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Elia Transmission Belgium

Elia

Elia operates Belgium's high-voltage electricity transmission grid, connecting generators to distributors and large consumers while ensuring transparent, non-discriminatory grid access as part of Europe's interconnected electricity network.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V.

16 Jan 2026 · European Competitiveness Fund

Meeting with Mechthild Woersdoerfer (Deputy Director-General Energy)

13 Jan 2026 · Grid financing

Meeting with Anna Stürgkh (Member of the European Parliament)

13 Jan 2026 · Grids Package

Meeting with Virgil-Daniel Popescu (Member of the European Parliament) and Eurelectric aisbl and

10 Dec 2025 · Conference Debate "The grids package: storage for system strength and affordability"

Elia Group urges Commission to maintain current grid criteria

5 Dec 2025
Topic — The consultation aims to update and simplify technical criteria for the EU taxonomy.
Message — The Group argues that existing criteria for electricity transmission are fit for purpose. They recommend simplifying operational expenditure reporting to reduce administrative burdens.12
Why — Stable regulations allow the company to avoid expensive reworks of their financial frameworks.3
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Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament) and WindEurope and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S

18 Nov 2025 · Powering Integration: Regional Cooperation for the Future Grid Buildout

Meeting with Eero Heinäluoma (Member of the European Parliament) and WindEurope and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S

18 Nov 2025 · Energy grid cooperation

Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Nov 2025 · F-gas Regulation

Elia Group urges EU to prioritize AI for electricity grids

20 Oct 2025
Topic — Initiative to leverage artificial intelligence and digital technologies within the European energy sector.
Message — Elia Group requests a faster rollout of smart meters and clearer definitions within the AI Act for critical infrastructure. They also propose moving from "first-come, first-served" grid connections to a "first needed and ready, first served" principle.123
Why — Changing connection rules would help grid operators manage the massive surge in applications.4
Impact — Less mature data center and battery projects would lose priority in connection queues.5
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Meeting with Koen Doens (Director-General Directorate-General for International Partnerships) and

17 Oct 2025 · Courtesy meeting between Elia Group and the European Commission on electricity transmission sector and Global Gateway

Elia Group urges digital reforms to secure Europe's energy grid

13 Oct 2025
Topic — The European Commission is proposing a package to simplify EU digital regulations.
Message — Elia Group requests aligned cybersecurity rules and clearer AI safety definitions. They also seek access to device data to improve grid flexibility.123
Why — This would lower compliance costs and improve the management of electricity infrastructure.45
Impact — Device manufacturers would face more rigorous requirements for solar and battery equipment.6
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Response to Evaluation of the Measuring Instruments Directive

9 Oct 2025

Complementing the Elia Group position, Elia Transmission Belgium recommends that the Commission investigates the possibility to have lower accuracy classes in the MID dedicated to low power behind-the-meter assets. This can support Member States in allowing data from a wider amount of Dedicated Measurement Devices (submeters and embedded meters) to be used for flexibility services and associated billing, thus unlocking more consumer flexibility and reducing associated costs, without compromising the security of the system. Please find our detailed contribution attached.
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Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament) and Sibelga

24 Sept 2025 · FLEXCON Smart Energy Tour

Meeting with Hans Ulrich Goessl (Head of Unit European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations)

2 Sept 2025 · Discussion on DG ECHO Policies

Elia Transmission Belgium warns CBAM rules threaten UK electricity trade

26 Aug 2025
Topic — The EU is extending its carbon border adjustment mechanism to include electricity and downstream products.
Message — Elia requests a temporary exemption for the UK until carbon markets are linked. They propose using real-time emissions data and recognizing the UK's existing carbon taxes.123
Why — These adjustments would minimize trade barriers and avoid unnecessary financial charges on imported electricity.45
Impact — EU citizens face higher energy costs and increased local carbon emissions from thermal plants.67
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Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

21 May 2025 · Soil Monitoring Resilience Law, CBAM, omnibus

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

23 Apr 2025 · Soil Monitoring Law

Meeting with Wouter Beke (Member of the European Parliament)

