The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is a key EU funding instrument to promote growth, jobs and competitiveness through targeted infrastructure investment at European level in the areas of energy, transport and digital.
Calls for renewable energy cross-border projects
The call and application processes for cross-border renewable energy projects are going to be implemented annually and are managed by the European Climate Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).
In the period 2021-2027, the CEF features a dedicated window for support to renewable energy cross-border projects that are set up by a cooperation mechanism. With a budget of approximately €875 million, it contributes to the EU decarbonisation targets and will help EU countries to achieve the 2030 renewable energy targets by supporting cross-border, renewable energy cooperation.
The first projects were selected in 2022 through a call for projects that run between 4 March and 10 May 2022. They received a "cross-border renewable energy project" status, according to the rules and procedure of the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/342. Once a project has received the status, it is eligible for CEF funding for studies and works, and could also benefit from higher visibility, increased investor certainty and stronger support from EU countries.
In January 2023, the second call to obtain the cross-border renewable energy projects status was launched. The call closes on 3 May 2023, followed by an adoption of the second list with projects in 2023.
The first list of projects
The first list of renewable energy cross-border projects was adopted by the Commission on 30 August 2022 and entered into force when published in the EU Official Journal. It comprises 3 projects relevant for a total of 7 EU countries
- ELWIND, a joint hybrid offshore wind park between Estonia and Latvia
- Goerlitz Zgorzelec, a cross-border district heating system based on renewables in a twin city at the border between Germany and Poland
- CEO (Alliance Cross-Border-European Green Hydrogen Value Chain), a project to produce renewable electricity in Italy, Spain and Germany for conversion, transport and use of green hydrogen in the Netherlands and Germany
These projects are eligible to apply for funding for studies and construction works for the dedicated CEF Energy call in 2022.
The realisation of these projects will contribute to the increased renewable energy ambition under the European Green Deal, as well as to reaching the objectives of the REPowerEU plan.
Preparatory studies
The CEF provides financial support for preparatory studies for projects before they are included in the list of renewable energy cross-border projects. These studies help both EU countries and private project promoters to advance cooperation ideas, create momentum among involved stakeholders and, as a result, generate a pipeline of cross-border renewable projects.
The first preparatory studies were awarded after a CEF Energy call in 2021. A second call for preparatory studies was launched on 20 September and closed on 10 January 2023.
Documents
- Delegated Regulation establishing a list of selected cross-border projects in the field of renewable energy (EU/2022/2202)
- Implementing Decision on the selection of proposals and award of grants for preparatory studies and its annex (C(2022) 4146)
- Delegated Regulation on the cross-border renewable energy projects selection process ((EU) 2022/342)
- Connecting Europe Facility Regulation ((EU) 2021/1153)
Related links
- News: CEF Energy: 2023 call for cross-border renewable energy projects (CB RES) to obtain the status (10/01/2023)
- Cross-border renewable energy projects - Works & Studies (8/11/2022-23/2/2023)
- News: Commission adopts first list of renewable energy cross-border projects | European Commission (30/08/2022)
- Cross-border renewable energy projects (CEF energy)
- Call and application processes (CINEA)
- Cooperation mechanisms