Timely roll out of the necessary energy infrastructure is a key factor in the transition to a climate neutral energy system and reaching the climate goals. This requires proper and integrated infrastructure planning processes, also on a European level. In the 4i-TRACTION project, CE Delft has investigated Integrated Infrastructure Planning, with a focus on transnational energy infrastructure. The report describes current EU policies regarding transnational energy infrastructure and discusses which gaps exist in light of reaching a climate neutral European energy system. Furthermore, it contains different options for the policy instrument Integrated Infrastructure Planning. These are designed to cover the existing policy gaps and incorporate a pan-European view on transnational energy infrastructure planning.

For the fifth coffee hour, Joeri Vendrik, researcher at CE Delft specialised in energy infrastructure, presented the main findings of the study and facilitated the discussion on how a pan-European view on transnational energy-infrastructure may benefit the transition to a resilient, efficient, and climate-neutral energy system in the EU. With Raphael Hanoteaux, Senior Policy Advisor on Gas Politics at E3G, kicking-off the discussion the present experts debated about the political economy challenges of infrastructure planning as well as issues in the hydrogen network expansion and more.