22 Apr 2025 · Critical infrastructure

Meeting with Dan Jørgensen (Commissioner) and

14 Mar 2025 · Clean Industrial Deal, Affordable Energy Action Plan and new State aid Framework (CISAF), Electrification Action Plan

Response to Targeted technical update of EU rules on measuring instruments

28 Feb 2025

Elia Group, encompassing electricity transmission system operators Elia (Belgium) and 50Hertz (Germany), welcomes the Commission's proposal for amending the Measurement Instrument Directive (MID) proposed by the Commission. This update is critical for enhancing access to data from both smart meters and behind-the-meter assets, which is essential for consumers, market players and system operators. Speeding up the roll-out of smart meters and updating the MID will support the goals of providing affordable and secure energy and achieving the energy transition. - The proposal's allowance for remote displays to indicate measurement results is appreciated, as it reduces costs for the development of MID-compliant devices and enhances customer experience. - MID-compliant meters behind the main meter must serve as a valid basis for settling and billing multiple contracts behind the meter. This will help in the implementation of the updated Article 4 of the Electricity Directive pursuant to the Electricity Market Design Reform, which gives the right to consumers to have multiple suppliers behind the meter. This approach is cost-efficient compared to relying solely on regulated smart meters, thus contributing to energy affordability. - However, the current proposal lacks requirements for synchronisation and timestamping of measured data for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). These capabilities are present in regulated (smart) meters, but not mandated by the MID. The lack of such capabilities will prevent the market and service providers to offer meaningful services and value to consumers. - Furthermore, it is important that MID-compliant meters can provide periodic measurement results, up to at least the market granularity (e.g., 15-minute for retail market). For public charging sessions, EVSE must allow daily price updates to promote green electricity consumption, with easily accessible price information for consumers. - Expanding MID to include other flexible devices, such as heat pumps and batteries, is essential for their participation in services like flexibility and demand response. Ensuring accurate billing data without increasing device costs is critical, requiring balanced requirementsneither too lenient nor too strictto maintain consumer trust and deliver value affordably. - The inclusion of EVSE in MID should lead to greater harmonisation within Europe, eliminating country-specific standards and creating a unified market for these flexible devices, facilitating service providers' activities across EU countries. - Finally, Elia Group supports the proposed transposition and application period to ensure new rules enable consumers to participate effectively in the market, accessing affordable energy and custom electricity services. Please find our detailed position in the enclosed document.
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Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

10 Feb 2025 · Grids INI

Meeting with Lukasz Kolinski (Director Energy)

23 Jan 2025 · Update on the Princess Elisabeth Energy Island

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

7 Jan 2025 · Soil Monitoring Law

Meeting with Yvan Verougstraete (Member of the European Parliament)

9 Dec 2024 · Electricity Grids

Meeting with Miguel Gil Tertre (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera Rodríguez) and WindEurope and

5 Dec 2024 · To discuss European wind industry

Meeting with Kurt Vandenberghe (Director-General Climate Action) and Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) and

29 Nov 2024 · Recommendations for an Electrification Action plan in Europe

Elia Group urges CBAM exemptions for electricity grid operators

27 Nov 2024
Topic — Procedures for the authorization of declarants under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
Message — Grid operators should not be treated as energy traders under the new rules. They request simplified financial capacity checks to avoid duplicating existing regulations.12
Why — This would reduce regulatory costs and avoid unnecessary administrative tasks for grid operators.3
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Response to Update of minimum requirements for certification programmes for switchgear

