operators (DSOs) have a key role to play in integrating the low-carbon power sources that are essential to reach the 20/20/20 targets and in facilitating well-functioning electricity retail markets in Europe. Smart grids can help us deliver on that. DSOs, however, need to be able to implement them now”, EURELECTRIC Working Group Smart Grids Chairman Per Hallberg told 150 delegates at a two-day policy workshop entitled “How Will Smart Grids Change the Face of Europe’s Electricity Distribution and Consumption?”. Mr Hallberg also made the point that “Intelligent grids will empower the customers to intelligently manage their electricity usage and allow them to reduce consumption peaks, bringing benefits to all actors of the value chain and to society as a whole”.An important area where the DSOs are facing new challenges is in meeting the EU targets for deployment of low-carbon-emitting renewable energies. Smart grids will provide sustainable solutions. In this respect, Peter Birkner, Chairman of EURELECTRIC’s Networks Committee stressed that “Smart grids are absolutely needed for a large-scale integration of renewable electricity sources in the power system. Without smart grid technologies, DSOs will have a hard time dealing with a constantly increasing share of intermittent and decentralised energy sources on the network”.
The dispersion and diversity of smart grids investment beneficiaries and the regulated nature of Europe’s Distribution System Operators puts the public authorities and energy regulators in the driving seat to make the smart grids concept a reality. Peter Birkner calls for a revision of the regulatory model applied to DSOs: “Regulation should be based on a clear-sighted, wide analysis of the benefits of DSO investment both in terms of customer service and environmental benefits and should guarantee a fair long-term return on invested capital. But it should also reward innovation and encourage large scale research and development programmes. Smart grids therefore need smart regulation”, Peter Birkner added.
In that respect, EURELECTRIC plays an active role in the discussions of the newly established Commission Task Force on Smart Grids and believes that smart meters will equip DSOs even better to fulfil their role in facilitating seamless and reliable data exchange between suppliers, thereby enhancing customer choice by enabling the consumer to switch supplier more easily.
| Type: | NORMAL |
| Company: | EURELECTRIC |
| Country: | Belgium |