Unlocking Resilience: Detailed Equipment Data for Future-proof Transmission Grids

(TSOs) aimed at establishing a common data basis to enable an objective comparison of the sustainability performance of products and equipment for transmission grids across multiple vendors. Rooted in “The Greener Choice” manifesto, the initiative leverages TSOs’ procurement activities to encourage greener manufacturing, services and logistics, supporting

Europe’s climate goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050. It aligns with key EU regulations, including Corporate

Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA), Ecodesign for

Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and EU Taxonomy, and complements initiatives such as ENTSO-E’s RDI Roadmap.

1 TSOs are uniquely positioned to drive the energy transition, integrating renewable and lowcarbon energy sources, enabling electrification, and promoting sustainability across the supply chain. Achieving these goals requires high-quality, harmonized and standardized product- and component-level data from suppliers, including information on production locations, material composition, carbon footprint, recycled content, energy use and end-of-life treatment. Such data underpins credible Scope 3 GHG accounting, life-cycle assessments, circularity evaluations, and supply-chain resilience planning, while facilitating regulatory compliance and objective comparison across suppliers.

A central element of the initiative is the development of common Raw Material Passports

(RMPs) for main electric components of transmission grid, which document material characteristics and production processes throughout a product’s lifecycle. The methodology adopts a component-based approach, focusing on essential data for TSOs while minimizing unnecessary burdens on suppliers. Challenges remain in traceability, transparency and verification. Standardized templates and digital solutions are considered future enhancements to simplify submissions while maintaining accessibility for all suppliers.

The inclusion of the term “unlocking resilience” in the title of this paper reflects the broader value of detailed, product-level data beyond environmental sustainability alone. While the paper primarily addresses sustainability through improved data for life cycle assessments,

Scope 3 GHG reporting, and sustainable procurement, this same data foundation also enables

TSOs to strengthen supply chain resilience, manage resource criticality, and support long-term infrastructure planning. In this context, resilience is understood as the capacity of the transmission system to adapt to resource constraints, supply chain disruptions, and evolving regulatory requirements, all of which are closely linked to sustainability considerations.

By combining a common baseline of data applicable to all assets with equipment-specific data points, the framework allows meaningful comparisons across suppliers, supports credible sustainability reporting, and enables TSOs to identify mitigation measures effectively. The initiative empowers TSOs and OEMs to build not only resilient and efficient transmission grids, but also circular, future-ready systems. Transparent data on materials, environmental impacts and end-of-life potential facilitates a shift from linear consumption models to regenerative, circular approaches, driving sustainable innovation, market competitiveness, localized supply chains, and ultimately contributing to a more sustainable, secure and future-proof transmission grids.