15 Oct 2024

The revised F-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573, compared to its predecessor, considers an extended set of substances (potentially) applied in stationary electrical switchgears; next to SF6, also gas mixtures which contains F-gases mentioned in Annex I are put in the scope of the Regulation. The scope of certification, as addressed in the draft Implementing Regulation at hand and repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2066, is extended accordingly as well, referring to gases and gas mixtures. In this context, it is important to note that the scope of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2066, forming the legal basis for todays certification, was referring to SF6 only. This is indeed relevant to consider, as the draft rules for certification, in accordance with Art. 3 of the draft Implementing Regulation and specified in Annex I, do not distinguish between the various possible gases and gas mixture types, but requires theoretical and practical tests for both, gases and gas mixtures. Practically, this means that a natural person that requires certification for an asset containing SF6 (a single gas) only would also have to undergo certification for gas mixtures (e.g. mixtures containing fluornitrils), even though handling gas mixtures is not part of a given persons tasks (or a companys asset base), and vice versa. It is therefore of utmost importance that the Implementing Regulation distinguishes between certification for the different types, as otherwise natural persons requiring certification for one specific type of gas or gas mixture need to undergo practical training and tests for gases and / or gas mixtures that are beyond his or her given tasks, leading to unproportional training and test requirements with unnecessary increased personal health and safety risks. Also, certification bodies that are set-up for certifying the handling of a specific gas (or gas mixture), such as SF6, would need to consider and install other F-gas containing assets and gas handling equipment for training and testing purposes, even though the related gas / gas mixture might not even be applied in assets in a given region. Therefore, to avoid disproportional and unnecessary burden for certification bodies and natural persons requiring certification alike, the revised Implementing Regulation must ensure that certification and in particular related practical training and tests can be set up for individual gases / gas mixtures.
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Meeting with Sophie Wilmès (Member of the European Parliament) and European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity

25 Sept 2024 · Information session and networking event

Meeting with Kris Van Dijck (Member of the European Parliament)

18 Sept 2024 · Energy infrastructure

Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament) and Wärtsilä Corporation and ENEDIS

18 Sept 2024 · Energy grids and sustainable energy transition in Europe

Meeting with Kurt Vandenberghe (Director-General Climate Action)

10 Sept 2024 · priorities for the new Commission

Meeting with Michael Bloss (Member of the European Parliament) and Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) and

2 May 2024 · Green Industrial Deal

Meeting with Pascal Arimont (Member of the European Parliament)

24 May 2023 · Federal Development Plan and grid development projects

Elia Group urges market-based reforms to protect grid investments

23 May 2023
Topic — The EU is revising electricity market rules to integrate renewables and protect consumers.
Message — Elia Group recommends designing price support schemes to avoid market distortion and allowing them as hedging tools. They also urge keeping capacity mechanisms as a permanent tool for energy security and oppose using grid congestion income to subsidize specific offshore producers.123
Why — Maintaining control over congestion income ensures funds remain available for grid development and infrastructure.4
Impact — Certain offshore generators lose a potential new subsidy stream funded by congestion revenues.5
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Meeting with Peter Van Kemseke (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)

