Communication support for the building of the 380 kV West Coast Line
TenneT TSO GmbH
2023
The TenneT West Coast Line is a cross-border power transmission line that will strengthen the European energy market. Already in 2017, current Minister for Economic Affairs, Dr Robert Habeck called it “the main artery of the energy transition” in Germany.
In 2019, transmission system operator TenneT TSO GmbH commissioned Prognos to support them with the communication for this energy transition project. In September 2023, work on the 137-kilometre-long power line was completed.
Since 2019, Prognos has been supporting TenneT with communication for the West Coast Line, including planning events and creating information materials. The goal was to build on the already established participation exchange with municipalities, environmental associations and public bodies and take it forward.
With over 400 information events, including 150 meetings with involved citizens, 74 hours of citizen consultation as well as 38 mayoral and municipal discussions, the West Coast Line is a lighthouse project for participation during the planning process. Since 2010, a total of almost 2,800 people have participated in the planning process.
The Covid-19 pandemic, in particular, presented new challenges for TenneT’s energy transition project. But even in this context Prognos was able to continue project support, in analogue, digital, as well as hybrid format.
Dialogue processes such as those concerning the construction of the West Coast Line are an important element of the energy transition as increased citizen participation leads to acceptance and understanding. Equally, it enables the implementation of large infrastructure projects to take place in a way that is in harmony with people and the environment.
The construction of the West Coast Line was conducted in close exchange with environmental associations, which discussed compensation measures for necessary interventions in nature, at an early stage. As a result, in Eidervorland Natural Park, over a two-kilometre section, the existing 110-kV power line was replaced by an underground cable laid under the Eider, to protect the population of migratory birds found there.
More about the project, in German (tennet.eu)
Project team: Axel Bohn, Rebekka Hannes, Jakob Kuhn, Anna-Luise Müller
Latest update: 24.10.2023
Project Manager
Prognos is supporting the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of the Environment in organising, implementing and establishing the world's first trade exhibition for the climate adaptation industry.
In an expert report for the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, we and GWS have for the first time estimated the economic impact of these three areas.
On behalf of the BMWK, we evaluate the impact of the BEG in the funding period 2021 – 2025 together with ifeu, ITG, and FIW.
Grid operator TenneT has put an important power line into operation in Lower Saxony. Prognos supported the communication for the project.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs has commissioned Prognos and its partners to develop a plan for implementing the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive in Germany.
Prognos and its partners support the preparation of the German government's 2025 to 2027 greenhouse gas projection reports.
Primary energy consumption in Germany has fallen by a total of ten percent in the last two years. However, not all sectors have been successful.
How can EU member states accelerate the expansion of renewable energies? Our report for the European Commission analyses which measures are needed to simplify approval procedures.
Prognos will support the Federal Ministry of Economics in preparing the NECP progress reports until 2027.
On behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), we conduct an annual analysis of the development of energy consumption in Switzerland.
Prognos is one of the oldest economic research centres in Europe. Founded at the University of Basel, Prognos experts have been conducting research for a wide range of clients from the public and private sectors since 1959 – politically independent, scientifically sound.