OpenLobby.EU
Explore

Renewables Grid Initiative e.V.

RGI

The Renewables Grid Initiative is a collaboration between environmental NGOs and transmission system operators.

Lobbying Activity

Renewables Grid Initiative urges circularity focus for electricity grids

6 Nov 2025
Topic — The consultation gathers input on the Circular Economy Act to promote sustainable production and material reuse.
Message — RGI urges the Act to recognize electricity infrastructure and incentivize operators to adopt circular strategies. They advocate for public procurement rules that reward sustainable design and performance over lowest price. Circularity requirements must align with current regulations and follow technical market maturity.123
Why — Grid operators would achieve cost savings and more resilient supply chains for infrastructure materials.4
Impact — Consumers could face higher costs if new material regulations negatively impact grid tariffs.5
Read full response

RGI urges holistic planning to accelerate European grid expansion

5 Aug 2025
Topic — A consultation on measures to accelerate the upgrade, digitalisation and expansion of European electricity infrastructure.
Message — RGI emphasizes that the Grids Package must prioritize implementation and enable future-oriented planning across sectors. They advocate for holistic spatial planning and stronger regional cooperation to address infrastructure constraints. Finally, they call for simplified access to EU funding instruments for system operators.123
Why — These measures would secure investments and provide necessary regulatory certainty for system operators.45
Read full response

Meeting with Aleksandra Kordecka (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné), Laia Pinos Mataro (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné) and

7 Apr 2025 · Clean Industrial Deal, Electrification Action Plan, Affordable Energy Plan, CISAF

Response to Implementing Act on non-price criteria in renewable energy auctions

20 Feb 2025

The Offshore Coalition for Energy and Nature (OCEaN) in the North and Baltic Seas welcomes the European Commissions Implementing Act on non-price criteria for renewable energy auctions and endorses the inclusion of Article 10. OCEaN North & Baltic Seas represents 36 organisations from across Europes northern seas, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), wind industry actors, and transmission system operators (TSOs). Our Members have joined forces to accelerate the deployment of offshore wind energy and grid infrastructure hand-in-hand with the protection of marine ecosystems. Our main recommendations can be found in the attached document. These are submitted by the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI) in its role as convenor and moderator of the Offshore Coalition for Energy and Nature North & Baltic Seas.
Read full response

Renewables Grid Initiative urges integrated offshore energy and nature planning

14 Feb 2025
Topic — The consultation aims to create a holistic vision for EU ocean-related policies.
Message — The group asks to strengthen sea planning by combining renewable energy goals with nature protection. They want simultaneous designation of energy sites and restoration areas to speed up the green transition.12
Why — Simultaneous planning allows faster infrastructure rollout by reducing environmental and regulatory conflicts.3
Impact — Traditional sea users may face tighter space constraints as energy and protection zones expand.45
Read full response

Meeting with Dario Tamburrano (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Feb 2025 · Priorità per la legislatura

Meeting with Lynn Boylan (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Dec 2024 · Development of electricity grids to support the energy transition; large-energy users and grid capacity

Meeting with András Gyürk (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Sept 2024 · Development of grids in Europe

Offshore wind coalition pushes for ecological criteria in auctions

29 Feb 2024
Topic — The Commission is developing guidance for Member States on renewable energy auction design.
Message — The coalition advocates for using non-price criteria in offshore wind auctions to prioritize sustainability and nature protection. They recommend establishing mandatory environmental standards for all bidders and harmonizing these rules across the EU.123
Why — These criteria help European companies compete by rewarding high-quality innovation over low-cost alternatives.45
Impact — Purely price-focused developers would lose out as they become ineligible for state-funded energy contracts.67
Read full response

Response to Guidance to facilitate the designation of renewables acceleration areas

23 Feb 2024

The Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback to the call for evidence with regard to the upcoming guidance on designating renewables acceleration areas. We, at RGI, acknowledge that, if well designed, the renewables acceleration areas, envisaged in Art. 15c of Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (RED), can be valuable tools towards the swift development of variable renewable energy sources (RES) in the European Union (EU). Through a balanced approach, they can indeed increase predictability and certainty for new investments. However, rather than offering a blank check, renewables acceleration areas represent a make-or-break opportunity. They demand careful consideration and adherence to the precautionary and proportionality principles. They should also not become tools to fuel public opposition. Instead, Member States should adopt a holistic approach, encompassing technical, environmental and societal aspects, towards processes and solutions that are fit for purpose. Moreover, alongside the process of designating renewables acceleration areas, Member States and the EU at large, should identify and further tackle the root causes of delays in electricity infrastructure development within and beyond the framework of acceleration areas. Please find our full feedback in the attached file.
Read full response

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

23 Oct 2023 · Roundtable meeting with 10 Secretary Generals and CEOs of the Electrification Alliance on the revised Renewable Energy Directive (revised REDII), electricity market design, grids and storage.

