Author: Sinéad Thielen


Sinéad Thielen was involved in facilitating the Knowledge Community on Fair Participation in the Energy Transition organised by Heinrich-Böll Stiftung EU and the Green European Foundation, where she supported the Subgroup ‘Fair Allocation of Network Charges‘. She holds a master’s degree in Environmental and Resource Management with a focus on Energy and Climate from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and has gained professional experience at the European Committee of the Regions, where she worked in the Commission for Environment, Climate Change, and Energy. She continues working on energy related topics with the German Federation for Waste, Water and Circular Economy since August 2025.

Fair network charges and flexible demand: cutting the cost of the energy transition

by Sinéad Thielen

As Europe’s energy system shifts from fossil fuels to decentralised renewable energies, one challenge is coming into focus: how can the rising costs of expanding and modernising the electricity grids required for the transport of renewable power be financed fairly and efficiently? And how can tariff design help reduce pressure on the grid by encouraging consumption patterns that make better use of existing infrastructure? Sinéad Thielen examines how different grid and electricity tariff structures can support a fair, flexible and resilient electricity system, and what is needed to protect vulnerable consumers in the process.

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