Good practices
Good practices

Statement

#GridsEmpower Industry and Civil Society speak out in support of electricity grid expansion

Statement

Topic

Creating awareness & capacity-building

Dimension

Energy & Society

Published 11 June 2024

Broad coalition of electricity industry and environmental and climate civil society agree that incoming European policymakers must prioritise grids.

The European electricity grid, and the transformation and expansion of this grid, are essential for the prosperity and growth of the European economy. European energy industry representatives, grid operators, and civil society actors have joined forces to raise a unified voice for accelerated grid development in support of Europe’s energy transition, energy security, and economic growth.

CEOs and senior managers across Europe are joined in their message to policymakers: “#GridsEmpower Europe. It is time for us to empower grids.” Electricity grids empower our lives, industries, communities, and energy security. Accelerating grid development across EU Member States is a collaborative effort involving policymakers, national and local authorities, industry, local communities, and civil society.

In response to the interests of Member States, the outgoing European Commission reaffirmed the relevance of accelerated grid deployment and related needs in the Action Plan for Grids. As new leadership arrives in Brussels, Europe must continue to collaborate on an expanded grid, while in parallel maximising flexibility in the system and utilising cross-sector partnerships to develop standards for fair, cost-effective, and nature-friendly energy transition.

“Europe has the technological know-how needed to expand its grids. Our industry is investing boldly into strengthening this expertise, increasing our manufacturing capacity, and creating more lasting, green jobs. European countries must collaborate to support grid upgrades and expansion, using our home-grown cable manufacturing expertise to connect Europe, boost our industries, and drive our innovation.”

Dr. Volker Wendt

Secretary-General of Europacable, the association of Europe’s cable manufacturing industry

“An enlarged European grid, which is connected across Member States, delivers factories and business with the opportunity to transit towards a fully decarbonised system. This is essential. Without electricity grids, we will risk deindustrialisation across Europe.”

Antonella Battaglini

CEO of the Renewables Grid Initiative, a coalition of European civil society and transmission system operators.

“A robust electricity grid is the cornerstone of Europe’s renewable evolution. It is essential for keeping Europe’s energy supply secure, reliable, and cost effective. Grid upgrades and expansion will ensure security for every EU Member State and the EU.”

Jochen Kreusel

President of T&D Europe, the association of Europe’s grid technology providers.

Under #GridsEmpower, RGI coordinated a diverse coalition of NGOs, TSOs, and electricity industry actors to create short video statements for social media. Each video touches on a key benefit that electricity grids provide for Europeans, our economies, and our shared future. Together, these videos form a cohesive message that grids are key for the future of Europe.

Watch all the short videos

#GridsEmpower Industry | Antonella Battaglini, Renewables Grid Initiative
#GridsEmpower Electrification | Jan-Justus Andreas, Bellona Deutschland
#GridsEmpower Jobs | Manon van Beek, TenneT
#GridsEmpower Offshore Wind | Gerald Kaendler, Amprion
#GridsEmpower Reliability | Saskia Albrecht, TransnetBW
#GridsEmpower Independence | Catherine Vandenborre, Elia Group
#GridsEmpower Partnerships | Anouk Puymartin, Birdlife Europe & Central Asia
#GridsEmpower Peace of Mind | Jochen Kreusel, T&D Europe
#GridsEmpower Nature | Stewart Maginnis, IUCN
#GridsEmpower Prosperity | Dr. Werner Götz, TransnetBW
#GridsEmpower Families | Patrick ten Brink, European Environment Bureau
#GridsEmpower Manufacturing | Volker Wendt, Europacable
#GridsEmpower Communities | Raquel Paule, Fundación Renovables
#GridsEmpower Progress | Giles Dickson, WindEurope
#GridsEmpower Energy Transition | Xavier Piechaczyk, RTE
#GridsEmpower Climate Action | Ganni Vassalo, Bellona Europa
#GridsEmpower Integration | Francisco Ferreira, Zero
#GridsEmpower Decarbonisation | Stefan Zeltner, TransnetBW

