Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Commission invites applications for future energy infrastructure schemes contributing to the European Union’s climate and competitiveness objectives.
The European Commission has extended a new call for applications for energy infrastructure projects pursuing the status of Projects of Common Interest (PCI) or Projects of Mutual Interest (PMI) under the Trans-European Network for Energy (TEN-E) Regulation.
According to the commission, becoming PCIs or PMIs permits energy infrastructure projects to profit from streamlined permitting procedures and eligibility for EU funding from the Connecting Europe Facility. Once adopted, this will be the last Union list sponsored by the current Multi-annual Financial Framework. For the 2021-2027 time, the remaining available budget for CEF-Energy is approximately €3.5 billion.
How does the EU’s call support clean energy infrastructure?
As reported by the EU Commission, scaling up and prioritising investment in clean energy infrastructure and technologies, such as renewables, grid infrastructure and CO2 networks, is one of the preferences set out in the political policies of President von der Leyen for the Clean Industrial Deal that will be presented in the first 100 days of the next mandate.
This call for schemes will contribute to the installation of the second Union list of Projects of Common Interest and Projects of Mutual Interest, which is scheduled for adoption by the EU Commission by the end of 2025, following talks with stakeholders and regulators. Electricity, hydrogen and electrolyser projects will have until 18 November 2024 to apply.
For smart electricity grids, smart gas grids, CO2 and schemes to end Cyprus’ and Malta’s energy isolation, the call will stay open until 18 December 2024. To be suitable for inclusion in the Union list of PCIs and PMIs, candidate projects in electricity and hydrogen must be contained in the 2024 Ten-Year Network Development Plans (TYNDP) created by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) or Gas (ENTSOG).
