The European grid must be adapted to the emerging energy transition power system, characterised by high and increasing variable RES shares, flexibility, and decentralised co-existing with centralised in one system. Innovative solutions on the physical side and the increasing use of digital technologies for the optimisation of the grid are to be applied. The power system will see new players emerge, such as aggregators, and also see the customers moving centre stage.

Other RDI publications and activities

In April 2020, ENTSO-E published its “Position Paper on the reduction of SF₆ emissions and introduction of alternative technologies”, in which the TSO community confirmed its commitment to the development of SF₆ alternative technologies and substitutive gases for the various TSO applications. ENTSO-E also published a position paper on the “Standardized control interface for HVDC SIL/HIL conformity tests” to support interoperability.

ENTSO-E published, respectively, in May and October 2020 the “Position Paper on Offshore Development”, and the “Position Paper on Offshore Development: Market and Regulatory Issues”. The former identified five pillars for a successful offshore development, whereas the latter calls for an electricity market design that ensures the efficient utilisation of resources by providing efficient price signals (incentives) to generators, consumers, storage and infrastructure operators, both for short-term operations and for long-term investments.

The ENTSO-E Technopedia went live in November 2020. It includes factsheets on different innovative and state-of-the-art technologies in relation to power transmission assets, system operation, and digitalisation and flexibility solutions. These factsheets enable a better understanding of these technologies, their advantages for TSOs and their readiness level, including the ongoing research areas. With Technopedia, ENTSO-E hopes to continue contributing to sharing know­ledge and best practice on TSO innovation.

ENTSO-E strengthened its role in the European Technology Innovation Platform on Smart Networks Energy Transition (ETIP SNET), through active participation in its working groups and the Governing Board, of which ENTSO-E holds the chairmanship. ENTSO-E is also engaged in the integrated ETIP SNET 2050 vision of the energy system and will contribute to its 2020–2030 Roadmap and the further development of RDI building blocks.

The ETIP SNET Platform falls under the umbrella of the European Commission’s Strategic Energy Technology (SET), as well as the Horizon2020 calls, in which ENTSO-E participates. In 2020, ENTSO-E continued to facilitate proposals for the Horizon2020 call and to foster TSO participation. ENTSO-E is involved in the following projects:

In addition, ENTSO-E organised on 18 and 30 June 2020, jointly with E.DSO, the InnoGrid virtual sessions. The conference brought together participants from the industry, associations, EU institutions, regulators, academic world and Member States, who discussed how EU funded projects can contribute in making the Green Deal a reality through enabling renewables’ integration, flexibility and opening-up new market opportunities via electrification.