Identification of Gaps and Barriers in Regulations, Standards, and Network Codes to Energy Citizen Participation in the Energy Transition

Alireza Nouri, Shafi Khadem, Anna Mutule, Christina Papadimitriou, Rad Stanev, Mattia Cabiati, Andrew Keane and Paula Carroll
Additional contact information
Alireza Nouri: Energy Institute, University College Dublin, D04 N2E5 Dublin, Ireland
Shafi Khadem: International Energy Research Centre, Tyndall National Institute, T12 R5CP Cork, Ireland
Anna Mutule: Smart Grid Research Center, Institute of Physical Energetics, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
Christina Papadimitriou: FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy, Nicosia 94014, Cyprus
Rad Stanev: Power Engineering Department, Technical University of Sofia, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
Mattia Cabiati: Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico, 20121 Milano, Italy
Andrew Keane: Energy Institute, University College Dublin, D04 N2E5 Dublin, Ireland
Paula Carroll: Energy Institute, University College Dublin, D04 N2E5 Dublin, Ireland

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-29

Abstract: The success of the energy transition in Europe depends on the engagement of citizens and the sustainable replacement of conventional generation with renewable production. Highlights of the PAN European Technology Energy Research Approach (PANTERA) project, a H2020 coordination and support action, are presented in this paper. In broad terms, PANTERA offers a forum for actors in the smart grid to support the expansion of activities in smart grid research, demonstration, and innovation, especially in the below-average spending member states in the European Union (EU). The focus of this paper is on those activities of the project consortium related to the identification of gaps and barriers in regulations, standards, and network codes that hinder the sustainable engagement of energy citizens in the energy transition. The paper summarises the challenges to citizen engagement in the energy transit and considers the enablers that make the engagement of citizens viable, e.g., demand response (DR), renewable energy resources (RESs), and modern designs for local energy markets (LEMs). We focus on the barriers to the enablers that are explicitly and implicitly related to regulations, standards, and network codes and explore aspects of the relevant regulations and standards of the sample below-average spending member states. A specific case study of a research and demonstration project in Ireland for updating the network codes is also presented to demonstrate the ways in which member states are attempting to remove the barriers and enable citizen participation in the smart energy transition. Finally, the opportunities to foster smart grid research and innovation through shared knowledge and insights offered by the PANTERA European Interconnection for Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship (EIRIE) platform are highlighted.

Keywords: energy citizens; energy transition; demand response; network codes; local energy markets; regulations and standards (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/3/856/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/3/856/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:3:p:856-:d:732922

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().