Brussels view from the JP ESI networking terrace.

Brussels, April 9, 2024 — The European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) hosted its second annual "Research Meets Policy" conference today in Brussels, gathering policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to address critical issues in the evolving energy landscape. Organized by the EERA Joint Programme on Energy Systems Integration (ESI), the conference aimed to bridge the gap between research insights and practical policy, focusing on the integration of renewable energy and the socio-political challenges of energy transition.

Morning Sessions: Market Design and Offshore Wind Integration

Opening the event, Laurens de Vries from TU Delft introduced the ESI Programme, setting the stage for a day filled with keynotes and panels that tackled the pressing issues in Europe’s energy sector. The morning sessions concentrated on market design and infrastructure to support the North Sea's growing wind energy production. Chaired by de Vries, the panel included experts from Shell, TenneT, and Groningen University, who discussed how to maintain investment security and efficiency as renewable energy scales up.

Henrik Madsen from DTU Denmark led the subsequent session on the integration of offshore wind energy into the continental grid, where representatives from Energinet, Imperial College, and the Danish Utility Regulator shared strategies for aligning onshore grid systems with burgeoning offshore capacity. The session underscored the need for collaborative approaches to streamline grid integration and optimize the continent’s renewable energy potential.

Afternoon Sessions: Navigating the Justice Paradoxes

As the day continued, the conference shifted focus to the "Justice Paradoxes" of energy transition, exploring the social dimensions of implementing rapid policy changes. Led by Kristiane Lindland of the University of Stavanger, this session included speakers from EERA, ENEA, NTNU, and other institutions, examining how energy transition policies can sometimes conflict with community rights and preferences. A subsequent panel discussion co-chaired by EERA’s Ganna Gladkykh and AIT’s Gustav Resch brought insights from leading researchers, who debated approaches to ensure equity and public support in energy policy-making.

Closing Remarks and Networking

The conference concluded with a networking session, providing participants the chance to connect and discuss the day's insights over refreshments. EERA looks forward to fostering ongoing collaboration between researchers and policymakers to accelerate Europe’s path to a just and integrated energy future.

For more information on the EERA Joint Programme on Energy Systems Integration, visit EERA’s official website.