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

6 Sept 2023 · High level dinner before the ENSTO-E grids event – discussion on the challenges for European networks and electrification.

Response to Review report on the Governance Regulation of the Energy Union and Climate Action

2 Aug 2023

RGI strongly believes that the Governance Regulation should aim at up to date, robust, timely, transparent and high-quality planning, reporting and monitoring with clear and ambitious short-term and long-term decarbonisation commitments, that cumulatively achieve the targets and objectives of the European Union (EU). This necessitates plans and strategies to be strengthened in terms of effectiveness and include clarity about timeframes for implementability and enabling schemes, as well as enforcement measures at the EU level. Interlinkages between the different timeframes should be carefully considered and overall aligned with the revision requirements envisaged in the Paris Agreement. This will allow the national and EU plans and strategies to capture the fast-changing climate, energy and nature policy landscape, respond to crises and reflect ambitious decarbonisation scenarios. The Member States and the EU at large should consider energy efficiency at the system level. The Russian invasion of Ukraine revealed in the most evident way the depth in scarcity of resources, including space and materials, as well as external dependencies. While phasing out fossil fuels and subsequent subsidies should remain a priority, due attention should be paid to the impacts of different renewable energy sources and their potential to create new lock-ins and dependencies. Energy efficiency is increasingly important, and there is an urgent need to support measures to promote and enable efficiency. In particular, RGI believes that dedicated efforts should be made to achieve efficiency and optimisation at energy system level and not just on the demand side. This implies that energy system efficiency drivers should guide energy scenarios selection as well as energy system and infrastructure planning. In line with this, the Governance Regulation should recognise the benefits of renewables-based direct electrification as the most cost- and resource-efficient way to decarbonise our economies and societies. This prioritisation should be incorporated and materialised through strong commitments and direct electrification strategies at both, the EU and Member State levels, as well as clear and binding progress indicators. Such an approach would entail strengthening the planning,reporting and monitoring of the electricity grid development to integrate renewable energy sources into the energy system within and across Member States. Scaling and speeding up the deployment of electricity grids will require dedicated efforts and financing for stakeholder engagement to win support from local communities, while delivering tangible local benefits. RGI urges the European Commission to increase transparency on the cost of actions and the investments needed and assess them from a system perspective, to achieve the targets and planned decarbonisation pathways of the Member States. A revised Governance Regulation should aim at a holistic approach. It is essential to further integrate EU planning and improve the quality and effectiveness of decarbonisation trajectories and actions, by jointly tackling the interdependent climate, energy and biodiversity crises, as well as the impacts of climate change. Cross-sectoral synergies, including with nature legislation and spatial planning at seas and on land, should be achieved to ensure that renewable energy generation and electricity grid infrastructure go hand in hand with nature protection and restoration. Lastly, RGI believes that the societal aspects of the Governance Regulation should be strengthened. Effective communication coupled with granular, early and meaningful stakeholder engagement should be central to promote ownership of the plans and strategies, ensure improvements of the final outcome and avoid political backlashes. A proactive approach of the national governments and enforcement tools at the EU level should safeguard the standards of the Aarhus Convention. Please find our full statement attached.
Read full response

Renewables Grid Initiative urges science-based EU 2040 climate targets

23 Jun 2023
Topic — This consultation starts the process for establishing a 2040 climate target for the EU.
Message — RGI calls for a science-based target consistent with the Paris Agreement and aligned with greenhouse gas budgets. They request prioritizing direct electrification and deploying electricity grid infrastructure alongside renewable energy assets. Infrastructure development should go hand in hand with nature protection and meaningful public engagement.123
Why — Expanding grid infrastructure would directly benefit the business of the initiative's transmission system operators.4
Impact — Ecosystems suffer when the Commission fails to link climate targets with biodiversity protection.5
Read full response

RGI urges binding targets for energy storage and flexibility

17 May 2023
Topic — The EU is revising electricity market rules to integrate renewables and lower consumer costs.
Message — RGI advocates for making national energy storage and demand-side response targets legally binding. They propose removing barriers to flexibility services and providing consumers with dynamic price tariffs.123
Why — TSOs would receive better financial incentives to invest in offshore and onshore grid infrastructure.4
Impact — Power generators would lose excess revenues from high prices to fund protections for vulnerable consumers.5
Read full response

