REEEP

Grid-related issues critical to RE expansion

Adelaide, 03.05.2010 - REEEP International Secretariat

Marianne Osterkorn addresses Australian CEC 2010 National Conference More than 700 senior managers and key decision makers in the Australian clean energy industry have gathered in Adelaide for the annual conference of the Clean Energy Council (CEC), the organisation hosting the REAP Southeast Asia- Pacific Secretariat. The annual event was opened by South Australian Premier the Hon. Mike Rann. In a midday session on May 3rd entitled Driving renewables globally – policy success and failure and why?, Dr. Marianne Osterkorn, REEEP’s Director General gave an assessment of EU policy developments and global trends.

In the address, Osterkorn maintained that as RE equipment costs fall, support schemes are likely to decline in importance over time.  The critical issues around the large-scale adoption of renewable energy sources – in Europe and elsewhere -- all revolve around the grid:  questions such as ensuring priority of access to the grid for RE-generated electricity and coverage of the connection costs.

“Investment in the grid will be critical, and to ensure that RE can reach the levels it needs to, regulation must concentrate on these grid-related issues. REEEP is experienced in funding projects that support regulators and policy-makers in doing exactly that.”