24 Feb 2023 · Discussion on electricity market design, hydrogen, net-zero industry act

Response to Requirements for access to electricity metering and consumption data

1 Sept 2022

Elia Group encompasses two electricity TSOs: Elia Transmission Belgium, and 50Hertz Transmission in the northeast of Germany. Enabling customers access to energy services tailored to their needs is crucial to succeed in the green and digital transition. This requires competition for energy services at the head (smart) meter, and behind the meter, allowing customers to optimise their energy bill and maximise the value from their assets, while enabling further RES integration. For this, data from the (smart) meter and behind the meter should be made seamlessly accessible, up to real-time, to the owner of the data (i.e. the customer) and to eligible parties (competitive market players and system operators). Access to customer’s data by system operators will allow them to develop a better picture of what is happening in the grid to take better decisions in line with their societal roles; and facilitating the market of tomorrow (requiring real-time or closer to real-time connectivity) so customers benefit from tailored energy services. Data interoperability is key to ensure competition in energy services. In this regard, Elia Group overall supports the Commission’s proposal for this implementing regulation on interoperability for access to metering and consumption data. In particular: - The recognition that interoperability requirements cover all types of final customers, irrespective of their grid connection level (high-, medium-, or low-voltage). - The definition of ‘eligible party’, including both competitive market players and system operators (TSOs and DSOs). - The proposed approach and tasks for the cooperation by ENTSO-E and the EU DSO entity in terms of data transparency. TSOs and DSOs have an enabling role to play in supporting Member States and the Commission: in the collection and publication of the reported national practices, and in developing guidance for the mentioned reporting. Also, assisting the Commission in monitoring the implementation (and the future development) of the reference model, and supporting the Commission in the development of future implementing acts. Extensive consultation with, and involvement of, all relevant stakeholders is necessary for this. Nevertheless, we would like to point out some elements for clarification, and future evolutions: - Art. 2(8), defining ‘permission’: It is unclear whether an eligible party can have access to the metering and consumption data based “on the consent of a final customer or based on the performance of a contract with a final customer”. This should be included in the definition to avoid further issues. - Art. 9 ‘Interoperability requirements and procedures for access to near real-time metering and consumption data’ defines rules for the final customer to access this type of data, but not for eligible parties’ access. Defining such rules is key to further incentivise competition in energy services, and avoid vendor lock-in. Thus, a clarification on eligible party’s access to this type of data is welcome in the scope of the current implementing act, otherwise we suggest addressing this in upcoming implementing acts (e.g. for demand response and other services). - Recent EU legislative proposals are empowering users, and third parties acting on their behalf, to get access to data from batteries (in the proposed review of the Renewable Electricity Directive), from building systems (in the proposed review of the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive), and from connected products (in the proposed Data Act). Therefore, it is important to progressively organise the access to data (up to real-time) by users and third parties, for assets connected behind the meter. This requires collaboration not only between actors within the energy sector but across different sectors, as well as guidance in view of defining adequate rules (i.e. in future implementing acts), with the involvement of system operators. Elia Group is open for collaborating in this regard.
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Response to EU Solar Energy Communication

12 Apr 2022

Elia Group encompasses Elia Transmission Belgium and 50Hertz Transmission in Germany. Contributing to achieving the EU Green Deal’s objectives is at the heart of our Group’s strategy. Accelerating the deployment and integration of renewable generation from sources such as solar and wind, further speeding up electrification and maximising renewable use, as well as enabling consumers to access a wide offer of energy services powered by clean, competitive and secure energy, will be key to achieve the EU climate and energy targets for 2030 and 2050. Elia Group hence welcomes the Commission’s initiative to deliver an EU strategy for solar energy, aiming to ensure that solar energy achieves its full potential in supporting the EU Green Deal’s ambitions. It will strive to identify policy measures with the objective a.o. to accelerate deployment of solar energy in the EU, and maximise its socio-economic benefits as part of a well-integrated consumer-centric energy system. With respect to the upcoming EU solar strategy, Elia Group believes both that: 1. The integration of more renewable energy, including solar energy, requires transmission infrastructure and appropriate frameworks that enable speedy permitting processes. Electricity network and transmission infrastructure is a prerequisite to the decarbonisation of Europe’s energy system. The recent REPowerEU Communication stresses among others the need for ramping up the production of renewable energy to increase the bloc’s energy independence while reaching the ambitious climate goals. The European Commission highlights that this requires an acceleration of permitting processes for both renewable energy generation and respective network infrastructure – Elia Group supports this notion and has compiled several recommendations to accelerate permitting processes. For more information, please refer to Elia Group's contribution to the public consultation on RES permitting. 2. Updating the market design, ensuring open access to data, and delivering “energy as a service” will be key to enable a consumer-centric system, to maximise the socio-economic benefits of renewables. As advanced in our vision on Consumer-Centric Market Design (https://www.eliagroup.eu/en/ccmd), putting the consumers at the centre will require 3 building blocks: - An updated market design allowing moving competition at the regulated smart meter, to competition behind the meter. This allows consumer appliances such as EVs and solar panels to valorise their flexibility in the different electricity markets. It will require both a regulated exchange platform allowing decentralized exchange of energy on a 15 min basis (“Exchange of Energy Blocks”) and a robust price signal reflecting system conditions in real-time. - Ensuring open access to data as well as data interoperability from and behind the regulated meter. Consumers should be able to seamlessly access data from connected devices they use, (ex: EVs or solar PV), and share it with any third party. Market players will use this data to deliver services tailored to consumer needs. Access to data by system operators in line with their mandated tasks will allow them to develop a better picture of what is happening in a more decentralised system and improve decision-making as regards to the network. - Establishing a digital ecosystem to facilitate the creation of new business models of “energy as a service”. This will require fostering ecosystems where actors from different sectors co-create energy services and new business models, thanks to novel application of digital technologies such as Blockchain or AI. This will allow for instance solutions for more granular tracking of renewables such as solar energy, optimise their consumption in function of renewable availability, or share their excess PV production with any third party. We remain available for further exchanging on the above.
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Response to Revision of EU rules on Gas

