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The document outlines the outcomes of a TSO roundtable held during the 2024 PCI Energy Days, focusing on the need for integrated energy hubs, increased connectivity for landlocked countries, the resolution of financing and regulatory hurdles, and the deployment of short-term flexibility tools to support the energy transition in Central and Eastern Europe.

Ember argues that the EU must accelerate the deployment of wind, solar, and clean flexibility solutions to achieve energy self-sufficiency and security. The response emphasizes the need for a "Smart Electrification" Action Plan, the complete cessation of Russian fossil fuel imports by 2027, and the modernization of grid infrastructure and cross-border interconnections, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.

The document asserts that traditional grid modeling assumptions are outdated for grids integrating high levels of renewables and distributed energy resources. It identifies three critical model types—capacity expansion, production cost, and resource adequacy models—that require updated assumptions to ensure reliability and affordability. Furthermore, it emphasizes that technical modeling must be paired with an energy equity lens to account for human impacts, such as health and distributional equity, particularly for vulnerable communities.

The report evaluates the COP29 Presidency's goals to achieve 1,500 GW of energy storage and add 25 million km of grid infrastructure by 2030. It concludes that the storage goal is highly achievable due to surging battery manufacturing capacity and falling prices, while the grid goal requires a 50% increase in the current build rate and faces significant regulatory and supply chain hurdles. The potential for green hydrogen to provide flexibility is noted, though current deployment rates remain low despite high numbers of announced projects.

The report argues that 'clean flexibility' acts as the 'brain' of a clean power system, balancing supply and demand in real time to ensure electricity is clean every hour. It categorizes nine flexibility tools into four functional areas: Store (pumped hydro, batteries, long-duration energy storage, and green hydrogen), Shift (peak shaving and smart electrification), Share (grids and interconnectors), and Supply (improving fossil plant flexibility and smarter wind/solar operation). The document emphasizes that while some tools are basic and cheap, others are more complex and costly, and the optimal mix depends on the specific power system. It concludes by urging COP29 to expand its focus beyond storage, grids, and hydrogen to include the full portfolio of flexibility solutions.

The EU is experiencing a surge in solar and wind power, which frequently exceeds demand during peak hours, leading to price volatility and negative electricity prices. While renewables are growing, the lack of system flexibility—such as battery storage and interconnectors—forces a continued reliance on fossil fuels during evenings and early mornings. The report highlights that by 2030, excess wind and solar power could reach 183 TWh across the EU, potentially saving €9 billion in annual gas costs if shifted effectively. It specifically notes Germany's role as a leader in battery capacity and suggests that further additions could significantly displace hard coal and gas. The document recommends removing regulatory barriers to co-location, implementing national flexibility strategies in National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), and establishing a comprehensive EU strategy for clean flexibility.

Ember proposes four key actions for the EU Energy Commissioner: a "Smart Electrification" Action Plan to shift subsidies toward clean technologies, a "Future Grids" Task Force to implement existing grid policies, a joint DG ENER-DG AGRI strategy for agri-PV to align energy and agricultural policies, and a transition to open energy data and system models to improve transparency and investment decisions.

Ember proposes four primary initiatives for the EU Energy Commissioner: the creation of a "Future Grids" Task Force to coordinate grid policy and finance, a transition to open energy data and open-source system models, a joint DG ENER and DG AGRI strategy for agri-PV, and a "Smart Electrification" Action Plan to promote energy storage and demand-side flexibility.

The report addresses the barrier of limited grid capacity in Europe's energy transition, proposing the use of hosting capacity maps to help developers of renewables, electrolysers, and data centres select optimal connection locations. It notes that while EU legislation now mandates these maps for TSOs and DSOs, there is a lack of specificity in their design. The authors provide a framework for an "ideal" map, recommending substation-level granularity, open-source data access, and the inclusion of planned grid investments to improve network efficiency and investment speed.

The document introduces performance-based regulation (PBR) as a modern alternative to early 20th-century utility regulatory frameworks, which are currently challenged by the rise of renewable energy, distributed energy resources, and electrification. PBR is presented as a mechanism to align utility incentives with policy outcomes such as reduced emissions and improved social equity.

