e-Highway2050

Modular grid development plan for a European electricity grid in 2050

With support from the European Commission, a European research consortium has launched the e-Highway2050 project in order to develop a long-term planning methodology for the expansion and restructuring of European electricity transmission grids. The results will be incorporated into a modular development plan for the European electricity transmission grid that covers the period until 2050 and is being drawn up to contribute to the establishment of an integrated European electricity market. Hence, the research project will pave the way for an integrated pan-European grid capable of accommodating large quantities of electricity from renewable sources and transporting it over long distances to consumers, thereby promoting competition on the European electricity market.

In this context, the project consortium is examining framework conditions and developing solutions for the planning of the European electricity grid expansion for the periods lasting until 2030, 2040, 2040 and 2050 respectively. Stakeholders all over Europe are called upon to discuss the interim results in consultations and workshops and make an active contribution towards shaping the final result.

In future, the Network Development Plan will serve decision-makers in politics, regulatory authorities and the power industry as a starting point for the expansion of the pan-European transmission grid. The network planning methodology will be made available to all ENTSO-E members and shall serve as a basis for further research and innovation in the development of improved grid expansion planning instruments.

As an independent moderator, dena is responsible for the “Stakeholder Involvement” work package . It ensures continuous involvement and iterative exchange of points of view between all stakeholders to bring about broad acceptance and credibility of the project’s results and recommendations.

e-Highway2050 is a research project with a term of 40 months. The project consortium consists of: RTE (France), SINTEF (Norway), Amprion (Germany), TECHNOFI (France), REN (Portugal), ELIA Group (Belgium and Germany), RSE (Italy), Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena, Germany), ENTSO-E (Belgium), CEPS (Czech Republic), SWISSGRID (Switzerland), TERNA (Italy), Brunel University (UK), Universidad Pontificia Comillas (Spain), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST, Portugal), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL, Belgium), ENSIEL (Italy), TU Berlin (Germany), ECN (The Netherlands), IPE (Poland), EURELECTRIC (Belgium), EUROPACABLE (Belgium), EWEA (Belgium), T & D Europe (Belgium), POYRY (UK), E3G (Belgium), PSE Operator (Poland) and Collingwood Environmental Planning (CEP, UK).