11 Mar 2022

Elia Group encompasses two electricity Transmission System Operators, Elia Transmission Belgium and 50Hertz in the northeast of Germany. Contributing to achieving the EU Green Deal’s objectives is at the heart of our company’s strategy. While increasing energy efficiency and accelerating electrification and direct renewable usage are no-regret options for accelerating decarbonisation, reaching carbon-neutrality will also require the progressive adoption of renewable molecules, a.o. hydrogen, in hard-to-abate applications within sectors such as chemical industry, some heavy industry and heavy-duty long-haul transport. Adoption of renewable molecules should equally and foremost focus on replacing existing demand (e.g. “grey” hydrogen in chemical industry). Given the limited potential for renewables in Europe, EU’s legislative framework, including the revision of the Gas Directive and Regulation, must support the efficient use of EU’s renewable potential by prioritising direct renewable use in electrification, reducing energy (re)conversion and promoting the use of renewable molecules in applications where electrification is not an option. As advanced in Elia Group's 2021 study “Roadmap to net zero”, Europe will have sufficient renewables to cover its direct electrification demand, provided the annual renewable expansion accelerates by a factor of three from now to 2050. This means that imports of renewable molecules will be needed from outside the EU to cover the total energy demand. Moreover, as there are more renewable molecules available than only hydrogen (e.g. ammonia, methane or methanol), the needs of the target industrial sectors must be first assessed, to ensure the energy infrastructure to be deployed for their production, import and transport is fit for purpose, future-proof and cost-efficient. Thus, an efficient, coordinated development of energy infrastructure is needed, in particular for electricity and gases, and must involve at least both electricity and gas transmission system operators (and hydrogen network operators where relevant). Within the proposed review of the Gas Directive, Article 51 proposes how natural gas TSOs should develop their network plans. As some provisions make (or should make) direct reference to the electricity system or actors in the electricity sector, we would like to propose five concrete changes: 1) Different national sectorial plans should be kept, involving enhanced coordination between the planning processes for the different energy carriers (Art. 51(1)). 2) Information sharing across sectors should be mutual, so that not only gas TSOs but also electricity TSOs, at least, get access to the required information to develop their respective plans (Art. 51(1)). 3) Electricity and gas TSOs should take into account the jointly developed scenarios from the EU TYNDP process to develop consistent and coherent sets of scenarios to be used in their respective national plans, instead of implementing a new, potentially time-consuming and complex “joint scenario framework” at national level (Art. 51(2)(e)). 4) Assessment across electricity and gas systems should focus on specific needs and involve at least both electricity and gas TSOs, given the interactions between the electricity and gas sectors limited to specific type of assets such as power plants and power-to-gas/electrolysers (Art. 51(3)). 5) Information on location and size of market-based assets (such as power-to-gas) should only be indicative in order to facilitate decision-making by competitive market actors, except in cases where by way of derogation such assets are regulated (Art. 51(3)). The above-mentioned elements are further developed in the appended document. We remain available for any future question or follow-up on this matter. More information on Elia Group “Roadmap to net-zero” study: https://www.eliagroup.eu/en/news/press-releases/2021/11/20211119_elia-group-publishes-roadmap-to-net-zero
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Meeting with Morten Petersen (Member of the European Parliament)

