The role of transmission for renewable energy integration and clean exports

A large deployment of renewable energy sources (RES) in the power system will not only require the development of key technologies (e.g. batteries or hydrogen), but also ensure that the transmission infrastructure provides the means to share flexibility across regions and countries. This chapter describes challenges and opportunities for the energy transmission infrastructure in Europe in terms of: (i) planning the energy transition of the power sector under a long-term perspective while considering short-term challenges, (ii) the role of transmission as an enabler to transnational balancing source for renewables and its cost-benefit implications, (iii) gas as a key flexible provider to balance RES but with challenges on maintaining the gas infrastructure relevant under climate targets and (iv) the perspective of balancing exporter countries on its policy and strategies to deliver clean exports.