Accelerating Replacement Of Ageing Distribution Transformers: Mapping The Landscape With EU-TRACE

Abstract

The long service life of transformers means that uptake of newer, more energy-performant units remains slow. Increasing the annual replacement rate could represent a significant contribution to the targets of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and to wider EU climate objectives. EU-TRACE (EUropean TRansformers ACcelerated Efficiency), a project supported by the European Commission’s LIFE programme, will examine how regulatory interventions can unlock this potential.The project began with a bottom-up characterisation of the current stock of distribution transformers in Europe. This investigation is crucial for enabling reliable impact assessments of replacement policies, since publicly available data on transformer age distributions are currently lacking. This paper presents the methodology and preliminary results of this mapping exercise.Through stakeholder consultations, EU-TRACE is also identifying technical, financial, organisational, market-related, and regulatory barriers to transformer replacement. Initial trends in the barriers encountered by distribution system operators (DSOs) are presented here.Finally, EU-TRACE also investigates to what extent accelerated transformer replacement can support EU circular-economy goals, and how this contribution can be enhanced. Preliminary findings on material circularity aspects of transformer replacement are presented.