The energy transition implies, as the name suggests, moving from energy production based on fossil fuels to generation based on renewable sources. But it also implies an increase in electrification, placing an extra burden on network operators, that is, E-Redes and REN.
It was to debate this challenge that this afternoon, in the auditorium at EDP headquarters, Jorge Esteves, director of the Infrastructure and Networks Department of the Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE); Mark Nigge-Uricher, partnerships manager at Dutch network operator Alliander; Savannah Altvater, distribution team leader at Eurelectric; Zsuzsa Cseko, senior consultant in the Eurelectric distribution team; João Gouveia de Carvalho, administrator of E-Redes; João Conceição, executive director of REN; Pedro Amaral Jorge; president of the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association (APREN); Filipe Costa, still president of AICEP and Ferrari Careto, president of E-Redes. These are the main conclusions.
1. More investment, but sustainable
- With the energy transition there has been an increase in projects that need more electrical energy. Whether they are new manufacturing units or existing units that are electrifying production processes that were previously powered by fossil fuels.
- This implies more energy passing through the networks, which means that there needs to be a reinforcement of current infrastructures, either by building new networks or “using existing assets in a more efficient way, using technology and artificial intelligence†, suggested Mark Nigge-Uricher and Savannah Altvater.
- It is already known that any investment made in electricity networks may result in an increase in tariffs paid by consumers and, therefore, it is necessary to find alternative solutions to investment in infrastructure.
- That’s why João Conceição says: “We have no objections to investing, but there is a reason. The network cannot duplicate. The country cannot be graphed or graph paper”.
2. More flexibility and planning
- Allowing the use of networks more flexibly is one of the other solutions to be able to incorporate more electricity into the network without having to build more infrastructure.
- Because, as Ferrari Careto says, construction has costs and also takes time, that is, if the need is now, building new is not the most immediate solution. “A transformer can’t be bought at the supermarket and can’t be installed in the snap of a finger,†he notes, adding, therefore, that “the decisions that are made have to be long-term, for 10 years†€.
- An opinion also shared by Savannah Altvater, who believes that investments should be “anticipated”, even if they do not seem necessary at that moment. And also by Filipe Costa who says that “greater network planning is needed to accommodate†the requests for electro-intensive projects that reach AICEP, whether they are hydrogen units or battery factories.
- In order to have flexibility, however, it is necessary to regulate what can and cannot be done, so that those who want to invest know what to expect, says Pedro Amaral Jorge. To which Jorge Esteves responds, clarifying that three diplomas are being developed in this regard, but that it always helps to have pilot projects.
