Renewables Grid Initiative honours REN’s environmental project

REN's project for the 'conversion of easement corridors' of its infrastructure was chosen as the reference project in the 2017 'Good Practice of the Year' award, in the category of Environmental Protection.

This award is an initiative organised by the Renewables Grid Initiative, a collaboration of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Transmission System Operators (TSOs) from Europe, which aims to promote transparent, environmentally sensitive grid development to enable the further steady growth of renewable energy and the energy transition.

Seeking to ensure safety in the operation of the lines, the legislation in effect establishes an area of protection/easement corridor with a width of 45 metres, where it is possible to cut or prune trees as needed to ensure the minimum safety distance. The conversion of a power transmission line's easement corridor consists of changing soil use to vineyards, pastures, orchards and other agricultural activities and to change the soil's occupation, replacing the existing forest species by others that enable meeting the minimum safety distances and that, at the same time, allow the property to generate income (the cork oak, the strawberry tree, the olive tree and the stone pine are among the most chosen species).

With this recognition, REN's project joined the brochure of distinctions, delivered at the award ceremony, which was held at the European Energy Infrastructure Forum, on 1 June, in Copenhagen. You can consult the brochure here.

The jury of the 'Good Practice of The Year' prize is composed of personalities connected to the field, such as Pierre Jean Coulon, member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Catharina Sikow-Magny, head of Unit B1 of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy, Marie Donnelly, Director for New and Renewable Sources of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Innovation at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy, among others.