Discussion Paper: Impacts of Climate Change on Regional Energy Systems

According to the findings from the ESPON applied research project on natural and technological hazards, certain regions in Europe are clearly more vulnerable to environmental risks derived from climate change. This vulnerability has been documented with regard to the possible impacts of storms, draughts, floods and forest fires. It is assumed that climate change will in general lead to more extreme weather conditions, putting additional pressure on the energy infrastructure in terms of production, transport and distribution. According to present evidence and modelling, energy production will be affected by changes in natural resources, such as hydro, wind power or biomass. The transmission and distribution networks may be exposed to greater natural impacts, derived from extreme weather conditions or forest fires, while, on the demand side, changes may be expected with regard to the heating and cooling demand of buildings and some industrial processes. This discussion paper summarizes the evidence available from research on climate change impacts on the energy sector and proposes policy options to minimize the possible risks on regional level.