Publication

New RGI Factsheets dive into implementing circularity within electricity grids and offshore energy planning

Published 18 December 2024

While planning the energy system, different elements should be taken into consideration. This December, two new RGI Factsheets dive into two important ones: implementing circular approaches within electricity grids and optimising offshore network development plans with holistic planning. Check them out below!

Decarbonising Europe’s energy systems will require extensive resources, including critical materials and space on land and at sea. This highlights the importance of holistic planning and implementing sustainability across electricity grids’ operations.

Looking at offshore developments, offshore targets shared by EU Member States amount to 354 GW installed offshore capacities by 2050. This infrastructure will require a significant amount of space at sea. With this in mind, offshore network development plans will play a crucial role.

Similarly, global competitiveness for critical materials reinforces the need for securing resources and supply chains for grid technologies. In this context, circularity offers a sustainable pathway to minimise material demand and mitigate social and environmental footprints.

Diving into these topics, RGI has published two new Factsheets based on exchanges with experts. Check them below!

Wired for Circularity:

Building sustainable power grids for a decarbonised future

In the context of supply chain constraints and increasing competitiveness over materials, circularity can help address these challenges, while avoiding and minimising environmental and social footprints from grid deployment.

Bringing key insights from the Expert Exchange Workshop held in June 2024, RGI’s Wired for Circularity factsheet showcases why and how grid operators can implement circular approaches throughout the power grids’ supply chain.

Read the full factsheet Learn more about the workshop

Shaping our Offshore Path

Optimised Planning for Offshore Energy Development

Scaling up offshore renewable deployment will require an understanding of the infrastructure needs and how the system should be designed to use available resources in an optimised way.

Based on experts’ input shared on RGI’s Modellers’ Exchange Workshop held in April, the ‘Shaping our Offshore Path’ Factsheet summarises the importance of offshore network development plans, as well as shares possible approaches for offshore energy infrastructure.

Read the full factsheet Learn more about the workshop