Good practices
Good practices

Webinar

Mapping the future Planning energy infrastructure with space and nature in mind

Webinar

Topic

Spatial optimisation

Dimension

Grids & Energy Systems
Calendar 14 October 2025
Clock 14:30 – 16:00 CET
Location Online

Organised by: RGI, NESO, and 50Hertz

During RGI’s Best Practice Webinar on 14 October, grid operators NESO and 50Hertz explored how integrated energy system planning can help accelerate renewable infrastructure deployment.

Introduction

Delivering Europe’s energy transition is not only a technical and economic challenge, but also a spatial one. As renewable energy generation and electricity grid infrastructure expand, they must coexist with a wide range of other land and sea uses.

From biodiversity protection to agriculture, from community development to marine activity, these spatial needs often overlap and can cause conflicts. Without clear and integrated spatial planning, energy infrastructure risks becoming delayed, contested, or environmentally unsustainable.

This challenge calls for advancing ideas, approaches and tools on how we plan future, decarbonised energy systems: moving beyond isolated and project-based approaches to holistic planning that considers spatial constraints from the beginning. At the same time, the interests of communities and ecosystems must be taken into account to ensure a just process that benefits all.

Holistic planning

The growing complexity of land and sea use in Europe makes it essential to integrate spatial data into system design processes. With this in mind, the Best Practice Webinar ‘Mapping the Future’ under RGI’s ‘Energy & Space’ Workstream fostered dialogue on best practices in integrated spatial and energy system planning. During the webinar, experts from the UK and Germany shared their experiences in this effort.

In particular, National Energy System Operator (NESO) explained their Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) Methodology, which offers a compelling example of a novel planning methodology that explicitly combines energy system modelling with spatial evaluation. The approach balances decarbonisation, building and operational costs, and system operability with environmental, societal and spatial considerations, offering valuable insights for other European energy planning frameworks. At the same time, we also heard from 50 Hertz on the Elia Group’s Study “Going like the Wind”, which explores how to holistically plan offshore infrastructure with spatial considerations.

Check out the presentations and the recording below for more information!

Speakers

Agenda

Andrzej Ceglarz
Andrzej Ceglarz Director – Energy Systems | Renewables Grid Initiative
Speaker
Alice Etheridge
Alice Etheridge Head of Strategic Spatial Energy Planning | NESO
Speaker
Felix Jakob Fliegner
Felix Jakob Fliegner Analyst – European Power System of the Future | 50 Hertz
Speaker
Andrzej Ceglarz
Andrzej Ceglarz Director – Energy Systems | Renewables Grid Initiative
Moderator
Andrzej Ceglarz
Andrzej Ceglarz Director – Energy Systems | Renewables Grid Initiative
Speaker

contact

Nathália Pimentel

Manager – Communication & Energy Systems

Nathália Pimentel

Manager – Communication & Energy Systems

t: +49 30 2332 11035
Nathália joined RGI in November 2022 as Junior Manager within the communication team. Currently, she works as Manager – Communication & Energy Systems. She is responsible for communication-related tasks, while also co-leading different activities within the Grids & Energy Systems Dimension in RGI. Her main work topics are circularity and stakeholder engagement, as well as permitting and acceleration of renewables and grid infrastructure. Previously, she worked for the private sector, as well as GIZ Brazil and the European Union’s International Urban Cooperation Program in Latin America and the Caribbeans (IUC-LAC). Nathália studied at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG) in Brazil, and the University of Pécs (PTE) in Hungary. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations.

Dr. Andrzej Ceglarz

Director – Energy Systems

Dr. Andrzej Ceglarz

Director – Energy Systems

t: +49 30 233211014
Andrzej has been working at RGI since May 2017, having previously cooperated with RGI as researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Currently, he works as a Director for Energy Systems, being responsible for projects and activities under the RGI’s Technical Dimension addressing the questions how to plan, design and implement a carbon-free and optimised energy system. He holds a Master Degree in International Relations from the Wrocław University and completed his PhD at the School of Social Sciences and Technology at the Technical University of Munich.

Nathália Pimentel

Manager – Communication & Energy Systems

Nathália Pimentel

Manager – Communication & Energy Systems

t: +49 30 2332 11035
Nathália joined RGI in November 2022 as Junior Manager within the communication team. Currently, she works as Manager – Communication & Energy Systems. She is responsible for communication-related tasks, while also co-leading different activities within the Grids & Energy Systems Dimension in RGI. Her main work topics are circularity and stakeholder engagement, as well as permitting and acceleration of renewables and grid infrastructure. Previously, she worked for the private sector, as well as GIZ Brazil and the European Union’s International Urban Cooperation Program in Latin America and the Caribbeans (IUC-LAC). Nathália studied at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG) in Brazil, and the University of Pécs (PTE) in Hungary. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations.

Dr. Andrzej Ceglarz

Director – Energy Systems

Dr. Andrzej Ceglarz

Director – Energy Systems

t: +49 30 233211014
Andrzej has been working at RGI since May 2017, having previously cooperated with RGI as researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Currently, he works as a Director for Energy Systems, being responsible for projects and activities under the RGI’s Technical Dimension addressing the questions how to plan, design and implement a carbon-free and optimised energy system. He holds a Master Degree in International Relations from the Wrocław University and completed his PhD at the School of Social Sciences and Technology at the Technical University of Munich.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect those of the EU or LIFE Programme. Neither the EU nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.