Ready4H2 at the 17th Citizens' Energy Forum

Ready4H2 attended the recent 17th Citizens' Energy Forum organised by the European Commission, dedicated to implementing the Citizens Energy Package. Energy communities, demand-side flexibility, the protection of vulnerable consumers and energy affordability were at the centre of the discussion.

One key message was that the transition will be won or lost on the last mile; it is in local areas and through distribution networks that European policies actually reach citizens and businesses. A second key message was that flexibility and storage are undervalued for their role in lowering the cost of the transition and enabling a fully integrated and functioning energy system. The discussions also confirmed the importance of putting citizens and local communities at the heart of the transition, diversifying energy sources, and understanding that the transition will take time - the challenge is to combine decarbonisation, affordable costs and security of supplies of as many clean energies as possible, without achieving one goal at the expense of the others.

The gas DSOs are crucial to these topics and the Ready4H2 community is working towards being part of the solution.