Press Release: "Policymakers
putting Europe's leadership in low carbon grid at
risk", say industry leaders
Mar 20, 2013 - elia.be
Speaking at Supergrid 2013 on 19 March Friends of the Supergrid Chairman, Mr
Marcello del Brenna, called on EU policy makers to
deliver a single market in electricity this decade,
and to put in place the regulatory framework to enable
large scale interconnection between Member States.
This will provide real benefit to consumers across
the EU, and capture significant economic benefit
for European industry.
“The members of the Friends of Supergrid employ
over 1m people across the globe. Supergrid is a
huge potential economic success story for Europe.
The technology to deliver low carbon electricity
into homes and businesses around the world is being
developed and manufactured here in Europe. But,
lack of action by EU and national governments risks
surrendering Europe’s golden opportunity to competitors
on another continent”, said Mr del Brenna.
The main conclusions of Supergrid 2013 are:
- Technology has never been, is not and will never
be the bottleneck to Supergrid delivery;
- Europe has the potential to lead the third industrial
revolution and a single integrated electricity
market is a vital component in its delivery;
- The first phase of Supergrid can be delivered
this decade, linking 3 or 4 Member States across
the North Sea;
- Yet more studies in 2012 have shown that a meshed
integrated Supergrid network will be less costly
than multiple single "point to point" links connecting
new low carbon power sources to load centres across
a European market;
- Supergrid will optimise Europe’s energy production
and transmission;
- Supergrid needs a regulatory framework that attracts
public and private capital;
- Supergrid will create highly skilled job opportunities
and promote European technology exports;
- Asia and America are also launching their Supergrid
projects, Europe must not lose its industry leadership.
ENDS
Notes to editor:
About Friends of the Supergrid
The Friends of the
Supergrid (FOSG) is a group of companies which have
a mutual interest in promoting and influencing the
policy and regulatory framework required to enable
large-scale interconnection in Europe. With a special
insight into the technology needed to create Supergrid
the Friends will be empowered to build the know-how
to deliver it in practice.
FOSG combines companies
in sectors that will deliver the High Voltage infrastructure
and related technology, together with companies that
will develop, install, own and operate that infrastructure.
The Friends will design the physical equipment, and
work alongside the companies that will build the
structures at sea, so that both are empowered to
compete and win.
FOSG is able to present
'cradle to grave' interconnection solutions to policy
makers and others looking to develop energy policy
across Europe through to 2050.
FOSG members include:
3E, ABB, ACS-Cobra, ALSTOM, CESI, DONG Energy, Elia,
General Electric, Hochtief Solutions AG, INTEL, Mainstream
Renewable Power, UK National Grid, Nexans, Parsons
Brinckerhoff, Prysmian, REE-Red Eléctrica of Spain,
REN-Rede Eléctrica National, RTE-France, Siemens,
Vattenfall, Visser & Smit Marine Contracting , WPD offshore and Yokogawa Electric Corporation.
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