Changes

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 '''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 />

As of now, almost all of the energy distribution is done withing centralised systems. Investments into the technology of smart grids have been relatively low and are coming from governmental resources only. Furthermore, the energy market rules would have to be newly defined and the roles of [[Distribution System Operators (DSOs) ]] and [[Transmission System Operators (TSOs)]] would change fundamentally.<br />

* Energy illiteracy: In the current system, the user is a passive consumer, always dependent on utility companies, and ignorant of how the energy system works* currently costs . Costs ultimately outweigh the benefits* as of now and the liberalisation of the energy market is still ongoing* will things . On the question whether a European-wide power grid should also be regulated on a national or transnational (European) level? (see energy meters)* , opinions are divided. On top of that, it is still uncertain how consumers are consumers going to be motivated to become co-producers of energy?* , how is the required knowledge about grid possibilities is spread to citizens?* as well as how can the public be can become involved in large-scale projects?. 

* data Data protection: new risks for is a hot topic when talking about the possibilities and opportunities of smart grids. The recording of consumers as ' energy usage data is recorded* security: creates a new data risk and opens the door for exploitation if no preemptive measures are taken. Cyber attacks disabling the grid system open to cyber attacks that could disable areas have dramatic consequences, questioning the reliability of the grid?* reliability: is . With the grid going to be reliable at all times?* data storage: introduction of smart grids huge sums of data will would need to be recorded* are microgrids a possibility?stored.=== The environmental dimension ===* do renewable means of energy really push smart grids?