Page 48 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2018 publication
P. 48
48 Spring 2018 European Energy Innovation
ELECTRICAL POWER
Five trends for the
power sector in 2018
By Kristian Ruby, Secretary General, eurelectric
2017 was a landmark year for As Member States reach their EU forecasts again and we will hear more
the power sector. 2018 will mandated targets, some drop the of new battery technologies. We will
be no less significant. Here necessary enabling frameworks in also see other technology strands
is a roundup of five energy order to slow expansion. In some mature further - thermal storage
trends to keep an eye on in 2018. countries, we have seen retroactive and power-to-X will become a more
changes and even de facto bans on established part of the discussion.
RENEWABLES: UNEVEN DEPLOYMENT, specific renewable technologies.
CONTINUED COST REDUCTIONS Nevertheless, hydro will stay king of
Deployment of renewables will In parallel to the EU-level targets storage. In terms of installed capacity,
continue in Europe, but with an debate, we need to increase focus on flexibility specs and bulk potential. In
increasingly asymmetrical pattern. investment barriers in Member States. several European markets, there is an
Some markets - especially in Western Consistent, predictable frameworks untapped potential both technically
Europe - will see strong deployment. are needed and targeted measures and economically, for increasing hydro
Others, especially in Eastern Europe, to tackle public acceptance and capacity, through repowering and new
will come to a grinding halt. permitting barriers will be crucial for projects, that deserves more attention.
continued renewables deployment. The additional feasible hydropower
The cost-reductions of variable potential in EU-28 exceeds 650
renewables will continue and BATTERIES ON THE RISE, BUT TWh. That is equivalent to the gross
consolidate. This will be reflected in HYDRO STAYS KING OF STORAGE electricity production of Germany.
new subsidy-free deployment models The strategic importance of storage
from Dutch-style zero-bid auctions to will crystallise further in 2018 and DEEPENING DIGITIZATION
corporate power purchase agreements we will see a number of significant The changes caused by digital
and purely merchant projects. Yet, developments in the storage space. technologies will bring benefits
paradoxically, the decisive factor in to all parts of the value chain from
renewables expansion will be politics, The drop in battery costs will continue. generation, to distribution and retail
not economics. Ion-lithium batteries will outpace the and will deepen to a point where
Left: Kristian Ruby, Secretary General of eurelectric
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