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Transparency
Grid access, and its cost, must be transparent, objective and non-discriminatory. This helps both renewable energy producers, and electricity consumers who ultimately bear any extra cost.
Transparency, objectivity and non-discrimination mean, for example, that:
- grid operators and electricity distributors must clearly justify and account for any additional connecting or reinforcing costs, or additional costs for purchasing the electricity produced from renewable sources
- producers of electricity from renewable energy have a right not to be discriminated against, for example because of the intermittent nature of some sources such as wind and solar
- grid operators must disclose available grid capacities
For example, under EU law, Member States have obligations to ensure transparency, objectivity and non-discrimination.
EU
Directive 2001/77/EC, Article 7.2 - 7.6 provide that:
2. Member States shall put into place a legal framework or require transmission system operators and distribution system operators to set up and publish their standard rules relating to the bearing of costs of technical adaptations, such as grid connections and grid reinforcements, which are necessary in order to integrate new producers feeding electricity produced from renewable energy sources into the interconnected grid.
These rules shall be based on objective, transparent and nondiscriminatory
criteria taking particular account of all the costs and benefits associated with the connection of these producers to the grid. The rules may provide for different types of connection.
3. Where appropriate, Member States may require transmission system operators and distribution system operators to bear, in full or in part, the costs referred to in paragraph 2.
4. Transmission system operators and distribution system operators shall be required to provide any new producer wishing to be connected with a comprehensive and detailed estimate of the costs associated with the connection. Member States may allow producers of electricity from renewable energy sources wishing to be connected to the grid to issue a call for tender for the connection work.
5. Member States shall put into place a legal framework or require transmission system operators and distribution system operators to set up and publish their standard rules relating to the sharing of costs of system installations, such as grid connections and reinforcements, between all producers benefiting from them.
The sharing shall be enforced by a mechanism based on objective, transparent and non-discriminatory criteria taking into account the benefits which initially and subsequently connected producers as well as transmission system operators and distribution system operators derive from the connections.
6. Member States shall ensure that the charging of transmission and distribution fees does not discriminate against electricity from renewable energy sources, including in particular electricity from renewable energy sources produced in peripheral regions, such as island regions and regions of low population density.
Where appropriate, Member States shall put in place a legal framework or require transmission system operators and distribution system operators to ensure that fees charged for the transmission and distribution of electricity from plants using renewable energy sources reflect realisable cost benefits resulting from the plant's connection to the network. Such cost benefits could arise from the direct use of the low-voltage grid.
Include this feature in your proposed law
How do I compile my proposed law?
Here you can choose the draft sample text provided for ensuring transparency (Option A) or choose to draft your own text offline (Option B).
If you choose Option A, the text provided will appear as section 6 in your proposed law document with the section number and title. Terms in the text which have been defined appear in bold, and will automatically appear in the Definitions section at the end of your document.
If you choose Option B, the text in square brackets will appear in section 6 of your document with the section number and title.