European Commission Approves €125.8 Million for Three Cross-Border Renewable Energy Projects
CINEA approved €125.81 million in CEF Energy grants for two Germany-Poland district heating projects and a Latvia-Lithuania onshore wind farm.
Photo by Helena Jankovičová Kováčová on Pexels
The European Commission approved grants worth €125.81 million on September 17, 2026, to finance works actions on three Cross-Border Renewable Energy (CB RES) projects, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) announced. The EU cross-border renewable energy funding, awarded under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Energy programme, covers two district heating decarbonisation projects linking Germany and Poland and one onshore wind farm near the Latvia-Lithuania border. The Brussels Times reported the total as “nearly €126 million,” a rounding of the same figure.
Three projects, three grant amounts
The largest award, €70.0 million, goes to the final works sub-project of the “UNITED HEAT” project (Unified Network for Innovative Transition in Energy Decarbonisation of HEATing), which aims to build climate-neutral district heating between Görlitz, Germany, and Zgorzelec, Poland. CINEA said the action covers the cross-border pipeline enabling physical heat exchange and cross-border system balancing, connecting the two towns’ district heating systems and integrating heat sources developed in earlier sub-projects. The project received CB RES status in 2022 and has already completed a studies sub-project and two works sub-projects in 2024 and 2025.
A second grant of €11.41 million supports the “TWIN HEAT” project (Green Transformation of District Heating in the Twin City of Słubice & Frankfurt (Oder)). The funded action replaces existing coal-fired heat generation units in Słubice, Poland, with two biomass boilers burning wood chips, each with a thermal capacity of 6 megawatts (MW), and begins deep decarbonisation of district heating in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany.
The third grant, €44.40 million, funds the first implementation phase of the “UELJO WP” project, a cross-border onshore wind park near the Latvia-Lithuania border that received CB RES status in 2025. CINEA said the full project is expected to comprise around 30 wind turbines generating up to 680 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of renewable electricity a year. This grant covers construction of balance-of-plant infrastructure, grid connection works, and turbine installation in Latvia.
| Project | Countries | Technology | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNITED HEAT (works 3) | Germany – Poland | District heating (cross-border pipeline, heat integration) | €70.0 million |
| TWIN HEAT | Germany – Poland | District heating (biomass boilers, 2 x 6 MW) | €11.41 million |
| UELJO WP (stage 1) | Latvia – Lithuania | Onshore wind (~30 turbines, up to 680 GWh/year) | €44.40 million |
Funding rules and next steps
Only projects holding CB RES status can apply for funding under the CB RES window of CEF Energy, CINEA stated. The Commission adopted a new CB RES list on September 11, 2026, which enters into force on October 1, 2026, and the next CEF Energy call for proposals for CB RES projects is expected to open in November 2026. The Brussels Times reported that to qualify, projects must meet Connecting Europe Facility regulation criteria, including a cooperation arrangement between countries and demonstrated cost savings and net benefits, and noted that EU countries have committed to a 42.5% binding renewables target in final energy consumption by 2030, with an additional 2.5% aspirational target under the revised Renewable Energy Directive.
On the total figure, CINEA’s own headline and body text state €125.8 million and €125.81 million respectively; The Brussels Times reported “nearly €126 million.” Both describe the same three grants; the difference is a rounding of the CINEA figure rather than a separate total.
Background
The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is the EU’s funding programme for trans-European infrastructure in transport, energy and digital networks. CEF Energy, the energy strand managed by CINEA, supports cross-border energy infrastructure that helps integrate national energy systems, improve security of supply, and advance the EU’s decarbonisation goals. Within CEF Energy, the Cross-Border Renewable Energy (CB RES) window specifically funds renewable energy projects developed jointly by two or more member states, requiring a formal cooperation arrangement between the participating countries. Projects must first be granted CB RES status before they can apply for works or studies funding; UNITED HEAT gained that status in 2022 and UELJO WP in 2025. The September 17, 2026 approval extends this funding line to three projects already advancing under CB RES status, ahead of the next call for proposals expected in November 2026.
Elsewhere in the Baltic energy sector, Latvenergo has expanded battery storage and solar capacity alongside wind deals, reflecting continued investment in renewable infrastructure in the region where the UELJO WP wind project is being built.
Sources: CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency); The Brussels Times
Featured image: photo by Helena Jankovičová Kováčová on Pexels (free Pexels license).
Become a Sponsor
Our website is the heart of the mission of WINSS – it’s where we share updates, publish research, highlight community impact, and connect with supporters around the world. To keep this essential platform running, updated, and accessible, we rely on the generosity of you, who believe in our work.
We offer the option to sponsor monthly, or just once choosing the amount of your choice. If you run a company, please contact us via info@winssolutions.org.
I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.
