Planning Europe's future electricity highways / EU-consortium develops modular plan for a pan-European transmission system

Brussels (ots) - A European research consortium, supported in part
by the European Commission, has launched the e-Highway2050 project
with the aim of developing a long-term planning methodology for the
necessary expansion and conversion of the European electricity
transmission grids. The resulting approach will propose a Modular
Development Plan for the pan-European transmission network from 2020
to 2050. The development of an integrated European electricity market
emphasises the importance of increasing interconnections between
existing and future transmission networks. This research project
paves the way for an integrated pan-European grid, able to meet
European commitments such as integrating large quantities of electric
power generated by renewable energy sources (wind, biomass and solar)
and transporting it over long distances to consumption sites. Such a
complex and networked transmission system at a pan-European level
raises interest in the innovative concept of "electricity highways".

The e-Highway2050 partnership comprises transmission systems
operators, energy associations, a non-governmental organisation,
research institutes, universities and companies coming from all over
Europe.

Today, the Ten Years Network Development Plan - TYNDP - drawn up
by the European Network of Transmission Systems Operators for
Electricity (ENTSO-E) is the basis for the expansion and conversion
of the European electricity grid: it pinpoints potential investment
gaps within the next ten years and highlights technological and
socio-economical approaches to reach the energy aims of the EU
policy. The e-Highway2050 research project plans to develop an
appropriate methodology for longer-term horizons and to guarantee
sustainable and economically advantageous development.

In this context, the e-Highway2050 research project examines
framework conditions and develops solutions for planning the European
electricity grid expansion from 2020 to 2050, and involving several
growth and energy scenarios for Europe. Key stakeholders from all
over Europe are invited to discuss the interim results in
consultations and workshops and contribute actively to influencing
the outcomes.

The Network Development Plan will first serve policy makers,
regulatory authorities and the power industry as key players to
support the expansion of the pan-European transmission grid. The
network planning methodology will be made available to all ENTSO-E
members: it will also provide roadmaps for further research and
innovation in the development of improved grid expansion planning
instruments.

Further information at www.e-highway2050.eu

e-Highway2050 is a 40-month project which started on 1st
September 2012. It is supported in part by the European Commission's
Directorate General for Research and Innovation within the Seventh
Framework Programme for Research. The consortium is led by the French
grid operator RTE and comprises: SINTEF, Norway; AMPRION, Germany;
TECHNOFI, France; REN, Portugal; ELIA Group, Belgium/Germany; RSE,
Italy; dena, Germany; ENTSO-E, Belgium; CEPS, Czech Republic;
SWISSGRID, Switzerland; TERNA, Italy; Brunel University, UK; COMILLAS
University, Spain; IST, Portugal; KU Leuven KUL, Belgium; ENSIEL,
Italy; TU Berlin, Germany; ECN, Netherlands; IPE, Poland;
EURELECTRIC, Belgium; EUROPACABLE, Belgium; EWEA, Belgium; T&D
EUROPE, Belgium; POYRY, UK; E3G, Belgium; PSE, Poland; CEP, UK.

Media contact:
Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena), Philipp Prein, Tel: +49 (0)30
72 61 65-641, E-mail: presse@dena.de