A leading group of Europe’s energy users and grid technology innovators today launched the Green Industrial Grids Association (GIGA). The association has been created to support a fundamental transformation of Europe’s power system by accelerating the development of modern and digital electricity grids. GIGA fills a gap by bringing together companies with shared electricity needs to provide practical, user-driven insights on grid access, planning and system modernisation, perspectives currently missing from Europe’s energy discussions.
GIGA’s members include Amazon, Electra, Fastned, Google, Hitachi Energy, Linde, Meta, Metlen, Milence, Microsoft and Siemens Energy. Together, they represent a broad cross section of electricity consumers and technology providers committed to transforming Europe’s grids to power a clean, competitive and decarbonised economy.
Europe’s grids must evolve to meet rising demand
Across Europe, electricity demand is accelerating as manufacturers scale electrification, digital services expand and consumers adopt clean technologies at speed. However, Europe’s grids have not kept pace. Ageing infrastructure, slow permitting processes and years-long connection queues now limit the ability of companies and citizens to access clean, affordable electricity when they need it. As highlighted by the European Commission, addressing these challenges will require unprecedented levels of investment, with an estimated €1.2 trillion needed for electricity grid infrastructure by 2040.
Delivering the conditions for a modern electricity system
GIGA will advocate for a fundamental grid transformation:
- Grids Planning for Tomorrow – Stronger coordination with demand-side consumers to ensure grid build-out happens where it is most needed.
- Unlocking Capital for Grid Expansion – Mobilising third-party financing to accelerate investment and optimisation and ensuring anticipatory investment to provide long-term visibility for component suppliers and reduce supply-chain bottlenecks.
- Maximising the Existing Grid – Deploying technological solutions such as Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs), flexible connection agreements and targeted incentives to reduce congestion quickly.
- Accelerating Access to Power – Moving from a first-come-first-served approach to a first-ready-first-out model to allocate capacity based on project maturity, improve application processing and increase transparency.
As Europe works toward reaching climate neutrality by mid-century while safeguarding energy security, affordability, and competitiveness, grids must transform at pace. To support the electrification agenda, GIGA will provide technical expertise and practical insight based on the experience of its members with regulatory frameworks and grid planning processes worldwide. GIGA will aim to ensure policy decisions of EU institutions and national authorities are informed by the needs of industrial electricity users and grid technology providers.
Matt Ersin, Chair of GIGA, said:
“Europe’s energy transition will only succeed if our grids evolve with the same speed and scale as industrial electrification and digital innovation. Through GIGA, industry is providing a shared vision for a competitive and decarbonised Europe, and a commitment to supporting the policies and investments that make it possible.”
Pamela MacDougall, Vice-Chair of GIGA, added:
“Modern grids are the foundation of Europe’s clean and competitive economy. As Vice Chair of GIGA, I am proud to help guide this association as we bring forward practical expertise and technical insight to support Europe in planning, building, and operating the electricity system it needs for the future.”
