P-003583/2021
Answer given by Ms Simson
on behalf of the European Commission (17.8.2021)
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The European Large Scale Energy Accumulation (ELSEA) candidate Project of Common Interest (PCI) has a cumulative power of 384 megawatts (MW) and storage capacity of 250 gigawatt hours (GWh) a year, thus fulfilling the Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) technical and general criteria for electricity storage1,2.
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All candidate projects, including ELSEA, are assessed within the corresponding regional groups on the basis of a methodology agreed within the groups. The assessment of other/external studies are not considered and evaluated within the PCI process.
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The energy market rules foresee that grid operators do not own, develop, manage or operate storage facilities3. Concerning the provision of support services, balancing markets shall be organised in such a way as to ensure effective non-discrimination between market participants4. Transmission System Operators (TSOs) and Distribution System Operators (DSOs)5 shall establish the specifications for the non-frequency ancillary services and flexibility services procured, and standardised market products for such services, at least at national level. The specifications both for non-ancillary services procured by TSOs and flexibility services procured by DSOs shall ensure the effective and non-discriminatory participation of all market participants6.
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1 The technical criteria for storage projects require them to be directly connected to high-voltage transmission lines designed for a voltage of 110 kV or more. The project promotor states that this is also the case for the ELSEA project. The current rules for electricity storage in TEN-E on cross border impact state that a project with significant cross-border impact is a project on the territory of a Member State, which provides at least 225 MW installed capacity and has a storage capacity that allows a net annual electricity generation of 250 gigawatt-hours/year.
2 Only storage and transmission projects that are part of ENTSO-E’s Ten-Year Network Development Plan TYNDP are eligible to apply for the PCI status. To be included in the TYNDP, projects are assessed by means of a socio-economic cost-benefit analysis (CBA), including their environmental and social impacts and their contribution to the European long-term policy goals. The CBA employs a multi-criteria approach that combines a quantified and monetized assessment of project impacts with the qualitative description of other indicators and compares it to the indicated costs of the project. The CBA uses a common set of scenarios and grid models, based on which market and network simulations are performed to assess the project’s impact – the so-called project-specific analysis.
3 Unless the market fails to deliver such services or if storage is a fully integrated part of the network.
4 In line with Article 6 of the electricity regulation.
5 As mandated by the Electricity Directive.
6 Which includes market participants offering energy from renewable sources, market participants engaged in demand response, operators of energy storage facilities, and market participants engaged in aggregation.
© European Union, 2021 – EP