Brussels, 12 February 2026 – Yesterday, the Association of European Distribution System Operators (E.DSO) successfully held the second edition of the FutureGrid Innovation Summit under the theme The DSOs of the Future: Architect of a Decarbonised and Resilient Europe.
The event, which took place in Brussels, was supported by sponsors the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), LPC Delta and Plexigrid, and organised in partnership with EnergyVille. It brought together around 250 participants, including representatives from the energy industry, companies, associations, EU institutions, regulators, Member States, NGOs, and EU-funded projects.
‘Electricity Distribution System Operators are system orchestrators, data facilitators and a guarantee of resilience in the energy system’ underlined Johan Mörnstam, CEO, E.ON Sverige; CEO, E.ON Nordic and Chair, E.DSO, in his welcome address. ‘Having the right digitalised ecosystem, adequate incentives for digitalisation and the right investments is essential to ensure an affordable and fair energy future and fostering European Competitiveness’.
The crucial role of DSOs was also underlined by Georgios Ioannides, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the European Union. Describing them as the “veins and arteries” of Europe’s homes and industries, he emphasised that distribution grids are fundamental to powering the continent’s economy and that the Cypriot Presidency would work to deliver a Grids Package that recognises the vital role of electricity DSOs.
‘Ensuring resilience, reducing climate impacts and integrating new demands coming from newly electrified end uses are the main challenges for distribution grids that can only be addressed with climate proof planning, flexibility, digitalisation, AI solutions and joint collaboration’, noted Piotr Szymanski, Director, Energy, Mobility and Climate, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, adding that ‘aligning policy, regulation and investment is more crucial than ever’.
Vincent Berrutto, Head of Unit, Digitalisation, Competitiveness, Research and Innovation, DG ENER, European Commission, reviewed the work of the European Commission to address the upcoming challenges coming from the increased electrification and unprecedented rise in electricity demand. Delivering the grid of the future calls for an increased role of active customers, leveraging flexibility in system operations and providing a clear direction for the entire electricity ecosystem.
The conference focused on three key pillars during its panel discussions: ‘Cost-Effective System’, ‘Electrification’ and ‘the Human Infrastructure’. By investing smartly in digitalisation, innovation, and workforce capabilities, Europe can build smarter, more reliable grids and ensure the talent behind them is ready to lead the decarbonised and resilient energy future.
The ‘Innovation Sparks’ exhibition proved that the next leap in energy transition is already happening. From groundbreaking EU-funded projects to revolutionary start-ups, Europe’s energy revolution is powered by bold ideas and digital innovation.
EU-funded initiatives where E.DSO plays an active role, including BeFlexible,COPPER,EU-TRACE, Flow, INSIEME, SG-Skill and TwinEU, were featured, presenting both immediate and long-term solutions to accelerate the energy transition and support Europe’s innovative energy revolution.
The Summit also celebrated innovation through the 3rd E.DSO Digital and Innovation Award, with live voting by participants. The award went to Alesea, a start-up recognised for its revolutionary and impactful digital solutions. Other finalists that participated in the competition were: Dcbel, Enline, Orbik and Repath.
Timo Idema, Chief Transition Officer at Stedin and Vice-Chair of E.DSO, brought the Summit to a close by reflecting on the panels and presentations of the day and concluding that ‘flexibility is not an accessory to grid development; it is a system resource we must plan for, regulate for and invest in. By embracing flexibility, Europe can accelerate its climate goals, strengthen the investment climate, and enhance strategic autonomy, all while building a more sustainable and resilient energy system’.
You can view the photos here and presentations can be downloaded here. Watch the recording here.
European Distribution System Operators (E.DSO) promotes and enables customers empowerment and the increase in the use of clean energy sources through electrification, the development of smart and digital grid technologies in real-life situations, new market designs and regulation. E.DSO is an association that gathers 38 leading electricity distribution system operators (DSOs), including 2 national associations, cooperating to ensure the reliability of Europe’s electricity supply for consumers and enabling their active participation in our energy system. The majority of the EU’s electricity customers are served by E.DSO members. E.DSO and its members are committed to taking on the huge challenges associated with realising the Energy Union, built on the EU’s ambitious energy, climate, security of supply, jobs and growth objectives. This involves ensuring the reliability and security of Europe’s electricity supply to consumers while enabling them to take a more active part in our energy system. E.DSO focuses on guiding EU research, demonstration and innovation (RD&I), policy and Member State regulation to support smart grids development for a sustainable energy system.
