Bruegel Clean Tech Tracker

Technology
Grids

Grids

2024

Italy

Largest European grid production

2025

€0.7 bn

Net exports from the EU

2023

222,000

Europeans employed by the electricity grid

2024

2,900

Grids-relevant patents involving a European since 2000

2024

23%

Electricity share in final energy consumption, EU

Manufacturing

European companies play an important role in the production of grid equipment, including electricity cables, transformers and switchgear. A Eurostat database - PRODCOM - records reported production volumes for different good. In 2024, Italy (€5.15 billion) and Germany (€4.78 billion) have the largest production bases in Europe. France, Sweden and Spain all have sizeable industries too. However, some data are missing owing to confidentiallity issues limiting comparability quality.

Trade

The EU remains a net exporter of grid technologies, but its trade surplus has narrowed substantially as imports have grown. In 2025, exports of grid equipment were €26.4 billion, while imports were €25.7 billion, leaving a net export position of around €0.7 billion. The largest import partner was China, which accounted for more than half of EU grid technology imports, while the United States was the largest export destination. The EU runs a deficit in transformers, static converters and inductors, but records surpluses in high-voltage switchgear, control boards and high-voltage conductors.

Jobs

Eurostat data show around 223,000 people employed in electricity transmission and distribution across the EU countries covered in 2023. Most of these jobs are in distribution networks, which accounted for just under four fifths of the recorded total, with the remainder in transmission. Recorded employment is higher than in 2015, though the country coverage varies by year. Germany accounts for the largest number of grid jobs in 2023, followed by Italy and the Netherlands.

Patents

Grid-related patenting grew steadily from 2000 and reached its highest level around 2020. Europe was one of the leading sources of grid patent families through the 2000s and 2010s, but China now accounts for the largest share of recent patenting. In 2024, China represented almost three fifths of global grid patent families, compared with around 8% for Europe. Recent patenting is concentrated in smart grid network technologies, while Europe’s recent activity is more evenly spread across HVDC transmission, power quality equipment, superconducting equipment and smart grid technologies.