Wind industry disagreement at EU conference

Representatives from European Union governments, the electric utility industry, NGOs and the European Parliament have debated a proposal to provide priority access for renewable energy during a panel discussion at the European Wind Energy Conference in Brussels. Eurelectric secretary general Hans ten Berge says the EU should make clear who will receive priority access and who will not, among potential suppliers such as micro generators. MEP Claude Turmes responded that “integrating large-scale renewables into the grid isn’t a technical problem. It’s a political problem. Fluctuations within the grid are something grid owners can cope with”. Turmes says that in the past costs for grid expansion were not paid for by new power generators such as the owners of nuclear and coal plants. The UK is already taking action on planning and grid access, says UK Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform director of renewables deployment Duarte Figueira. He says renewables generators should be able to access the grid in a reasonable amount of time and at a reasonable price. The department is examining an array of issues on priority access, according to Figueira. “We shouldn’t chose technologies for priority access as long as markets work,” says European Wind Energy Association chief executive officer Christian Kjaer. “That’s why unbundling is extremely important. Until we have full ownership unbundling, we need priority access for renewables to have a level playing field,” he says.

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