contact

Stephanie Bätjer

Director – Communication

Stephanie Bätjer

Director – Communication

t: +49 30 2332 11017
Stephanie Bätjer is leading the Renewables Grid Initiative’s communication and event activities as Programme Manager – Communication. She is also heavily involved in RGI’s policy work and all activities that look at social engagement around grids. She previously worked in the communications team of the European Climate Foundation. Stephanie has studied at the Universities of Marburg and Hamburg, Germany, and the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. She holds degrees in political science and journalism.

Mara Zainea

Manager – Communication

Mara Zainea

Manager – Communication

t: +49 30 2332 11031
Mara joined the Renewables Grid Initiative in 2021. Her main responsibilities at RGI encompass communications and media work as well as event management. She previously worked as a training coordinator at the Center for International Peace Operations in Berlin and at the Florence School of Regulation (FSR) within the European University Institute. At the FSR she was also responsible for donor relations and policy events. Mara studied in Sibiu (Romania), Salzburg (Austria) and Berlin (Germany) and holds degrees in German and English Philology (BA) and Arts and Media Administration (MA).

Dr. Ira Shefer

Manager – Energy Systems

Dr. Ira Shefer

Manager – Energy Systems

t: +49 30 2332 11000
Ira joined the Technical Team at RGI in July 2023. Previously he worked in the BMBF-funded research project Ariadne on local acceptance of wind energy in Germany. Ira holds a Ph.d. from the Technical University of Munich, researching transnational collaborations and their impacts on local climate governance and policy making. He has a MA of Environmental Studies at Nagoya University (Japan) and has a joint Bachelor of Law (LLB) and Asian Studies from Haifa University (Israel. Ira was engaged in several research initiatives that addressed, among others, urban climate governance (at RIFS, Germany) and green building (ILGBC, Israel). He was also a reporter and sections editor at an Israeli magazine for seven years, covering environmental and development issues.

Stephanie Bätjer

Director – Communication

Stephanie Bätjer

Director – Communication

t: +49 30 2332 11017
Stephanie Bätjer is leading the Renewables Grid Initiative’s communication and event activities as Programme Manager – Communication. She is also heavily involved in RGI’s policy work and all activities that look at social engagement around grids. She previously worked in the communications team of the European Climate Foundation. Stephanie has studied at the Universities of Marburg and Hamburg, Germany, and the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. She holds degrees in political science and journalism.

Mara Zainea

Manager – Communication

Mara Zainea

Manager – Communication

t: +49 30 2332 11031
Mara joined the Renewables Grid Initiative in 2021. Her main responsibilities at RGI encompass communications and media work as well as event management. She previously worked as a training coordinator at the Center for International Peace Operations in Berlin and at the Florence School of Regulation (FSR) within the European University Institute. At the FSR she was also responsible for donor relations and policy events. Mara studied in Sibiu (Romania), Salzburg (Austria) and Berlin (Germany) and holds degrees in German and English Philology (BA) and Arts and Media Administration (MA).

Dr. Ira Shefer

Manager – Energy Systems

Dr. Ira Shefer

Manager – Energy Systems

t: +49 30 2332 11000
Ira joined the Technical Team at RGI in July 2023. Previously he worked in the BMBF-funded research project Ariadne on local acceptance of wind energy in Germany. Ira holds a Ph.d. from the Technical University of Munich, researching transnational collaborations and their impacts on local climate governance and policy making. He has a MA of Environmental Studies at Nagoya University (Japan) and has a joint Bachelor of Law (LLB) and Asian Studies from Haifa University (Israel. Ira was engaged in several research initiatives that addressed, among others, urban climate governance (at RIFS, Germany) and green building (ILGBC, Israel). He was also a reporter and sections editor at an Israeli magazine for seven years, covering environmental and development issues.