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The European Commission has approved the inclusion of five new cross-border renewable energy (CB RES) projects, bringing the total number of projects with CB RES status to 13. The designation grants the projects eligibility to seek financial support under the CB RES window of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Energy programme.
The newly approved projects span offshore wind, solar, and cross-border heating, with the goal of enhancing Europe’s energy security, accelerating the energy transition, and supporting the EU’s climate objectives.
The projects are:
- Liivi Bay Offshore Wind Farm (Estonia–Latvia): A large-scale offshore wind development in the Estonian waters of the Gulf of Riga, radially connected to Estonia’s national grid. With a planned capacity of 1 GW, the project is expected to begin generating electricity by 2031, contributing to Estonia’s target of 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and supporting Latvia’s energy transition.
- Utilitas Eleja-Jonišķis Wind Park (Latvia–Lithuania): A 200 MW onshore wind park located across the Latvian-Lithuanian border, set to be operational by 2028. The project will connect to the 330 kV Viskaļi–Mūša transmission line, strengthening regional grid stability and energy independence.
- Comprehensive Offshore Renewable Energy Studies (Portugal–Luxembourg): Known as CORES, the project will lay the groundwork for large-scale floating offshore wind deployment in Portugal, with cooperation from Luxembourg. It will assess offshore wind zones, grid reinforcements, and auction frameworks, potentially unlocking up to 10 GW of offshore wind capacity while fostering collaboration on green hydrogen, port infrastructure, and energy system planning.
- Medlink Renewable Generation (Algeria–Tunisia–Italy): Also referred to as MedGen, this initiative aims to install 10 GW of solar and wind capacity in Algeria and Tunisia, supported by battery storage. Two 2 GW HVDC interconnectors will export up to 22.8 TWh of renewable electricity annually to Italy. The project is viewed as a flagship North-South energy partnership, advancing regional integration and EU diversification goals.
- Twin Heat (Poland–Germany): A district heating project for the twin cities of Słubice and Frankfurt, focused on installing renewable-based infrastructure such as biomass boilers and cross-border heat exchange systems. The project is designed to cut emissions, improve air quality, and enhance efficiency in urban heating.
The European Commission stated that the projects represent a major step toward strengthening cross-border energy cooperation, while accelerating renewable deployment across Europe and its neighboring regions.
The adopted list has now been forwarded to the European Parliament and the Council for a two-month scrutiny period, which may be extended upon request. The list will only take effect 20 days after its formal publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
