According to the European Commission, Europe will need to invest around EUR 1,000 billion by 2020 if it is to meet its climate and energy goals. Of this, some EUR 200 billion will flow into energy networks. In November 2010, the EU unveiled the most important projects for expanding the transmission system. This is an area where Switzerland can play a significant role:

• The EU wants to connect the planned wind power plants in the North Sea to consumer centres by means of an offshore electricity grid. Swiss pumped storage power plants can play an important role by storing the electricity produced there and making it available as and when required.
   
  
• The EU also wants to strengthen the Central and Southern European transmission systems and promote the integration of the markets in those regions. Switzerland will play a role as the storage and transit country for the north-south electricity flows in Central Europe.