7 Feb 2022 · Offshore development

Response to Review of Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency

19 Nov 2021

Elia Group welcomes the review of the Energy Efficiency Directive (“EED”) to support the climate and decarbonisation ambitions of the EU. Acting in the interest of society, and in line with its tasks of developing a secure, reliable and efficient transmission system with due regard to the environment, Elia Group supports a further step towards greater sustainability and optimization of existing energy resources and infrastructure. On the concrete content of the current review, an updated EED should consider the following key aspects: 1. The Energy Efficiency First (EE1st) principle, is to be understood as an “overarching principle to be applied in a wider policy context” , and in a proportionate way. The energy policy and planning decisions taken by authorities will influence the decisions and investments that market players, regulated actors and consumers will take. In particular, applying EE1st should not entail neglecting equally important considerations such as security of supply, market integration, system reliability, etc. which equally drive Transmission System Operator’s (“TSOs”) activities, including network planning, network development and investments. 2. The need for greater electrification and for the significant integration of renewables in the energy system entail that a strict and narrow focus on the reduction of network losses is to be avoided. The reduction of network losses should not become a driving criteria in relation to network development and operation. Network losses are to be approached from a wider “holistic” perspective, considerate of the evolutions of the energy system. 3. Appropriate governance frameworks, allowing for sufficient efficiency and flexibility in a complex and evolving environment, are key to ensure that the objectives of the energy transition can be met. In this respect, the current proposal should support consistency with existing processes under applicable legislation and avoid unnecessary complexification, p.e. regarding methodologies on how to assess alternatives in the cost-benefit analysis, which should be afforded to the TSOs. 4. A strict and limited focus on energy efficiency in tariff related decisions or methodologies should be avoided as other efficiencies could also be beneficial to the overall efficiency of the energy system. Support from Member States for innovative solutions to improve energy efficiency of existing systems through incentive-based regulation is a valued and welcomed proposal.
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Response to Revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2018/2001

18 Nov 2021

As part of the “Fit for 55” package, the European Commission proposes a review of the Renewable Energy Directive (REDII), raising the ambition of the existing legislation and aligning it with the EU’s increased climate ambition. Elia Group supports the review in light of the revamped climate targets by boosting renewable energy generation and renewable usage in end-use sectors, fostering Member States’ cooperation for renewable development, and reducing the lead-time for the related infrastructure. While raising the overall ambition is the right step at the right time, it needs to be embedded in a framework that allows for the ambitions to be put into practice. The following considerations should guide the overall review: 1.Cooperation between Member States on electricity production from renewables needs to be strengthened: In the future, capacities for producing energy from renewables will vary across Member States, with some Member States having excess supply, while others will not be able to meet their demand for renewable energy by themselves. Here, cooperation, both on generation, but also on the transport of the associated energy, is of utmost importance. With regard to common projects, renewable offshore generation is a particularly prominent case for enhanced cooperation. 2.Transparency on the origin of renewable energy needs to be enhanced: In order to stimulate further the use of both electricity and molecules derived from renewables, consumers should have access to more accurate information on the renewables content of the energy they use. Current frameworks are limited in providing evidence that supplied electricity and molecules are actually renewables based. Member States should be encouraged to provide systems for more granular attribute tracking, allowing for better matching of the actual time and location of RES production and energy consumption. This further stimulates buyers’ investments in renewables, storage technologies and demand side response. 3.Consumer empowerment through open data access: Achieving the further uptake of renewable energy consumption will require the digitalisation of the power sector, accelerated through the rapid deployment of digital infrastructure (e.g. digital meters) and tools (e.g. optimisation algorithms). Open access to energy-related data is essential for consumers to take informed decisions, for market players to develop competitive consumer-oriented energy services, and for system operators to enable more RES integration and to better manage the future power system. 4. Foster consumer participation in the market: To deliver a green and digital transition that brings tangible benefits to consumers, they need to get the possibility to actually value the flexibility from their assets (such as solar PV, electric vehicles, heat pumps) in the electricity markets, allowing them for optimising consumption and offering services contributing to overall system security (such as for balancing, congestion relief etc.). 5.The potential of other sectors to provide system services in the electricity sector should be assessed more systematically: Sectors such as district heating and cooling contain the potential to provide system services in the electricity sector, including on balancing. Member States should designate the entity best suited in assessing the potential contribution of certain sectors, taking into account existing mandates and knowhow built to perform the assessments. 6.Enhanced permitting for energy infrastructure, including electricity grids, is indispensable to reaching higher RES targets: Accelerating the energy transition requires accelerated permitting. To this point, the revised directive does not contribute to this overall aim. In addition to the review at hand, as the greatest lever to speeding up permitting, the Commission should analyse and tackle unclear and partially outdated (environmental or spatial planning) legislation, impacting the permitting process.
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Response to Revision of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive

