The Big Switch: Achieving 100% Decarbonised Power in Europe

Introduction

Electricity will play an increasingly dominant role in European economies due to its inherent efficiency. Replacing fossil fuels with decarbonised electricity across sectors like transport, heating, and industry will massively increase the need for electricity generation and delivery to areas of high demand.

The tripling of renewable energy sources (RES) targets, as agreed by nearly 200 countries at COP28 in 2023, should help meet the increasing demand driven by electrification. Already, several European countries can operate their systems entirely on decarbonised or renewable power for extended periods, sometimes lasting several days or weeks. Examples from major economies, including the UK, Ireland, Belgium and Portugal, demonstrate that the energy transition is not only possible but already underway.

At the same time, operating power systems with increasing shares of wind and solar requires transmission system operators (TSOs) to adopt innovative technical and operational solutions. They must also develop contingency plans and access flexibility resources whenever needed. A supportive regulatory framework is vital to enable these changes and reward effective operational practices and coordination across the entire energy system value chain.

Ensuring system stability and security, particularly during periods of stress, is essential as we progress towards delivering a zero-carbon grid. This includes establishing adequate technical requirements and developing system services that can accommodate the increasing share of variable renewable energy sources. Lessons learned from recent events, need to inform and shape future actions and policies.

The Big Switch

The conference will spotlight pioneering examples of energy system transformation from several European countries. It will highlight how grid operators are preparing and how stakeholders are adapting to this new reality. Key topics to be explored include the importance of integrated planning across borders and sectors, flexibility and demand-side solutions, environmental integration, and policy and regulatory enablers.

To ensure the energy transition does not come at the expense of nature, the 2025 RGI Annual Conference, co-organised with NESO, REN, and RSPB, will show how new approaches for strategic environmental protection can contribute at accelerating the energy transition, contribute to nature positive infrastructure, foster public support, and deliver lasting ecological value.