Renewables Grid Initiative links faster permitting to nature restoration

21 Jul 2022
Topic — EU guidance on accelerating permitting processes for renewable energy projects and electricity grids.
Message — Infrastructure development must be strongly linked to nature and biodiversity restoration goals. The group calls for coherent trans-border planning and meaningful stakeholder engagement processes.12
Why — A balanced approach prevents legal delays and creates local project acceptance.34
Impact — Local communities face increased conflicts if energy infrastructure growth ignores environmental protections.5
Read full response

Meeting with Elena Montani (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius) and Climate Action Network Europe and

10 May 2022 · To discuss the RePower EU

Meeting with Riccardo Maggi (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and Climate Action Network Europe and

10 May 2022 · To discuss the RePower EU

Meeting with Riccardo Maggi (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

14 Apr 2021 · Follow up to the Offshore Renewable Energy strategy

Meeting with Laure Chapuis (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

14 Apr 2021 · To discuss the implementation of the Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy and how the Offshore Coalition for Energy and Nature's can support this, in particular with regards to the planned "Communities of Practice".

Response to Revision of the guidelines for trans-European Energy infrastructure

8 Mar 2021

The Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI) welcomes the proposal for the revision of the TEN-E Regulation. We appreciate the overall intention to align the network infrastructure with climate targets. However, we would like to underline some overarching principles which we believe should be taken into consideration in the development of the energy infrastructure. • Direct electrification is the most efficient way to fuel our economies and meet our needs. Electrification based on renewable energy sources will bring technological innovation, resilience in the system and incredible gains in terms of system and cost efficiency. With the support of the EU industrial strategy towards climate neutrality and digital leadership, new business models and European jobs will be created. • Electricity grids are needed. They are the backbone and enabler of a renewables-based energy system with the highest level of security of supply in the consumers’ interest. Highly distributed and efficient systems still need grids. • Flexibility is the most important element, and it comes in many different shapes and technologies. These are not interchangeable, and we must understand when and for which purpose they are needed. Learning and innovation here are essential as well as supporting market mechanisms. • No single technology is the answer to decarbonisation. A whole ‘energy system approach’ is the most effective way to reduce emissions and identify optimisation opportunities through a variety of options and technologies among different sectors and for the existing energy infrastructure. The best solutions from a socio-economic welfare and environmental perspective should be selected to address the identified system needs. A clear assessment of carbon content of different energy carriers in different policies and scenarios needs to be conducted. • If Europe is to reap the full potential of its renewable energy sources while ensuring security of supply and competitiveness, the achievement of the 2030 electricity interconnection target of at least 15% set in the Governance Regulation remains an essential building block to make the best use of variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, as long as the corresponding welfare benefits outweigh the costs incurred. • In consideration of the new governance provisions envisaged by the proposal, the European Commission should ensure that efficiency in both planning and implementation processes are applied in order to reduce additional burdens, delays and unnecessary costs. • Nature and environment are the basis for human livelihood and economic activities. We are in a strong symbiosis with the environment in which we live. Avoiding and minimising impacts on biodiversity and embedding nature conservation and restoration measures in all infrastructure projects is key. • The energy transition is first and foremost a deep societal transformation and therefore benefits for communities impacted need to be systematically created when deploying infrastructure projects. Local benefits can and should be designed in close collaboration with impacted communities. Full text of the RGI's response in relation to the new provisions envisaged by the European Commission’s proposal is attached.
Read full response

Meeting with Ruben Alexander Schuster (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

11 Jan 2021 · Offshore wind energy, nature protection and healthy marine ecosystems

Meeting with Riccardo Maggi (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

11 Dec 2020 · Offshore energy communication and action plan

Meeting with Ditte Juul-Joergensen (Director-General Energy)

23 Jul 2020 · Skype meeting to discuss the implications of the Paris Agreement Compatible Scenario (PAC Scenario) and its relevance for EU planning

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

29 May 2020 · Energy system integration - role of renewables

Meeting with Ditte Juul-Joergensen (Director-General Energy)

11 Oct 2019 · Introductory meeting. Energy policy and transition.

Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Vice-President)

18 Apr 2016 · Electricity infrastructure, market design, digitisation of energy system, public acceptance

Meeting with Dominique Ristori (Director-General Energy)

26 Jan 2016 · renewable energy

Meeting with Christian Linder (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

19 Nov 2015 · Public acceptance of infrastructure

Meeting with Christian Linder (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

3 Jun 2015 · Energy Union; energy infrastructure; public acceptance