17 Nov 2021

Elia Group encompasses two electricity Transmission System Operators, Elia Transmission Belgium, and 50Hertz in the northeast of Germany. Contributing achieving the Green Deal's objectives is at the heart of our company's strategy. As such, we welcome the European Commission's "Fit for 55" package to align key legislation with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. To make this happen, increasing energy efficiency, accelerating the integration of renewable generation, supporting further electrification of society, and start deploying green molecules in specific hard-to-abate applications should be considered as key principles in the upcoming position setting by the European Parliament and Council. Moreover, digitalising the energy system by accelerating the deployment of digital infrastructure while ensuring open access to data, and updating the existing market design to allow consumers to access energy services at scale, will enable a green and digital transition centred around consumers. In particular for the topic at hand, Elia Group believes that e-mobility is essential for making rapid progress towards decarbonisation, and deliver shared benefits for consumers, and for both the transport and energy sectors. Therefore, Elia Group welcomes the review of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive into a proposed Regulation (AFIR), in order to accelerate the electrification of road, but also maritime and air transport. - Binding targets for publicly accessible recharging infrastructure dedicated to light and heavy duty vehicles are key to enable rapid adoption of electric vehicles across Europe. - Digital connectivity of all publicly accessible infrastructure, combined with smart recharging capabilities of all publicly accessible "normal" recharging points will enable delivering tailor-made mobility and energy services to consumers, and help unlocking flexibility from EVs to support the management of the future power system. - Binding targets for infrastructure to supply electricity to vessels berthed at maritime and inland ports, and to stationary aircraft in airports will help decarbonising maritime and air transport, and unlock new opportunities for both transport and energy sectors. Although the proposed AFIR is an important step in the right direction, some provisions require further clarification or adaptation. 1) The definition of ‘publicly accessible’ should be adapted, excluding recharging infrastructure located in private sites that is only accessible to a restricted number of authorised persons. 2) The possibility to have multiple suppliers at a given recharging point should be further ensured in order to broaden the choice and opportunities to EV drivers. 3) Open access to energy data from digitally-connected recharging infrastructure should be ensured: for EV users and market actors, and for Transmission System Operators (TSOs) and Distribution System Operators (DSOs) in line with their societal tasks. 4) The scope and roles and responsibilities regarding periodic assessments of EV contribution to flexibility, balancing and RES integration should be clarified to account for existing TSO mandates and Member State specificities. The enclosed documents further develops our positions on the proposed AFIR. We remain available to provide additional information and engage in constructive exchanges on this and other key "Fit for 55" proposals.
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Response to Action plan on the digitalisation of the energy sector

