The European Commission has launched the procedure for selecting the next Director of ACER, the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, as the second mandate of Alberto Pototschnig, the current Director of the Agency, comes to an end in September 2018. The Agency is based in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Following the success for the sixth year in a row of their joint conference on innovation in electricity grids, INNOGRID2020+, the association for electricity distribution system operators, EDSO for Smart Grids, and the European network of transmission system operators for electricity, ENTSO-E, commit to join forces on speeding up the smartening of the electricity system.

EDSO Board of Directors, gathered today in Brussels, elected Christian Buchel, EDSO’s Vice-Chairperson and Chair of the Policy Committee, as the new Chairperson of the association. As first words in his new position, he underlined the key priorities ahead for EDSO: digitalisation and innovation, as well as the EU DSO Entity.

By 2030, at least 75 billion of devices will be connected to the internet generating 75 trillions of gigabytes of data. From 100 000 in 2015, there could be 18 million[i] of full electric vehicles in Europe by 2030 as charging becomes more widely available and cities invest in smart & clean mobility. In electricity, all consumers should by then be equipped with smart meters.

The four Associations representing European Distribution System Operators (DSOs), notably CEDEC, EDSO for Smart Grids, EURELECTRIC and GEODE welcome CEER’s consideration of the use of flexibility with an emphasis on the distribution level and are pleased to provide this single joint response. Consideration of flexibility issues at distribution level is most welcome as it has been missing from many policy approaches so far. Any future regulation should fully consider the need to integrate and support flexibility at the distribution level which is the most affected by the ongoing transformation.

EDSO hosted a workshop on 24 April on Grid Revolution – Active Customers and Electricity Distributors shaping the new Energy Landscape. This event showed how the growing responsibilities of the DSOs go hand-in-hand with the increased focus on energy consumers in the Clean Energy Package. Through smart grids, DSOs will not only manage distribution systems in a more active and more efficient way but also enable customer participation in the energy system. Speakers and panelists included Roberto Zangrandi - Secretary-General of EDSO, Dominique Ristori - EU Commission Director-General for Energy, Joachim Schneider - Senior Vice-President of innogy SE, Anna Colucci - head of the Retail Market unit of DG Energy, Laurent Schmitt – Secretary-General of ENTSO-E, James Watson – CEO of SolarPower Europe, and Franz Stempfl – Managing Director of Energienetze Steiermark.

EDSO for Smart Grids Board of Directors and General Assembly gathered today in Brussels entrusted Roberto Zangrandi the role of Secretary General, following the premature passing away of the late Ana Aguado, Secretary General between 2014 and 2016. An Italian national, Roberto Zangrandi, has been Special Adviser of EDSO on secondment from Enel Group of Italy since 2015. At Enel he guided their EU Institutional Affairs office in Brussels between 2007 and 2014 after having been Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Identity and Image, Corporate Communication Plans.

EDSO Board of Directors and General Assembly gathered today in Brussels expressed deep appreciation for the European Commission Clean Energy for all Europeans legislative proposals strongly acknowledging and enhancing the role of electric power Distribution System Operators. In this advanced and forward looking perspective for a new market framework, EDSO members already serve over 75% of the European citizens consumers. They also are on the forefront of digitalisation of the power grids and smart solutions, bringing consumer in the very centre of the energy transition process.

As result of the INCREASE project a "Hands-on-manual for DSOs" has been created. Future decentralized electricity systems will pose additional challenges for existing market actors, including DSOs. New technologies, innovations and business models are being tested in a variety of EU funded projects.

Bernard Energy, EDSO for Smart Grids, ENTSO-E, EURELECTRIC and the Florence School of Regulation are proud to announce the launch of the 1st Scholarship Award in Memoriam of Ana Aguado.