On Thursday 30 January, the European Commission announced that it would be allocating more than €1.2 billion under the ‘Connecting Europe Facility’ (CEF) to 41 cross-border energy infrastructure projects (5 works projects and 36 studies), which obtained the status of Projects of Common Interest and Projects of Mutual Interest (PCI and PMIs) in 2024 under the revised TEN-E Regulation.
This funding goes beyond the €850 million announced at the time of the call in April 2024 (see EUROPE 13402/8).
Nearly €750 million will be allocated to 8 electricity grid projects, including offshore electricity networks and smart electricity grids.
The Bornholm Energy Island project for the construction of an innovative hybrid interconnector in the Baltic Sea linking Denmark and Germany will receive the largest sum: €645 million.
A sum of €250 million will be devoted to hydrogen infrastructure, which will benefit from grants for 21 development studies, which “will help to alleviate investment risks associated with this nascent market and complement the hydrogen policy framework introduced in the (...) gas market package”, states a Commission press release.
Additionally, CO2 infrastructures will benefit from €250 million in funding (3 projects and 9 preparatory studies).
Formal adoption of the award decision will follow in the coming weeks. The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) will then be responsible for preparing grant agreements with the beneficiaries. The next call for funding is scheduled for later this year.
To see the list: https://aeur.eu/f/fai (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)