The European Union ‘could save more than €500 bn by 2050’ by optimising energy infrastructure investments through well-coordinated planning among member states, says an alliance of European energy transition think tanks in a jointly produced analysis, reports news agency Clean Energy Wire.
Agora Energiewende collaborated with Forum Energii (based in Poland), IDDRI (France), ECCO (Italy) and Romanian organisation Energy Policy Group to produce the report.
Their analysis finds that an integrated scenario would require 505 GW less back-up capacity, 15 % less onshore wind capacity, and 9 % less hydrogen electrolyser capacity than a more nationally focused, sectoral approach. Independent top-down planning is crucial to realise the savings, the researchers say.
The report is based on energy system modelling by German think tanks Fraunhofer IEG, Fraunhofer ISI and consultancy d-fine, and considers every sector from a Europe-wide perspective. This approach reveals “cross-sectoral synergies and efficiencies often missed in the more fragmented methods that are commonly used in today’s infrastructure planning processes,” the think tanks said.
The new planning process proposed by the think tanks would prioritise transmission networks and the construction of electricity interconnectors between member states, Tagesspiefel Background reported. Hydrogen, natural gas and carbon dioxide networks, on the other hand, should be limited to “clearly defined industrial and regional clusters”.
The European Commission plans to make proposals on European networks on 10 December. The “European Grids Package” of proposals is intended to help upgrade and expand existing grids to support rapid electrification, and speed up permitting.
