Smart Grid Baltic: Smart grid challenges and opportunities in the Baltic Region: 14-15 November 2016

The Joint Research Centre – Directorate C (Energy, Transport and Climate) in collaboration with the Latvian Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Riga Technical University organized the workshop "Smart Baltic" with the aim to facilitate a constructive exchange about the implementation of the Smart Specialisation (S3) priorities related to Smart Grids in the Baltic region. The event addressed specific examples of how S3 regions are preparing the ground for smart grid deployment, including intraregional cooperation as a key aspect to support S3 implementation and the effective uptake of the Cohesion Policy Funds for Smart Grids. The workshop offered an opportunity for the industry, research & innovation sectors, regional authorities and other stakeholders to exchange good practices and innovative concepts supporting S3 and energy policy in the Baltic region.JRC.C.3-Energy Security, Distribution and Market

Smart grid projects outlook 2017: facts, figures and trends in Europe

The 2017 Outlook offers a snapshot of the state of play and of the latest developments in the field of smart grids in Europe. The analysis is based on a database of 950 R & D and demonstration projects, totalling around EUR 5 billion of investment. It aims to foster knowledge sharing and to inform future policymaking.JRC.C.3-Energy Security, Distribution and Market

Collective action in the energy sector: insights from EU research and innovation projects

This report analyses EU-funded collective action projects in the energy field. The objective is to provide an overview of the current state of play of relevant research and innovation activities in the EU and to identify the research gaps to be addressed in the future. The report focuses on collective action projects that combine the use of new technologies, business models and community engagement approaches to support consumers in changing the way they use electricity. The analysis is also supported by an overview of projects that address the social dimension of the energy transition and promote the development of collective action initiatives at policy, institutional and societal level.JRC.C.3-Energy Security, Distribution and Market

Smart Grid Projects in Europe - Lessons Learned and Current Developments

The main goal of this study is to collect a wide inventory of Smart Grid projects in Europe and use project data to support analysis on trends and developments. The report looks into several aspects of the Smart Grids landscape to describe the state of the art of their implementation, the emerging hallmarks of the new electricity system and the foreseeable developments. A key focus of the Report is to describe how Smart Grid projects address and respond to the EU energy policy challenges and to point out the main benefits and beneficiaries. Particular attention is devoted to identifying the most important obstacles to investments and the possible solutions that could help to overcome them. e-book attached. S.N.JRC.F.3-Energy securit

Energy poverty through the lens of EU Research & Innovation projects

Energy poverty has become a widely recognised challenge in the EU. Estimates indicate that more than 50 million people in Europe were experiencing energy poverty in 2018. The breadth and seriousness of the problem has clearly attracted an extensive amount of scholarly attention and advocacy work, calling for urgent action at European and Member State level. Although the EU has not adopted a definition of energy poverty and energy vulnerable consumers, it has adopted a wide range of provisions to trigger and steer Member States’ action in these fields. The EU approach requires Member States to adopt a comprehensive strategy, including energy and non-energy measures, to address the root causes of energy poverty and to alleviate the condition of energy poor and vulnerable consumers. The EU has also supported a variety of research and demonstration projects to test and validate innovative approaches to fight energy poverty and to promote good practice at national, regional and local level. Through the analysis of these projects, this report aims to highlight the emerging trends in the efforts to tackle energy poverty in the EU and to contribute to the sharing of knowledge and best practices. It also aims to contribute to the on going debate on how EU funding can further support the combat against energy poverty and improve the living conditions of vulnerable consumers.JRC.C.3-Energy Security, Distribution and Market

CDM contribution to RES penetration in the power generation sector of China and India

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) could play an important role in the power generation sector of developing countries and emerging economies by providing additional revenues to support the diffusion of renewable energy sources (RES). This paper aims at investigating the contribution of the CDM to the deployment of renewable electricity projects in China and India and at highlighting the main potentialities and limitations of this mechanism for their support. The outcome of our analysis shows many differences and similarities in the way and scale CDM projects for renewable electricity generation have been implemented in the two countries. In both cases, the CDM has made a contribution to greening investments in the power generation sector, which is still largely dominated by subcritical coal-fuelled power plants. Nonetheless, some major problems still remain and they are mainly related to the distribution of projects across different technologies and to the environmental integrity of the mechanism. In view of the likely revision of the CDM in the post Kyoto period, we find that the differentiation of the credit generation rate of different project categories could bring some level of improvement without significantly altering the current system functionality.JRC.DDG.F.3-Energy securit

