Changes

Category:Heidelberg:REGI

812 bytes added, 16:29, 5 July 2017

no edit summary

{{cquote|Energy as a commons? With paradigms new markets and opportunities arising with digitalising in the energy sector and democratising means of production and distribution, how can regulation be designed in such a way that energy systems these markets are equitable and ensure participation across society?}}

The Committee on Regional development in Heidelberg will focus on the power shift from '''centralised to decentralised''' distribution systems. With EU citizens' growing awareness of '''environmental issues''', new '''technological developments''' and '''[http://energywiki.eyp.org/view/Smart_grid| smart power grids]''' on the horizon, a shift towards a distributed system that includes consumers and turns them into co-producers is a possible future for Europe's energy union. There are many challenges that have to be met before such a transfer can take place: The '''liberalisation''' of the energy market is still not fully implemented and few investments are in place to fund distributed systems. Moreover, the data recorded through power grids raises questions concerning '''data storage''' and '''protection''' and there is currently no strategy on who would regulate a European-wide power grid and how. Finally, many citizens seem to be “energy illiterate”, lacking the necessary knowledge to participate in a new decentralised system. To overcome these obstacles and ensure a bright future for distributed systems in the energy union is what REGI will cover in committee work and resolution.<br />

== The Past: Distributing energy the traditional way ==

=== The technological dimension ===

Data protection is a hot topic when talking about the possibilities and opportunities of smart grids. The recording of consumers' energy usage data creates a new data risk and opens the door for exploitation if no preemptive measures are taken. Cyber attacks disabling the grid could have dramatic consequences, questioning the reliability of the grid. With the introduction of smart grids huge sums of data would need to be stored.

== The Future: Smart grids - an outlook to what is possible ==

=== The economic dimension ===

* more In theory, the efficiency ~~through~~ of energy usage would heavily increase in a smart ~~grids~~* grid-based system, as energy would be used more efficiently and energy overflow could be avoided. The flexibility ~~through~~ of the power grid would therefore be increased, as information ~~of residential~~ on the energy useof residentials enables its efficiency.<br /> * intelligent and flexible grids instead of linear distribution

=== The societal dimension ===

* Through the introduction of smart grids, consumers ~~become~~ turn into co-producers* "of energy as they actively participate in the energy grid. As outlined in the section above, this is only possible through an increase in energy literacy~~" goes up~~* of citizens connected to the smart power grid. Subsequently, the decentralisation of energy through the means of smart power grids is only possible through the empowerment of the citizensconnected to it.

=== The technological dimension ===

* both electricity and information are exchanged

* reporting energy usage to increase efficiency

* are microgrids a possibility?

In a smart grid system, both electricity and information are exchanged, which is why interoperability within smart power grids has to be ensured. The reporting of energy usage would increase the efficiency of energy distribution. The European Commission has come forward with various

=== The environmental dimension ===

* pushing decarbonisation

Michaelernst

57

edits