Forty percent of the current European distribution grids are over forty years old. It is estimated that up to 400 billion euros in investments in electric networks will be necessary by the year 2030.
This concerns not only the construction of a network of main lines to future offshore wind farms in the North Sea, but also the expansion of domestic grids. The permitting and financing process for electricity networks must also become more accessible and faster, according to the Commission.
A list of 166 cross-border projects has been compiled for the investments. These are expected to play an important role in the energy transition. In addition, the European Commission has approved the construction of several dozen transport pipelines and transshipment stations for the capture and removal of CO2. For the first time, hydrogen and electrolysis projects (65) are also included.
Especially since Russia’s war against Ukraine in spring 2022, the 27 EU countries want to quickly reduce their dependence on Russian gas, which is one of the fuels for many of their power plants. This has accelerated their earlier plans to phase in sustainable solar and wind energy.
Energy consumption in EU countries is expected to increase by 60 percent by 2030. This will drive demand for ‘smart’ grids including feed-in and storage capabilities. According to MEP Tom Berendsen (CDA), Brussels is now primarily focusing on connections between areas where hydrogen can be efficiently produced and the industries urgently needing this hydrogen.
CO2 TransPorts will establish infrastructure to facilitate large-scale capture, transport, and storage of CO2 from the port areas of Rotterdam, Antwerp, and the North Sea. The North Sea Wind Power Hub will soon connect multiple interconnectors to neighboring North Sea countries (Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany), and via the Delta Rhine Corridor, CO2 will be transported by pipelines from Germany’s Ruhr region to offshore storage off the Dutch coast near Rotterdam.
“We want the EU to become self-sufficient in energy. Our electricity must be clean, affordable, and widely available. The energy transition will stall because there simply is no space on the grid. To realize our ambitious plans, we need networks that facilitate the energy transition instead of being a bottleneck. It is good that the European Commission is taking a major step forward with this plan,” Berendsen said.