Europe’s grid operators unprepared for renewables

By Finance News On Oct 7, 2024

Europe’s energy watchdog has criticised the continent’s grid operators for being unprepared for the expected increase in renewable energy.

The Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) warns that without changes to their plans, Europe’s electricity grid may not be able to support the move towards electrification.

This could lead to higher energy bills for homes and businesses and make it harder to achieve climate goals.

ACER’s review examines the latest ten-year Network Development Plan from Europe’s electricity and gas grid operators, pointing out serious gaps in their preparations for the clean energy transition.

The report states that the operators’ forecasts do not account for the rapid growth of renewable technologies.

According to the study, there is a lack of planning for the high levels of renewable energy expected in the future and a failure to recognise current trends in renewable energy, such as battery storage, which already exceeds earlier predictions.

Additionally, there has been poor communication with stakeholders, resulting in a lack of transparency.