The EU energy system needs profound adaptations to contribute to the achievement of the 2030 energy and climate goals, in view of climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest. The future energy system needs to be more efficient, smarter and better integrated between sectors. It is widely acknowledged that direct electrification is at the core of the decarbonisation effort and that offshore wind will play a central role in it, alongside distributed generation. The power sector will rely more and more on variable renewable energy sources, requiring smarter and more flexible transmission and distribution grids. Battery storage and electrolysers converting renewable electricity into hydrogen for the purpose of seasonal storage are important tools in that respect. A renewed, science-based approach to network planning is indispensable to take these new elements into account and fully include flexibility options and demand-side policies.

What are the solutions to integrate large volumes of electricity and dispatch it all across Europe, including for the benefit of landlocked countries? How can we drive the necessary investment in batteries and electrolysers with a network function? How market disruptive will these technologies be, notably on price formation and cost-recovery for generation assets? How should network planning evolve to promote system-wide optimization and implement the “energy efficiency first” principle?

In the context of the revision of the regulation on the trans-European networks for energy, the conference will gather experts from various background, political leaders, industry and civil society organisations to address those questions and discuss the future of the EU energy infrastructure.