Belgium: Five Grid Initiatives Call for Supergrid Action

Five grid initiatives, representing a range of global energy actors, today called on decision makers to accelerate the transition to a pan European electricity infrastructure.

At their inaugural conference “Supergrid 2012”, the Friends of the Supergrid today signed a Joint Declaration with representatives of Medgrid, the Renewable Grid Initiative and the Desertec Industrial Initiative as well as representatives of the Climate Parliament, calling for action to deliver a European Supergrid.

The Friends of the Supergrid also released the conclusions of their Working Groups, showing that the technology to build and operate Supergrid is available today, and setting out the preferred regulatory structures required to deliver European interconnection.

Opening the conference, Friends of the Supergrid President, Dr Eddie O’Connor stated: “There are now no technical barriers to the delivery of a European Supergrid. What is now required is the regulatory and investment framework to enable the construction of its first legs, to bring sustainable, clean energy from the north and south of Europe to cities and communities across the continent.”

 “Europe’s vast renewable energy reserves are a continental resource to be traded in a single electricity market. An interconnected Europe will deliver affordable and secure sources of low carbon electricity to consumers who are today penalised by barriers to trade and exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.”

Delivering the keynote address, Belgian Minister for the North Sea Johan Vande Lanotte said “Over the last 30 years Europe has built a highways network. Our priority now must be to do the same for our electricity grids. This is how we will deliver Supergrid. In Belgium we are building a “Super plug” to connect a series of offshore wind parks and link Belgium with its neighbours. That is the first step to Supergrid.”

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Offshore WIND staff, March 21, 2012; Image: friendsofthesupergrid