The role of innovative grid-impacting technologies towards the development of the future pan-European system: the GridTech project

摘要

For the achievement of the European Union’s ambitious renewable energy targets for 2020 andbeyond, extensive electricity system planning and investments are necessary. This covers electricitygeneration capacity, transmission networks, and supporting technologies and measures that will ensureclean, secure and efficient energy supply.Within this framework, the European project GridTech mainly aims at conducting a fully integratedassessment of new grid-impacting technologies and their implementation into the European electricitysystem. This will allow comparing different technological options towards the exploitation of the fullpotential of future electricity production from renewable energy sources (RES), with the lowestpossible total electricity system cost.Within the 2020, 2030 and 2050 time horizons, the goal is to assess where, when, and to which extentinnovative technologies could effectively contribute to the further development of the Europeantransmission grid, fostering the integration of an ever-increasing penetration of RES generation andboosting the creation of a pan-European electricity market, while maintaining secure, competitive andsustainable electricity supply.The present paper focuses on the ongoing activities and approach followed by the GridTech project:final results and recommendations are expected by beginning of 2015.