Exploring Community-Oriented Approaches in Demand Side Management Projects in Europe

This paper seeks to investigate if the theoretical and political trends towards a more collective dimension of energy use are reflected in the design and development of demand side management (DSM) pilot projects in Europe. Specifically, the paper analyses DSM projects in the database of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission to capture signs of a new attention towards the wider context in which consumers live and towards the social dimension associated with energy consumption. To this end, the paper investigates the projects’ scope (in terms of project’s partners, end-use sectors and targeted services) as well as the consumer engagement strategies that projects use. These elements reflect the projects’ consideration for the socio-economic dimension of the community where the pilots take place and their inclination to build on community dynamics. The analysis shows that DSM projects in the EU are increasingly being designed and developed with a collegial approach to energy consumption in mind, although an integrated approach is still missing. In addition, research is still needed to link the use of this innovative approach to project results. A closer look at the developments and results of these projects can help to identify what works and what doesn’t in real life experiences, thus supporting effective policy making at the EU and national level

Le Reti Elettriche Intelligenti: Recenti Sviluppi a Livello Europeo

Meeting the EU’s climate change and energy policy objectives for 2020 and beyond will require a major transformation of our electricity infrastructure. Strengthening and upgrading existing networks is of paramount importance to integrating an increasing amount of renewable energy generation, enhancing grid security, developing the internal energy market and realising energy saving and efficiency. To achieve these goals it is not only necessary to build new lines and substations, but it is essential to make the overall electricity system smarter through the integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Smart Grids can be described as an upgraded electricity network enabling two-way information and power exchange between suppliers and consumers, thanks to the pervasive incorporation of intelligent communication monitoring and management systems. For Smart Grids to deliver their envisaged benefits however, the realisation of physical infrastructures alone will not be sufficient and must be complemented by the emergence of new business models and practices, new regulations, as well as more intangible elements such as changes to consumer behaviour and social acceptance. In the last few years, initiatives on Smart Grids, with different aims and results, have been growing in number and scope throughout Europe. Substantial public and private investments have been made in research and development (R&D), demonstration and deployment activities. In this perspective, the JRC has carried out a survey to assess the state of play of smart grid projects in Europe and to analyse the main obstacles and challenges to their further development. The study aimed at sharing the results of these projects as a means to increasing the stock of knowledge and accelerating the innovation process. In the next paragraphs we will present some results of this analysis, which was carried out in collaboration with DG Ener and contributed to the drafting of the Commission Communication “Smart Grids: from innovation to deployment”, adopted in April 2011.JRC.F.3-Energy securit

Consumer engagement: An insight from smart grid projects in Europe

This paper provides an insight into consumer engagement in smart grid projects in Europe. Projects analysed are those included in the catalogue annexed in the JRC Report "Smart Grid projects in Europe: lessons learned and current developments”. The analysis suggests an increase in the interest in consumer engagement projects at European level and a strong focus on the residential sector, and emphasizes the key importance of public funding to support these projects. The study also reveals that projects involving consumers are characterized by the pursuit of two main objectives: gaining deeper knowledge of consumer behaviour (observing and understanding the consumer) and motivating and empowering consumers to become active energy customers (engaging the consumer). The paper reviews the main activities undertaken to obtain these objectives and highlights trends and developments in the field. Finally, the paper discusses obstacles to consumer engagement and the strategies adopted by the projects surveyed to tackle them, highlighting the need to build consumer trust and to design targeted campaigns taking into consideration different consumer segments. The conclusions are in line with findings and analyses presented in the literature and underscore the need for further research and action at European level.JRC.F.3-Energy securit

Развитие электросетей в Европе: состояние и перспективы -(Development of Electric Network in Europe - the Current Situation and Perspectives)

Maintaining and improving reliable, efficient grids is vital for a modern society. The European transmission and distribution networks are ageing and they are faced with different challenges that may push them to evolve following different trends and conflicting drivers. The present paper aims therefore at assessing the current situation and at evaluating the possible future evolution of the electricity grids in Europe. It analyses technological state of the art and the expected deployment of advanced technology in transmission and distribution. The study highlights the main barriers hindering the development of the present grids and the design of future electricity networks and tries to identify a possible way forward. The paper also focuses on possible synergies with other sectors. Many actions still need to be taken, both at European and national level, to develop the future electricity networks.JRC.F.3-Energy securit