ENTSO-E and ENTSOG have released today their draft joint Scenarios, which will be the basis for the electricity and gas Ten-Year Network Development Plans (TYNDPs) 2024. These joint electricity, hydrogen and natural gas Scenarios are the fourth of their kind, building upon the successive scenario cycle since the first joint scenarios in 2018.

Scenarios evaluate the interactions between the electricity and gas systems, vital to delivering the best assessment of the infrastructure from an integrated system perspective. Supply and demand data collected from both gas and electricity TSOs are used to build ‘National Trends’, the central policy-based scenario, reflecting Member States’ energy and climate policies and recognising EU climate targets. The ‘Global Ambition’ and ‘Distributed Energy’ scenarios are developed as full energy scenarios (not limited to gas and electricity) and are built in line with the efforts of the EU-27 to reduce GHG emissions to 55% by 2030 and to net-zero by 2050.

Gerald Kaendler, Chair of ENTSO-E’s System Development Committee said

All decarbonisation and renewable technologies are needed to support long term European climate and energy targets to reach net zero in 2050. Substantial investments are needed in all renewable energy sources and in transmission infrastructure. The timely implementation of transmission projects, needed to connect high RES areas to demand centres, is a key prerequisite to meet European climate targets while ensuring security and sustainability.”

Piotr Kuś, ENTSOG General Director, commented,

The scenarios evaluate the interactions between the gas, hydrogen and electricity systems, vital to delivering the best assessment of the infrastructure from an integrated system perspective. Hydrogen is the game changer in the mix, contributing to the transition of the current gas system on achieving carbon neutrality and optimising the potential of renewable electricity resources.”

The building of the scenarios was guided by principles to ensure open stakeholder engagement from the beginning of the process, with input on key parameters and consultation on published data – not just based on concepts. The 2024 scenarios building cycle included extensive stakeholder engagement with two innovations: the creation of the Scenarios Stakeholder Reference Group, and the organisation of in-person stakeholder roundtables during the public consultation process to allow for more open discussions.

The development of this wide-ranging set of possible energy futures based on extensive stakeholder engagement will allow the electricity and gas TYNDPs, planned to be published for consultation respectively in Q4 2024 and 2025, to perform sound and comprehensive assessments of European energy infrastructure requirements from a whole energy system perspective. Our TYNDPs provide decision makers with better information, as they seek to make informed choices for planning efficient infrastructure that will benefit all European consumers.

The draft TYNDP 2024 Scenarios are available on the dedicated website. Available documents include the Scenarios report, the Scenarios building guidelines as well as input and output data downloadable in spreadsheet format. These draft Scenarios will be consulted with ACER for their considered Opinion and with Member States, followed by review and approval by European Commission.

Contact

Should you require any further information please contact media@entsoe.eu and ENTSOG.Communications@entsog.eu

About

ENTSO-E, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, is the association for the cooperation of the European transmission system operators (TSOs). The 40 member TSOs, representing 36 countries, are responsible for the secure and coordinated operation of Europe’s electricity system, the largest interconnected electrical grid in the world. In addition to its core, historical role in technical cooperation, ENTSO-E is also the common voice of TSOs. More information on ENTSO-E can be found on our website www.entsoe.eu or contact media@entsoe.eu

The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) was founded in line with Regulation (EC) 715/2009 and has played a key role in facilitating integration of the European gas markets, ensuring technical interoperability and providing security of supply by gas infrastructure planning. Looking forward, ENTSOG is contributing to the net-zero decarbonisation by 2050, in particular, by the integration of renewable and low carbon gases via future-proof gas transmission pipelines, in line with the EU energy and climate goals. More information on ENTSOG can be found on our website www.entsog.eu or contact info@entsog.eu