Europe’s energy system is currently experiencing an exciting phase of transition. The widely held desire to move towards a low-carbon society and to increase the proportion of renewable energy sources in use necessitates a renewal of the existing European electricity grid infrastructure. Transitions of this nature are not, however, without their attendant challenges.
The planning and implementation of grid development projects is often difficult and time-consuming, owing to complex permitting procedures, opposition on a local level, and the challenge of minimising impacts on nature and local communities.
Between 2011 and 2012, members of the Renewables Grid Initiative (transmission system operators, or TSOs, and environmental NGOs) jointly developed the ‘European Grid Declaration’, which highlights a need for the integration of a large proportion of renewable energy sources while respecting environmental legislation and ensuring effective transparency and participation.
The signatories of this declaration pledged to cooperate in the research and implementation of new approaches aiming to improve transparency, participation and environmental protection during grid development. The BESTGRID project was designed to put these ambitions into practice. Its consortium consists of five European TSOs (50Hertz, Elia, TenneT, National Grid and Terna), two NGOs (BirdLife and Germanwatch), and the research institute IIASA, with project coordination conducted by the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI). Several other local NGOs also contributed to the project, all working towards three objectives:
- To improve public acceptance for grids on a local level by applying best practices regarding participation and transparency in pilot projects
- To speed up permitting procedures, while respecting environmental protection standards in the pilot projects
- To ensure implementation of best practices in future “Projects of Common Interest” concerning the electricity grid
contact
Stephanie Bätjer
stephanie[at]renewables-grid.euDirector – Communication
Stephanie Bätjer
stephanie[at]renewables-grid.euDirector – Communication
08 October 2024
Getting them all on board – Applying public engagement research to the Dutch context
05 June 2023
Joint statement on high-quality regular stakeholder engagement in energy infrastructure
