In a response, currENT, the European association of innovative grid technology companies, of which SuperNode is a founding member, welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for revising the Electricity Market Design, which focuses on optimising the existing electricity grid to support the transition to a decarbonised electricity market.
According to John Fitzgerald, CEO of SuperNode, “Proper grid planning and infrastructure delivery is critical to a successful energy transition away from carbon fuel dependency. Regulatory Policy needs to be fit for purpose to enable the transition. SuperNode firmly supports long-term grid planning of which anticipatory investments is a key aspect. SuperNode also believes it is important to have suitable incentives for innovative grid technologies that can dramatically increase the capacity of the grid to incorporate all the new renewable energy that is targeted.”
SuperNode strongly supports the proposal to add anticipatory investments in the grid to Article 18, paragraph 2 and paragraph 9. SuperNode also believe that anticipatory investments need to be done in the context of a full long-term decarbonisation plan, preferably pan-European. The better the plan, the better the investment decisions will be.
In addition, SuperNode finds it useful to add a definition of “anticipatory investments” in Article 2. It would make sense to distinguish between “anticipatory investments,” meaning investments that go beyond the needs of the initial user’s development, and “highly anticipatory investment,” meaning infrastructure investments for unknown potential future projects.
SuperNode also supports currENT’s call for more incentives for innovative grid technologies for the TSOs and DSOs. It is vitally important that innovations in grid technologies are prioritised and supported. Grid technologies today are not equipped to incorporate the huge influx in renewable electricity on to our grids in the near and long term.
CurrENT’s response also supported increased transparency for grid operators and commented on the proposals for the digitalisation of the electricity grid.
Read more from currENT’s response here.