12 Amendments of Justina VITKAUSKAITE BERNARD related to 2013/2128(INI)
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes a paradigm shift for the regions in the way energy is produced and consumed, moving from an inflexible traditional model, which functions on a ‘base load logic’, to variable, decentralised and local production, integrating a high share of small-scale renewable energy with flexible and responsive demand and distributed storage; stresses that a smart grid is essential for such a paradigm shift and that smart grid implementation must be embedded in a cross-sectoral and comprehensive approach to regional development in order to maximise benefits for the regionsand market opportunities for the regions as well as to achieve sustainability, growth and innovation;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights, in this context, the opportunities for geographical (or territorial) changes to the energy grid for disadvantaged regions, which can develop from energy consumers into energy producers, obtaining high economic benefits while ensuring a secure energy supply, deployment and operation of smart grids; notes that this particularly offers opportunities to outermost and peripheral regions and islands;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that citizens must be involved in all phases of energy and grid planning, implementation and transformation, production and consumption, with public participation at each stage, and the active involvement of distribution service operators (DSOs) and providers of smart grid technologies; encourages citizens to become ‘prosumers’, with individuals and communities producing their own renewable energy and able to sell the surplus back to the grid, making use of net metering and thus taking advantage of the economic opportunities and acting as strong local partners engaged in sustainable energy production and energy saving within an overall regional energy concept;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission, and its Smart Grid Task Force, to update and expand its existing definition of smart grids to include the smart energy system; calls on local and regional authorities to manage energy consumption and load-shedding and adopt regional strategies based around a smart energy system;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Emphasises that in order to ensure the economic efficiency of smart grids for regions it is necessary to combine direct and indirect advantages, linking the energy sector with several other sectors, particularly housing and transport, but also the environment, urban planning, social inclusion, waste management, and the construction sector, in order to achieve energy saving targets while at the same time maximising economic benefits and balancing a region's energy supply and demand;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Strongly encourages all regions to invest in smart energy systems as a potential source of local green and sustainable jobs; highlights that the construction industry is one of the main areas where jobs will be created, not only through direct investments in smart energy grids, but also through boosting EU technology development, innovation and the competitiveness of SMEs and through investments in energy efficiency measures and renovations, for instance in the housing sector;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on all regions to invest in skills and training for these new jobs, taking into account that a significant number of new local jobs can also be created in the ICT services, the transport sector and sectors that supply smart equipment, smart infrastructure and services, for instance for new installations;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Highlights that public investment in smart energy systems, including through European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), can foster local sustainable employment opportunities and long-term local benefits for the region, create synergy effects and spill-over effects on employment and long-term local benefits for the regions in economic, social and environmental spheres, and can equally be used as an instrument for overcoming economic challenges, especially in regions in crisis-hit countries;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Emphasises that the success of a smart energy system, as shown by studies on best practices and leading examples, is often due to local ownership by individual citizens, a cooperative, a local community or a combination of these actors; recognises that such ownerships increase the acceptance of investments in all elements of smart energy systems; advocates that citizens must be involved at all stages of smart energy infrastructure, production and energy and grid planning distribution and at all stages of development of a smart energy system;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on the Commission to remove the barriers, regulatory and legal challenges to local ownership in existing EU legislation, particular in the state aid rules; invites the Member States to support local energy feed-in possibilities and the sharing of local energy, not only bi-directionally between the grid and the end-user but also cross-border and between end-user units, encouraging local energy production ownerships and sharing of locally produced energy;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the Member States to ensure available consumer information and clear guidelines for data transmission and data security and to ensure that the Data Protection Regulation is strengthened and swiftly adopted; calls on the Commission to develop strong guidelines for data collection, data minimisation, data transmission and data security within a smart energy system; underlines that personal data must only be processed for the specific purpose of providing energy supply and only to the extent that is strictly necessary and that personal data must not be used for discriminatory pricing;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses the need for improved data protection and privacy regulation and practice when smart metering systems are installed; emphasises that guaranteeing data protection and data privacy for all individuals and households connected to the grid is imperative to the functioning and deployment of smart grids; stresses that data gathered must only be used to ensure the security of electricity supply; calls on Member States to enforce data protection rules while maintaining and developing synergies throughout the telecommunication and energy networks and to uphold individuals’ rights in this area;