This article was originally published by COPPER partner E.DSO on the 5th August 2024
Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and city governments have different priorities within local energy systems.
DSOs aim to maintain a secure and stable electricity supply, while cities prioritise development of activities above the ground.
While these two priorities created little friction in an age of mostly centralised, fossil fuel-powered grids, the energy transition is challenging this paradigm. As local energy systems become more renewable and decentralised, these two priorities risk being incompatible, as grid stability is threatened by increasing urban demand for intermittent renewable supply, and urban development faces delays from limited grid capacity.
⚡ What's the solution? ⚡
COPPER partner E.DSO, which represents 36 DSOs across Europe, sees Local Energy Action Planning as a central technique to ensuring collaboration and alignment between cities and DSOs.
Currently, DSOs have to maintain communication channels with many stakeholders in parallel, often coming from multiple city departments including climate, energy, mobility, environment and/or housing. To overcome this hurdle, LEAPs provide a single joint reference plan, streamlining communication and collaboration.