The European Union set itself the goals of reducing CO2 emissions by at least 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) and become carbon neutral by 2050. A significant part of the strategy is pushing for extensive electrification, also in the transport sector, which accounts for almost 20% of the overall CO2 emission of the Union.

Against this background, this episode is fully dedicated to the topic of Smart Charging Infrastructure, taking on the perspective of Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and Charging Point Operators (CPOs) – Two major enablers of a successful green transition in this respect.

Together with Jan Kůla, Business Development Expert at ČEZ Distribuce and Aaron Fishbone, Director of Public Policy at GreenWay and Communication Chair at ChargeUp Europe, we discuss the impact of the upcoming mass penetration through Electric Vehicles (EVs) on the grid and look at the progress industry could make so far. Questions tackling the role of smart meters, flexibility requirements and other technical, regulatory, and sectoral challenges lead the compelling exchange. Tune in and learn more!

The tenth episode of our podcast is fully dedicated to the preeminent topic of the last month: The electricity market design and its functionality in the face of the current energy crisis. Our guest is none other than Leonardo Meeus, Director of the Florence School of Regulation, who knows the subject inside out. Just recently he published an article on The 5th electricity market reform including several recommendations on possible measures in this unprecedent crisis.

Together we question the viability of the current market model, talk about the various emergency and long-term measures that have been presented in recent months and get an insight into the risks and opportunities the announced reform might hold.

Listen to the discussion and see for yourself.

Here at E.DSO we consider interoperability as a key building block of digitalization in the energy sector and the green energy transition, especially when it comes to the ability of grid operators to integrate systems and data to ensure a secure and reliable power supply, which is becoming increasingly important as distributed energy resources (DERs) are increasingly fed into the grid.

Despite its central role, interoperability actually still causes a lot of headaches in implementation. Against this backdrop, we took a closer look at the topic together with Alberto Dognini from RWTH Aachen University/ Fraunhofer FIT, exploring core issues, including its cross-sectoral nature, the different levels of data exchange as well as the role of open data and other technologies. Tune in and find out more about the potential of interoperability to accelerate innovation and decarbonisation in the energy sector.

The future of our energy system lies in renewables whose growing use require a more reliable and resilient network. This is where energy storage will play a major role, providing flexibility and balance to the grid. In this episode, we discuss thus together with Fons Jansen, Advisor Smart Grids & Europe at Enexis B.V., the capacity of energy storage, possible dangers that need to be considered, the right incentives necessary for an efficient use and the role of DSOs.

You can follow E.DSO Policy Podcast Series and listen to our monthly episodes on Spotify and ApplePodcasts!

Our seventh episode discusses the dynamic but also challenging outlook at the rapid expansion of new technologies within DSOs. There is a growing demand for new technologies which requires sometimes far-reaching modernisation. Our discussants give us an outlook at how to maintaining climate change targets while modernising, the meaning of “smart grid” and how to modernise grids in the context of a rapidly increasing electricity consumption.

There are many ways to define “resilience,” and many different risks and challenges through which grid operators must be resilient. The increasing threats of climate change are requiring DSO to make operational changes and investments to improve the resilience of the electric system. In this episode, Tzeni Varfi, Policy & Legal Director at E.DSO sat with Mark McGranaghan, Fellow at Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Sara Mullen-Trento, Senior Technical Leader at EPRI, and had a frank discussion about ways in which DSOs can develop when performing resilience planning. The exchange also shed light into possible opportunities in the planning process and benefits of DSOs’ proactive resilience planning and investments.

Above all, the hosts tried to foster a sense of confidence in their listeners to push against prevailing narratives of “doom and gloom” when considering resilience.

You can follow E.DSO Policy Podcast Series and listen to our monthly episodes on Spotify and ApplePodcasts!

Our fifth episode discusses digitalisation as a factor for system integration and decarbonisation of distribution grids. Prof. Antonello Monti, RWTH Aachen University and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, and our host, Dr. Phillip Lewis, VaasaETT and The Traxis Group, explain how a digitalised grid is an energy efficient grid which contributes to a cost-efficient transition. They also discuss how digitalisation of DSOs facilitates the integration of renewable energy and flexibility services.

If you are interested in this topic, cast a curious glance at E.DSO Response to the consultation for the European Commission’s Action Plan for Digitalisation of the Energy System.

You can follow E.DSO Policy Podcast Series and listen to our monthly episodes on Spotify and ApplePodcasts!

The Fit for 55 package contains an important proposal for the Deployment of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure. The new regulation aims at facilitating the uptake of electric mobility by setting mandatory targets for the deployment of recharging stations and incentivising smart charging. Electric vehicles will be predominantly connected to the distribution grid making DSOs central to the electrification of mobility. In this episode of E.DSO Policy Podcast Series, Dragomir Radoytsev, Policy Advisor at E.DSO, is joined by Marie Picut, European Affairs Policy Manager at Enedis, in discussing the Regulation on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure and its relevance to DSOs.

One important piece of legislation under the Fit for 55 Package is the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The Directive sets a comprehensive framework for the deployment of renewables across all sectors of the economy. More importantly, it provides a new EU target of a minimum 40 % share of RES in final energy consumption by 2030. In this episode, Tzeni Varfi, Policy & Legal Director at E.DSO joined by Santiago Gallego, Networks Regulation Manager at Iberdrola, discuss how RED is expected to play an important part in setting the scene for the integration of the EU energy system and what role is envisaged for Distribution System Operators (DSOs). If you are interested in this topic, cast a curious glance at our position paper on the recast of the Renewable Energy Directive, one of E.DSO’s position papers on the FitFor55 Package. You can follow E.DSO Policy Podcast Series and listen to our monthly episodes also on Spotify and ApplePodcasts! You can always send feedback or ideas directly to the podcast team at Dragomir.radoytsev[at]edsoforsmartgrids.eu or Tzeni.varfi[at]edsoforsmartgrids.eu

The Clean Energy Package (CEP) represents a breakthrough in the active role of citizens in the energy transition. However, an adequate policy and regulatory framework are needed to ensure that both citizens and the whole energy system can benefit from the prospects that new technological developments bring. However, energy communities are not a merely technical issue and they create opportunities and challenges for the national grid and distribution system operators (DSOs) who have to balance supply and demand to make sure the lights stay on. In this month’s episode, E.DSO Policy Officer, Dragomir Radoytsev, joined by Daan Rutten, Policy Expert at Alliander, explain the role of DSOs as facilitators of energy communities, tackling the opportunities that communities and DSOs offer to each other. If you are interested in this topic, cast a curious glance at our position paper on DSOs as facilitators of energy communities for more information. You can follow us and listen to our monthly episodes also on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! You can always send feedback or ideas directly to the podcast team at Dragomir.radoytsev[at]edsoforsmartgrids.eu or Tzeni.varfi[at]edsoforsmartgrids.eu

We are launching E.DSO series: The Policy Podcast Series which features exciting interviews where our members and special guests exchange views on EU energy and climate policy and its relevance to DSOs. In the first episode our Policy Officer Dragomir Radoytsev talks with Tortsen Knop, European Regulation at E.ON and Vice-Chair of E.DSO’s Policy Committee, about the recast of the Energy Efficiency Directive. Join us for a fascinating conversation about the way DSOs contribute to energy efficiency and the opportunities (or challenges) the new directive would pose. Check out E.DSO response to the Fit For 55 feedback consultation for more information. You can listen to our monthly episodes also on Spotify and ITunes.