Public Interventions Debate "Strategy and Priority Energy Projects in Europe"

Today in the European Parliament, Maria da Graça Carvalho, member of the Industry Research and Energy Committee co-chaired a lunch debate with António Correia de Campos, MEP and Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN), the Portuguese TSO, about European Gas and Electricity Challenges for 2020.

European challenges are in the core of the European agenda at the present moment. They are crucial to fulfill so that security of supply and energy mix goals are met. The objective of this lunch is to discuss the latest EC proposals to implement the European energy infrastructures, which are now being debated by the EU institutions. The selection of projects of common interest (PCI's) for the EU and the importance of REN's key projects will also be debated.

João Conceição, from the National Energy Grid in Portugal made an intervention about the Importance of the energy infrastructures in Europe and about the priorities for EU infrastructure development (see apresentation here).

During her intervention, Maria da Graça Carvalho considered "the impact of new and emerging technologies such as smart grids and energy storage solutions and the relevance of research and technological development in these areas".

The MEP also added that this debate is "particularly timely" given that the EP is currently elaborating priorities for energy infrastructure for 2020 and Antonio Correia de Campos is the rapporteur of this "important" report; the European Parliament is at the moment preparing the reports on the next Framework Programme on Research and Innovation, the Horizon 2020; and it is also preparing the new European Financial Perspectives.

MEP´s from the ITRE committee, Portuguese MEPs, members from European Commission, and REN were represented in the debate (complete list of participants here).