8 Sept 2021

Elia Group, representing Elia Transmission Belgium and 50Hertz Transmission in Germany, welcomes the Commission’s initiative to deliver an Action Plan on the Digitalisation of the Energy Sector. This plan aims to bring an EU policy response to ensure that investments in digital technologies in the energy sector contribute to the European Green Deal and to a Europe that is fit for a digital age, and to a single market for energy and for data. We find mutual alignment between its objective and the advanced focus areas, and Elia Group’s view and commitment to enable a consumer-centric system. We believe the green and digital transition should be centred on consumers. This mean not only accelerating the electrification of end-use sectors, further integrating renewables into the system, and speeding up the digitalisation of the entire value chain. It requires enabling consumers to access a wide offer of competitive energy services tailored to their needs, and empowering them to play a central role in the electricity system of tomorrow. This is key to unlock additional flexibility to support the shift towards a more renewable and decentral system. For us, putting the consumer at the centre will require three building blocks: First, an upgraded market design, where we move from competition at the regulated smart meter, to competition behind the meter. This can be enabled by allowing consumer appliances such as EVs, heat pumps or solar panels, to valorise their flexibility by adapting their consumption or production pattern according to a real-time price reference. This upgrade will allow an efficient integration of renewables to reach society’s decarbonisation, and will empower consumers to reap the benefits from their investments. And this will only require two changes: i) The development of the so-called “Exchange of Energy Blocks” hub, a regulated exchange platform allowing decentralised exchange of energy on a 15-minute basis between consumers and various market actors. ii) The implementation of a robust price signal reflecting the system conditions in real-time, which consumers can use as default reference for optimising their consumption and offering / delivering energy services. Second, ensuring open access to data, from the meter and from behind the meter, by making data seamless and effortless available (up to real-time) to the owner of the data, i.e. the consumer. The sharing of consumer data with any third party of choice should be facilitated, while respecting data security and privacy. Simple and open access to energy-related data should be made possible. This will facilitate, among others, consumers to valorise their data, market players to offer new services, and will support data-driven decision-making processes of all stakeholders working to enable the green transition. Next to accelerating the deployment of smart meter devices, a regulated digital infrastructure that collects, stores, processes and broadcast all relevant data needs to be deployed, as complement to the updated market design. Ensuring a high level of (cyber)security of the grid and digital infrastructure will be key in a more decentralised system. Third, establishing a digital ecosystem will facilitate the creation new business models of “Energy as a Service”, tailored to consumer needs. Innovative digital tools based on technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain will allow a.o. market parties to build on top of them the user interfaces to create the energy services consumers are dreaming of. Elia Group is working in the development of these building blocks together with a wide range of partners (industries, technology providers, start-ups, academics and consumers). As stated in our recent paper “Towards a consumer-centric and sustainable system” (see annexed), we are committed to play an enabling role in delivering a consumer-centric system, and we are open to further collaborate to make this happen within the next years.
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Response to Revision of the guidelines for trans-European Energy infrastructure

8 Mar 2021

The EU and its leaders are in the process of committing to making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. As group of TSOs in the electricity sector, we share this ambition and are committed to delivering our share and are ready to accelerate our efforts to reach the targets. On 15 December, the European Commission published its revised TEN-E Regulation in line with the Green Deal. This file is of direct importance for us, as on the one hand Elia Group has since the origin of the Regulation proposed and received the label of Projects of Common Interest (PCI) for several main infrastructure projects, and future national relevant infrastructure projects should equally be eligible for future PCI lists. This equally holds for Projects of Mutual Interest (PMI) with non-EU countries. On the other hand, we are directly involved via the Regulation in terms of on- and offshore network development planning; from scenario building to project assessment and development. In line with the Green Deal ambitions, TEN-E should prioritise projects that truly contribute to long-term climate objectives. Indeed, increased cross-border cooperation in energy infrastructure development is indispensable in reaching climate neutrality and will help achieve the benefits of a clean energy transition at affordable prices. Against this background, we appreciate the Commission’s approach to make sustainability a binding criterion for future PCIs and PMIs across energy carriers. In the attached document, we have highlighted our main observations, providing some more thorough analysis on concrete provisions of the Commission’s draft, including first amendment proposals.
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