The problem

The growth of the European Union (EU) increasingly depends on imports of fossil fuels and electricity. In the future, the EU will add hydrogen to this list as it becomes more widely used as an energy source. It is vital, therefore, that the “energy corridors” through which these supplies flow between the EU and its neighbours are technically efficient, economically run and environmentally sound. However, the infrastructure needed to create and maintain these pathways is expensive, which means action to secure Europe’s future energy supplies must be planned carefully.

Overview:

The ENCOURAGED project aims to assess the most economically viable energy interconnections for electricity, natural gas and hydrogen between the EU and the surrounding regions of North Africa; the Middle East and Turkey; Central and Eastern Europe; Russia and the Black and Caspian Seas; and Iceland and Norway.

The project will:

• Analyse and determine the economic, environmental and socio-economic impacts of the ‘optimum configurations’ for these energy interconnections
• Identify, quantify and assess the barriers to creating a pan-European energy network, and examine its potential benefits

Contribution to policy development:

• The project will encourage best policy practice relating to investment in energy corridors, especially concerning issues, such as regulations, as well as the reliability and security of supply.
• ENCOURAGED will help Europe’s energy policy-makers to plan future activities relating to the import of energy over the longer term.
• Forward thinking on hydrogen supplies will help policy-makers plan for the likely increased usage of this energy source after 2020.

Project deliverables

• Assessment of electricity/natural gas/hydrogen demand-supply balance, presenting the status of transmission capacity and routing between the EU and neighbouring regions – month 7
• Reports on optimal corridors for electricity, gas and hydrogen – month 15
• Assessment of geo-political policy consequences of using the recommended optimal energy corridors – month 20
• Final project report published – month 24

Dissemination

• Four workshops and two project conferences where policy-makers, stakeholders and industry representatives can discuss findings – ongoing
• Website that will hold general information for the public along with reports and technical/economic data – month 10
• A research paper series to help disseminate the project’s specialised scientific knowledge – ongoing
• Exchanging information with similar European and national projects – ongoing

Technical information

Project acronym: ENCOURAGED
Project’s official full title: Energy Corridor Optimisation, for the European Markets of Gas, Electricity And Hydrogen
Research priority: 3.2. The development of tools, indicators and operational parameters for assessing sustainable transport and energy systems performance (economic, environmental and social)
Specific webpage: Not yet available
Proposal/contract no: 6588
Start date: Not available
Kick off meeting: Not available
Completion date: Not available
European Commission scientific officer: Pirjo-Liisa Koskimaki, Pirjo-liisa.Koskimaki@ec.europa.eu and Domenico Rossetti di Valdabero, Domenico.Rossetti-di-valdabero@ec.europa.eu

Coordinator:
Name: Energy Research Centre
Abbreviated name: ECN
Address: PO Box 1,
1755 ZG Petten
Country: The Netherlands
Tel: +31 224 56 4949
Website: www.ecn.nl/

Partners

Name: Centro Electtrotecnico Sperimentale Italiano
Abbreviated name: CESI
Country: Italy 

Name: Mediterranean Observatory for Energy
Abbreviated name: OME
Country: France 

Name: Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation
Abbreviated name: FhG-ISI
Country: Germany         

Name: ENVIROS
Abbreviated name: ENVIROS
Country: Czech Republic           

Name: Energy Research Institute of the Russian Academy
Abbreviated name: ERI RAS
Country: Russia

Name: EnCoG
Abbreviated name: EnCoG
Country: Ukraine           

Name: IBS
Abbreviated name: IBS
Country: Turkey

Name: Black Sea Regional Energy Centre
Abbreviated name: BSREC
Country: Bulgaria

Name: Institute of Power Systems and Power Economics
Abbreviated name: RWTH
Country: Germany