Open dialogue with an innovative approach, aiming to maximise the involvement of all stakeholders. This is what the workshop is all about, organised by Terna in collaboration with Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI), a European network of grid operators and NGOs. At the centre of the debate, the great challenges linked to energy transition: from the integration of renewables into a distributed system to the evolution of demand, from dialogue with local communities for sustainable development to technological innovation.
Open dialogue with an innovative approach, aiming to maximise the involvement of all stakeholders. This is what the workshop is all about, organised by Terna in collaboration with Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI), a European network of grid operators and NGOs.
“This proactive approach to listening to and engaging with stakeholders and local communities is the basis of our strategy for sustainable development on the electricity grid,” said Mr Michi. “The grid lies at the centre of the current change,” he added, “and Terna wants to play a leading role in it”. Antonella Battaglini, CEO of RGI, highlighted the importance of integrating people and resources in order to deal with this complex process. “The evolution of a system is a matter of learning,” she noted. “We need to invest all human and technological resources to manage such change”.
The meeting was also an opportunity to discuss Terna's 2019 Development Plan, which foresees over € 13 billion of investments in the grid over the next decade to facilitate the transition in progress, in line with international decarbonisation objectives and theintegrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP).
Terna managers in attendance at the event insisted on the need for dialogue with all the stakeholders in order to listen to the needs of local communities in every stage of planning the works, as well as the importance of environmental sustainability to facilitate the spread of renewables, with works to support the quality of the electricity service and increase the resilience of infrastructure, while also strengthening connections between market areas, rationalising grids in the main metropolitan areas of Italy and increasing interconnections with foreign countries and the main islands.
From an environmental point of view, the works foreseen by Terna in the 2019 Development Plan will allow CO2 emissions to be reduced by approximately 6.3 million tonnes per year, based on emissions caused by about 7 million medium-sized cars. Finally, about 60% of the new power lines that will come into operation over the course of the plan will be “invisible”, installed underground or undersea.
A more detailed discussion of Terna's plan took place at the three themed tables that followed the opening plenary session. At the first table there was a discussion of new technologies to ensure a secure system with full integration of renewable energy. At the second table the focus was on grid flexibility and the ability to manage the intermittence of energy sources. At the third and final table, the participants discussed the role of the prosumer and the synergies between the worlds of energy transmission and distribution.