Growing renewable energy means doubling Europe’s power system flexibility

20/11/2023

ACER - the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators - and the European Environment Agency have published a joint report on flexibility solutions for the European Union’s (EU) electricity system.

The flexibility of the EU electricity system will need to almost double by 2030 compared to current levels to keep pace with the growth of intermittent renewable electricity sources.

Electricity interconnections and demand-side participation are key to providing flexibility solutions. This report highlights the added value of greater cooperation between Member States, both for flexibility needs at shorter timescales (e.g. through better demand response) and at longer timescales, e.g. through reinforcing interconnections.

Demand-side participation not only helps to reduce consumers’ bills, but provides the necessary flexibility to the EU electricity system, facilitating the integration of renewable energy into the system and supporting Europe’s energy security.However, despite the growing number of pilot projects aimed at activating the demand side, there are still a number of barriers to the growth of this participation on a larger scale.

ERSE’s Chairman, Pedro Verdelho, believes that this ACER-EEA report on flexibility solutions to support a decarbonised and secure European electricity system identifies a number of good practices and represents an important tool to guide regulatory activity in discovering the supply of flexibility solutions that are so necessary in an energy system that is increasingly based on renewable energy sources.
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ACER-EEA report on Flexibility Solutions to support a decarbonised and secure EU electricity system 

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