Analysis of draft NECPs indicates that while EU member states have significantly increased wind and solar targets since 2019, the current trajectory falls short of REPowerEU goals. Renewables are projected to generate 66% of EU electricity by 2030, missing the 72% target. The report highlights a lack of data transparency in the drafts, particularly regarding power system flexibility and post-2030 decarbonisation pathways.

The United States is experiencing a surge in data center power demand, projected to reach 35 GW by 2030, which risks driving utilities toward increased natural gas generation. RMI proposes that data center operators can instead support grid reliability and decarbonization by maximizing energy efficiency (e.g., AI-driven cooling), enhancing demand flexibility to shift workloads, deploying Grid-enhancing technologies (GETs), and negotiating green tariffs for renewables and storage. The document emphasizes that these actions can set a precedent for other upcoming large loads, such as electric vehicles and industrial onshoring, while urging regulators to ensure equitable cost allocation and transparent planning.

The report highlights that EU power system flexibility needs are expected to double by 2030 as renewables are projected to reach 66% of electricity generation. It identifies battery storage and demand side flexibility (DSF) as critical but under-utilised tools to replace fossil fuel backup and reduce renewable curtailment. While battery capacity doubled to 16 GW in 2023, the report notes a significant lack of explicit 2030 targets for storage and DSF in national policy documents. It calls for improved data transparency, the removal of regulatory barriers for distributed energy resources, and the inclusion of flexibility targets in National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).

The document argues that rapid deployment of clean flexibility—specifically battery storage, demand-side flexibility, and grids—is essential to avoid renewable energy curtailment and price cannibalisation in the EU. It recommends that Member States integrate clean flexibility into National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and national strategies before 2026, introduce curtailment caps for countries with over 50% renewable generation, and create local constraint markets. Additionally, it calls for legal frameworks that allow distributed flexibility sources to participate in energy markets, improved data transparency on network congestion and storage capacity, and the use of time-of-use tariffs to incentivise consumer participation while protecting low-income households.

The document asserts that zero-carbon electricity grids are possible and debunks myths regarding the need for fossil fuel backups or the risk of grid overload from renewables. It highlights that wind and solar costs fell by 55% and 85% respectively between 2010 and 2020, and that countries like Denmark, Portugal, and Uruguay are already demonstrating high renewable integration. However, a significant bottleneck exists in grid infrastructure, with 3,000 GW of renewable projects awaiting connection across several major economies. The briefing recommends a cross-sector approach integrating heating, cooling, and industry, alongside investments in digitalisation, storage, and cross-border interconnectors to ensure stability and efficiency.

The report argues that Poland requires a diverse technological portfolio—including wind, solar, nuclear, and carbon capture—to decarbonise its power system by 2050. Modelling of 19 scenarios indicates that relying on a narrow set of technologies increases system costs and infrastructure needs, while a 'base' scenario suggests a rapid transition involving a massive build-out of onshore wind and the introduction of nuclear power to replace coal.

The study investigates the transition of Poland's power system to a 99% reduction in emissions by 2050. The 'base' scenario identifies onshore wind as the dominant generation source, complemented by nuclear power, gas plants with carbon capture and storage (CCS), and hydrogen storage. The analysis emphasizes that a technology-inclusive approach is essential for competitiveness, as scenarios excluding nuclear and CCS result in significantly higher electricity prices and system costs. Key recommendations include maximizing onshore wind deployment, advancing a nuclear fleet exceeding 8 GW, and establishing CO2 transport and storage infrastructure by 2035.

The report argues that China's industrial sector, which accounted for 65 percent of total electricity consumption in 2022, offers significant potential for demand-side flexibility (DSF). Developing this flexibility across seven major industries could reduce annual peak load by 3-10 percent and avoid 40–130 GW of new coal power investment.

The document advocates for a diverse energy mix that includes 'clean firm power'—non-weather-dependent zero-carbon sources—to complement wind, solar, and battery storage. It argues that relying solely on variable renewables would lead to excessive costs, land use, and infrastructure requirements, while a diversified approach could significantly reduce the time and cost of the energy transition.

The EU power system successfully navigated the 2022-2023 winter without a return to coal, as record renewable generation and significant electricity demand reductions—driven by emergency legislation, high prices, and mild weather—led to renewables providing a higher share of electricity than fossil fuels for the first time in a winter period.