Despite the pandemic, power network operators are committed to continue working to support the energy transition. That is why the European Distribution System Operators’ Association (E.DSO) and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) have organised two InnoGrid webinars to highlight what is new on innovation and to feature some of the leading R&D projects in Europe.

With more than 350 people attending, the first webinar took place on 18 June and presented thoughts and projects that contribute in making the Green Deal a reality especially through enabling renewables’ integration.

Cristobal Irazoqui, Energy Policy Officer at DG Energy, opened the event by stressing the fact that the Green Deal is a roadmap of actions which needs innovations and initiatives to reach the climate and energy targets in allotted time. Only innovation in hand of hand with digitalisation can render the Green Deal a reality.

“The projects presented today show you the importance of having a smart digital grid to be able to achieve the integration of the staggering amount of renewables that our continent needs”, said Armando Martinez Martinez, Global Networks Director of Iberdrola and Vice-Chair of E.DSO. “We have clear and challenging goals ahead, and I am convinced that we will have the right policies in place to achieved them.”

Luca Lo Schiavo, Deputy Director at ARERA, delivered an enlightening presentation on ‘Regulation and Innovation: a suggested Taxonomy’.

“The future energy system will be a system of interconnected systems, with deeper electrification and smart sector integration. In this future, electricity becomes a dominant vector and system operators, key facilitators”, commented Uroš Salobir, Director of the Strategic Innovation Department at ELES and ENTSO-E Vice Chair of the Research, Development and Innovation Committee. “We stand ready to support the European green recovery especially through innovation and developing the cyber-physical system”

Electricity system operators have been working for several years now towards enabling the green transition. They have done so while maintaining the stability of the system, even in uncertain times such as we recently experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining this resilience in the future means continuing to support the creation, on top of an adequate physical infrastructure, of a technologically advanced environment with smart, digitalised, and integrated solutions.

A projects panel discussion moderated by Maximilian Urban, Project Manager at Netz Niederösterreich and E.DSO Projects Committee Member and Norela Constantinescu, Manager Research & Innovation at ENTSO-E illustrated how TSOs and DSOs can help developing renewable resources and thus making our grids greener. PROMOTioN, IELECTRIX, FlexPlan and Smart4RES were among the EU funded projects showcased to the audience.

Richard Vidlička, Responsible for Innovation and International Grid Projects, CEZ Distribuce and Chair of E.DSO Projects Committee concluded the event by stressing once again the crucial rule of EU funded projects for the grids of the future and the fundamental importance of electricity networks playing as the “platform” for an effective climate neutral economy by 2050.

The presentations delivered at the event are available HERE.

E.DSO and ENTSO-E will be happy to welcome you for their second webinar, scheduled on 30 June. More information on InnoGrid website.