EPRI’s technical team joined industry leaders at CIRED 2025, the 28th International Conference and Exhibition on Electricity Distribution, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from June 16 to 19. CIRED is widely recognized as Europe’s leading forum for the electricity distribution sector, attracting utilities, researchers, policymakers, and technology providers to discuss the future of the power grid and strategies for achieving a sustainable, decarbonized energy system.

This year’s conference focused on the challenges and opportunities facing distribution networks as Europe accelerates its energy transition. Topics ranged from integrating distributed energy resources (DER) and improving grid flexibility to addressing power quality issues and planning for widespread electrification.

For the first time, EPRI hosted an exhibition booth at CIRED, creating a dedicated space to connect with Distribution System Operators (DSOs), equipment manufacturers, and technology innovators. The booth was supported by a cross-functional team of experts from EPRI’s Distribution Operations and Planning, DER Integration, Technology Innovation, and Power Quality programs.

Throughout the event, EPRI presented its extensive research portfolio, demonstrating leadership in areas critical to the future of electricity distribution. Discussions focused on flexibility and dynamic operating envelopes for DER, electrification planning and its impact on residential demand, and advanced forecasting methods for future networks. Experts also addressed power quality challenges arising from increasing grid complexity, as well as interoperability issues for virtual power plants (VPPs) and strategies for managing rapid electrification in industrial settings.

These topics reflect the pressing need for innovative solutions as Europe works to integrate new resources, maintain reliability, and achieve decarbonization targets.

CIRED also provided an opportunity for EPRI to showcase its involvement in several Horizon Europe projects, including ENPOWER, EU-DREAM, and AI-EFFECT. These initiatives focus on advancing flexibility solutions, developing innovative demand response strategies, and applying artificial intelligence to improve grid efficiency and resilience.