Final BESTGRID conference on "Implementing Projects of Common Interest" hosted by Elia

Brussels, 23 September 2015

Conference 9.45am - 5pm
Networking Dinner 7pm

 

 

The Ten-E legislation, regulating projects of common European interest (PCIs), has been in place for more than two years now. The first list of PCIs has been identified and first experiences when implementing the regulation have been gained. Almost for the same time, the project BESTGRID has been running: grid operators have been working with environmental groups and other stakeholders in pilot projects on the ground, testing new approaches and finding innovative ways of cooperation as part of the BESTGRID project.

It was always part of the BESTGRID project idea to generate insights of relevance to future PCIs. While the project will come to an end this autumn, the second list of PCIs is expected to be published by the end of this year. For us, this is the perfect time to draw first conclusions – both regarding the implementation of the Ten-E legislation and the lessons learned in two and a half years BESTGRID. 

 The workshop summary is available here

 

Agenda

09:15 Registration, tea & coffee

09:45 Welcome
Ilse Tant | Chief Corporate Affairs, Elia
Antonella Battaglini | CEO, RGI

10:00 Impacts of the regulatory framework on Projects of Common Interest
Leonardo Meeus | Associate Professor in Energy Markets, Vlerick Business School | Presentation

10:30 Projects of Common Interest: current status and outlook
Catharina Sikow-Magny | Head of Unit for Networks & Regional Initiatives, DG Energy

11:00 Coffee break

11:30 Lessons learned from cooperation on the ground: BESTGRID’s pilot projects

  • Stevin
    Jeroen Mentens, Elia and Erik Grietens, BBL | Presentation
  • SuedLink
    Marius Strecker and Andrea Thiel, TenneT and Elke Meier, NABU Lower Saxony | Presentation
  • —Bertikow-Pasewalk
    Olivier Feix, 50Hertz and Rotraud Haenlein, Germanwatch | Presentation
  • —Nemo Link
    Phil Pryor, National Grid and Ivan Scrase, RSPB | Presentation

12:45 Pitches for four table discussions

13:00 Lunch break

14:00 Four table discussions: 

  • —Table1: the relationship between biodiversity and social acceptance – how can one influence the other? (Johan Mortier, Elia)
  • Table2: financial framework for a successful cooperation of grid operators with stakeholders, such as NGOs and associations (Antonella Battaglini, RGI)
  • Table3: possible impacts of compensation on the acceptability of projects and challenges in having different compensation schemes for interconnectors (William Mongey, Eirgrid)
  • Table4: overhead lines and underground cabling: Criteria for the use of underground cable technology on the extra high voltage level (Volker Wendt, Europacable)

15:30 Coffee break & poster session

16:15 Panel discussion: looking ahead – role of the European institutions in making PCIs a success

  • Catharina Sikow-Magny | Head of Unit for Networks & Regional Initiatives, DG Energy
  • —Christophe Gence-Creux | Head of the Electricity Department, ACER
  • —Dr. Robert Schroeder | Manager System Development, ENTSO-E
  • —Roland Jöbstl | Policy Officer Energy and Climate, European Environmental Bureau

17:00 End of workshop

19:00 Networking dinner

 

 

 

Impressions of the day

Final BESTGRID conference on "Implementing Projects of Common Interest"