Embracing an adapatable, flexible posture: Ensuring that future European distribution networks are ready for more active roles

Abstract

Electricity distribution businesses around the world will continue to experience significant upheavals in the coming decades. In Europe particularly, the ambitious 2020 climate and energy targets have focused efforts on ensuring that distribution networks become more flexible and adaptable and stay relevant to the energy needs of the modern world. The challenge is pressing: as technology advances, various national support schemes and economies of scale have together delivered a proliferation of megawatt-scale renewable generators [mainly wind and photovoltaics (PVs)] onto distribution networks. Smaller-scale technologies are also making their presence felt. Countries such as Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom continue to see a significant uptake of small-scale PV systems. Indeed, renewable generators are not the only new technology connecting to the distribution network, as electric vehicles (EVs) and distributed storage devices will continue their rollout in the coming years. Smart meters are already in use in certain European countries, and their deployment is imminent in many others.