Driven by smart, digital, renewable, efficient and cool technologies and innovative business models, supported by decarbonisation policies (for 2020, 2030 & beyond), the energy industry is progressively moving towards a more decentralised, sustainable and customer-centric power system. Empowered customers will play a crucial role in addressing the challenges facing the environment, and at the same time will enjoy a host of other benefits - if we do it right. This session seeks to complement the discussions that are often led from only one part of the market/technology/service type perspective by a system approach.
To do it right, the new system will need to provide customers with appealing and financially compelling offerings but also enable cost-reflective market signals between wholesale and retail. It will encourage self-generation while enabling the balanced integration of increasing shares of variable renewable energy sources (RES) into the system. It will enable empowerment on the one hand and a secure system on the other. It will stimulate innovation and new models while still ensuring sufficient predictability and clear roles for essential existing and new market players. The market will need to gain customers' respect and trust while being able to make some significant investments where necessary.
This EUSEW session was organised by EURELECTRIC, VaasaETT & Solar Power Europe.