Cross-border renewables

Expected Impact:

This topic aims at financing CB-RES projects contributing to the cost-effective achievement of the goals and objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal, as well as the Paris Agreement and the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets and the objective for climate neutrality, in accordance with recitals 5 and 30 of the CEF Regulation and in line with the Multi-annual Work Programme. Cross-border RES projects are an integral element of the enabling framework for regional and cross-border cooperation on renewables and facilitate cross border cooperation in the field of energy (as referred to in Article 3 of the CEF Regulation).

Objective:

Based on the provisions of Article 7 and Annex Part IV of CEF Regulation, CB RES projects shall promote cross-border cooperation between Member States, or between Member States and third countries, in the field of planning, development and the cost-effective exploitation of renewable energy sources, as well as facilitate their integration through energy storage facilities and with the aim of contributing to the Union’s long term decarbonisation strategy, completing the internal energy market and enhancing the security of supply.

Scope:

This topic refers to works projects contributing to the implementation of a CB RES project. Works in the meaning of CEF Energy include the purchase, supply and deployment of components, systems and services including software, the development, construction and installation activities relating to a CB RES project, the acceptance of installations and the launching of a CB RES project.

Applications related to construction works must comply with the specific conditions laid down in the CEF regulation for this project category. In particular, specific conditions relate to, inter alia, the existence of significant cost savings and/or benefits in terms of system integration, environmental sustainability, security of supply and innovation, as well as the commercial non-viability of the envisaged investments without CEF support.

Works proposals related to project components that are covered by Article 3 of the delegated regulation are eligible.

For each of the CB RES projects, the list of components that are included in the CB RES status can be found in the above-mentioned technical documentation supporting the Delegated Regulation that establishes the CB RES list. Proposals for works can cover any of the elements of the CB RES status project contained in the technical documentation unless otherwise provided.

All other things being equal, proposals for works which relate to renewables generation components will be given priority over proposals which relate to non-RES components through the award criterion ‘Priority and urgency’.

If a proposal for works contains a non-RES component, then it has to justify the necessity of this component to the overall CB RES project implementation and prove that the component is essential for the renewable energy generation.