The European Commission today allocated over
903 million to electricity interconnection projects as part of its
broader European Economic Recovery Plan, injecting new impetus into long
standing electricity grid development plans within the EU.
Nine projects received funding, including the vital France-Spain
interconnection, which has been planned for a long time.
Despite the importance of this connecti
on, which will allow Spain to exchange
more electricity with other European countries and ensure interconnectivity
between continental Europe and the Iberian peninsula, the project has suffered
continual setbacks since its conception in the 1980s,
said
Paul Wilczek, Regulatory Affairs Advisor for the
European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).
This funding is a great boost for the integration of
wind power in Europe and will improve the operation of Europeβ
€™s
electricity markets and benefit consumers,β
€ he added.
Funds will also be allocated to a link
between
Sweden
and the
Baltic States
, the Nordbalt line, as well as to
reinforce an interconnection between
Finland
and
Estonia
, Estlink-2, amongst other transmission
lines.
If we want to fully ex
ploit the potential of renewable energies,
create a truly European power market, and keep electricity prices low for
consumers, we need to connect the whole of Europe,β
€
Wilczek said.
These
projects are a good start and the right way forward.
Europe
no
w needs to carry on developing the interconnectivity
of its electricity grids,
concluded Wilczek.
To download the European Commission document please click
here.