The European Commission has today launched a “Pact for Engagement” with representatives of the electricity sector to raise public awareness of the crucial role of grids in accelerating the clean energy transition.
With renewable energy expected to contribute to around half of the EU’s energy supply by 2030, this initiative addresses the fact that distribution grids will require substantial transformation in parallel in order to accommodate this expansion of renewables in the EU’s energy system. Whether providing infrastructure for heat pumps or electric vehicles or other needs, European electricity networks need to be modernised, better integrated and interconnected in order to meet this challenge, and decision-making processes need to be more inclusive, more transparent and accountable towards the communities they affect.
Public awareness and public engagement are vital during this process. The ‘Pact for Engagement’ therefore calls on EU Member States, EU and national regulators, project promoters and civil society to work together towards early and regular public participation in grid development projects, and to the views, ideas or concerns of local communities. Today’s Pact comes as the Commission publishes its Action Plan on Grids.
The Pact underlines the importance of
- communication on the role of grids for the clean energy transition
- more engagement in the fora focusing on grid acceleration and faster Implementation of permit-granting rules
- regular dialogue with regulators on engagement activities
- stakeholder engagement activities
As well as the Commission’s Director-General for Energy, the first signatories of the Pact were high-level representatives of ENTSO-E, EU DSO Entity, EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy regulators (ACER), and Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI).
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Details
- Publication date
- 28 November 2023
- Author
- Directorate-General for Energy