In 2023, wind power generation surpassed natural gas for the first time in the European Union (EU), reaching 18% of the electricity mix. [1] In 2024, the EU recorded the cleanest electricity mix ever, with wind and solar generating half of Europe’s electricity followed by nuclear at 24%. By 2030, solar will have reached a capacity of 600GW followed by 590GW for wind. All these new solar panels and wind turbines will need to be connected to the power grid, an infrastructure that dates back to the 1980s, when renewables were almost non-existent and the power system relied on massive, centralised power plants.
By Savannah Altvater, Head of Unit of Distribution and Market Facilitation, Eurelectric, Belgium
This connection challenge is already impacting several European countries. In 2022 Lithuania registered a 1,425% [1] increase in grid connection requests, Germany’s utility E.ON has to make a connection every 7 seconds [2] of a working day from now until 2030 to keep up with demand, and in the Netherlands the grid is already largely congested. According to our latest data report, [3] renewable developers in the EU will have to wait an average of eight years to integrate new solar into the grid and up to 10 years for wind. Meanwhile, external threats – from increasing cyberattacks to more extreme weather events – question the resilience and reliability of our power infrastructure.
Future-proofing our infrastructure requires a near doubling of grid investments. In particular, as 70% of new distributed generation, electric vehicles, and heat pumps will be connected to the distribution level by 2030, the EU should invest between € 55 billion and € 67 billion per year into our low-voltage infrastructure from now until 2050. Failure to do so would result in missed connections for more than 74% of key decarbonisation technologies by 2050, including 190 million heat pumps, 120 million electric vehicle chargers, and 1,220GW of distributed renewables. Worse yet, inaction could lead to an additional 1,800 to 2,060Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 2050, meaning missing net zero by 37%.
Our new report ‘Technologies Supporting Grids for Speed’ shows that existing technologies can help face this complexity and further lower the overall investment bill by optimising the existing grid. [4] Dynamic line rating (DLR) is a case in point. The capacity of our power lines, whether overhead or underground, fluctuates based on environmental factors such as temperature, solar radiation, and wind. These conditions impact line temperature and sag, which, if excessive, can lead to power outages when lines touch vegetation. Traditionally, grid operators used a conservative approach (static line rating), setting capacity limits that ensured stability even under worst-case scenarios. However, DLR now enables near real-time monitoring of line capacity through sensors and control systems, allowing optimised grid use. DLR not only reduces outage risk but also alleviates congestion and enhances supply security.
Beyond these key technologies, getting the grid up to speed requires:
Supportive Policy: regulation should adopt a forward-looking approach that incentivises investments in a neutral way. Existing disincentives such as investment caps and outdated remuneration structures should be urgently addressed, especially if using the technology increases operating expenditure.
Innovative Investment Strategies: new ways of working are necessary to support the implementation of these technologies. These include, for instance, anticipatory investments and higher utilisation of grid-friendly flexibility.
Collaboration: meaningful partnerships among governments, regulators, system operators, market parties and customers are needed to drive innovation.
Skilled Workforce: workers capable of implementing and managing these advanced technologies are essential to delivering the energy transition.
Digitalisation is the key prerequisite for running these technologies. This includes digital systems to manage and control the grid, such as SCADA and Advanced Distribution Management Systems. To provide these systems with accurate data, it is crucial to collect information using smart meters, sensors, and other remote-control and metering devices. Additionally, a reliable and secure communication network is essential to ensure smooth data flow between devices, substations and control centres.
Investing in a modern, resilient power infrastructure is no longer optional but essential for a renewable and resilient future. Let us unlock these connections.
Further Reading
1. https://powerbarometer.eurelectric.org
2. https://powersummit2024.eurelectric.org/grids-for-speed/
3. https://powerbarometer.eurelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Power-Barometer-2024_Full_report.pdf
4. https://www.eurelectric.org/publications/technologies-supporting-grids-for-speed/
