6 minute read
A stable and secure grid around the clock: interview with Stefan Kapferer, CEO 50Hertz
from Activity report 2019
by Elia Group
The joint project Combined Grid Solution between 50Hertz and the Danish Energinet won the 'Good Practice of the Year' award. The Combined Grid Solution is the first grid connection that links offshore wind farms of two European countries. Free capacity of the interconnector can be used for electricity trading between the two countries. This maximum use of offshore infrastructure was particularly highlighted by the Renewables Grid Initiative during the award ceremony.
Elia and 50Hertz sign Marine Grid Declaration
On Tuesday 19 March, Ilse Tant and Olivier Feix attended the signing ceremony of the Renewables Grid Initiative's Marine Grid Declaration. The declaration contains specific recommendations for the establishment of offshore grids. Special attention is given to promoting communication with stakeholders from the start of the project. The protection of the marine environment is also a key focus. Additionally, the declaration commits the signatories to exchanging more best practices with each other.
Trends-Tendances named Elia's Chief Financial Officer Catherine Vandenborre 'CFO of the Year 2019'. Catherine and her team received this recognition for the key role they played in the transaction that gave Elia full control over the German company 50Hertz. The deal was all the more remarkable as Elia partly financed the acquisition with hybrid debt instruments, thus leaving Elia's creditworthiness intact.
Sustainalytics classifies Elia Transmission Belgium and 50Hertz as an “outperformer”
Elia Transmission Belgium, Eurogrid and its subsidiary 50Hertz have once again improved their sustainability rating. In the latest edition of the Sustainalytics Environment, Social and Governance report, they scored respectively 74 points (Elia) and 79 points (50Hertz) out of 100 earning them 'outperformer' status.
Elia Group's new corporate structure implemented
The internal reorganisation was completed on 31 December 2019, meaning that the Elia Group is now a holding company and Elia's regulated activities in Belgium have been separated and ring-fenced from its non-regulated and regulated activities outside Belgium. This change to the Elia Group's corporate structure will also mean that its existing and future Belgian and European activities can be developed in line with the envisaged growth strategy.
INTERVIEW WITH DIDIER WIOT, CEO OF ELIA GRID INTERNATIONAL
Fifth anniversary for Elia Grid International
GRI 201-2
Elia Grid International (EGI) offers consultancy and engineering services on the international energy market and develops power system projects for third parties. As a wholly owned subsidiary (50/50) of Elia and 50Hertz, EGI combines the quality and expertise of two large European system operators, each with a solid track record and many decades of experience.
How do you look back at the first 5 years?
Didier: “We have managed to develop a new international activity from scratch and successfully delivered projects in four continents. We are focusing our activities in three key target markets: Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia. Over the years we also delivered projects in Africa, Central Asia and even Australia. Drawing on our first years of existence, we are now ready to move things up a gear and further develop end of 2019 has reached 5 GW while the initial plan only targeted 800 MW. At first, they thought RES integration would be technically impossible. EGI helped to convince decision makers that the system would remain stable and Vietnam is now moving forward with larger ambitions. EGI is also supporting other system operators on many other challenges: connecting Ukraine to the European system, developing capabilities in Georgia, advising Malaysia in their unbundling journey.”
our activities. Our business plan has been reviewed in 2019 and is aiming towards ambitious growth targets with a doubling of the company size. Today, we have around 50 people on board from 22 nationalities. It reflects our international spirit. We have headquarters in Brussels and Berlin and local representatives in Dubai, Doha and Singapore. In 2020, we will also have an entity opening in Saudi Arabia.”
“We are talking to the TSO’s and to the ministries as peer companies. While
sharing experiences, we also learn from them.
Didier Wiot
On 19 September 2019, EGI’s Board of Directors appointed Didier Wiot as the company’s new CEO with immediate effect. He was previously the COO of EGI and had been its acting CEO since June 2018. In this role, he demonstrated his ability to manage EGI’s activities effectively.
EGI supports Ukrenergo with RES integration
Elia Grid International is helping the Ukrainian Transmission System Operator (TSO) Ukrenergo to identify the gaps in the Ukrainian power sector to enable it to carry out the necessary system transformation for the effective integration of variable renewable energy sources (vRES). Experts from Elia Group shared best practices and key lessons learnt from the Elia and 50Hertz experience regarding RES integration.
EGI launches new practice on “Market and Regulation”
Elia Grid International assists clients in making a real difference by leveraging the experiences developed by Elia Group over the last 20 years. Practices include market products development, studies and implementation processes related to market set-up, data management, regional market coupling, interconnectors and advice in balancing market design and implementation.
For which types of customers does EGI usually work?
Didier: “Our clients are mainly Transmission System Operators, but we are also supporting regulators, single buyers, ministries, public authorities and private developers. We are looking more and more into the global ecosystem of the energy landscape. The key challenges we are working on are mainly renewable integration, market development and the implementation of new interconnectors. The regions where EGI is active are willing to play a strategic role in the energy landscape of the future. Major transformations are happening at an unprecedented pace and operators are seeking for excellence. This is where the support of EGI can make a difference.”
Europe has its Green Deal. But there is clearly something moving on a global scale?
Didier: “Most of our clients are targeting big CO2-reduction ambitions to fulfill their commitment to the Paris Agreement. Vietnam is a great example. In a few years’ time, they managed to create the conditions to develop and connect large scale solar plants throughout the country. Starting from nothing, the installed capacity at the
EGI is backed by two TSOs. Does that help in setting up your business?
Didier: “Being backed by two TSOs is a major unique selling proposition! This is what makes us different from classical consulting companies. We are talking to system operators and their stakeholders as peer companies. While sharing experiences, we also learn from them. This creates a unique relationship that few competitors can achieve. Our ambition is to make a real difference. When we finish a project, our client should be in a better position than before it started. You can only do that if you enter the strategic level of the organization and this is what we do with the support of the mother companies. However being active on a competitive market also means that we have to battle against a large number of players. The competition can be fierce but EGI has developed a strong brand recognition and winning tenders against big names is starting to become “normal”. At the same time, it is important for us to stay connected with our mother companies Elia and 50hertz. EGI also delivers owners’ engineering activities in Germany for the construction of 400kV substations as well as other services in various domains like Grid Planning or system operation.”
At this very moment, do you have any idea in which country your employees are?
Didier: “Yes, we have a tool for that. Just over the last two weeks we had many colleagues delivering projects in Saudi Arabia, but we also had people in Georgia, Ukraine, Poland, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore… a classical week somehow.”
Visit https://www.eliagrid-int.com/ to learn more about EGI’s projects.
