The application of modern electric systems to T and D infrastructures to achieve EU 20/20/20 climate and energy targets

This paper is the outcome of a collaboration between T and D Europe - The European Association of the Electricity Transmission and Distribution Equipment and Services Industry and the Power Systems Research Team at the University of Genoa. It presents a scientific analysis of how much modern products and systems from the electric industry contribute to the European Union's (EU) efforts to mitigate climate change (EU's Climate and Energy Policy 20/20/20 [1]). A methodology is proposed in order to quantify the possible environmental benefits in terms of efficiency increase, CO2 reduction and a wider employ of renewable energy resources as well as of power quality improvement provided by a renewal of the European T and D infrastructures. Such methodology is based both on the identification of suitable technical KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to be used to rank the benefits brought by the different grid upgrading measures and on the definition of suitable 'test networks', which can be employed as benchmarks to perform the numerical evaluation of the introduced KPIs. (authors)