EU Invests €650M in Clean Energy Grid for 27 Nations

Europe just took a major step toward making clean energy work for everyone, with €650 million heading to countries ready to modernize their power grids and hydrogen systems.

Fourteen nations will share the funding to fix a problem that's been holding back renewable energy: old grids that can't handle the surge of wind and solar power coming online. When grids can't keep up, clean electricity gets wasted instead of powering homes and businesses.

Spain leads the pack with €180 million to develop the Aguayo hydroelectric power plant, which will generate enough electricity to power up to 12 million homes by 2027. That's roughly equivalent to lighting up every household in Portugal, twice over.

Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will receive €112 million for a joint project that strengthens their energy independence. Given their location next to Russia, this cross-border collaboration means more than just cleaner power. It's about security and solidarity.

Romania and Bulgaria scored €103 million to bring their infrastructure up to smart grid standards, making their networks faster and more flexible. Other countries including Austria, Greece, Egypt, and Slovakia are also getting funding to upgrade their systems.

The money comes from the EU's Connecting Europe Facility, designed specifically to help renewable energy flow across borders without bottlenecks. European Commissioner Dan Jørgensen says these upgrades will deliver "clean and cheap energy to consumers" while boosting Europe's energy independence.

Germany is leading the hydrogen revolution with €120 million for a storage project in Gronau-Epe and another €10 million for a terminal in Wilhelmshaven. The Netherlands will receive €25 million for a Rotterdam hydrogen terminal that will convert ammonia back into hydrogen for industrial use.

These hydrogen projects matter because the EU plans to produce 10 million tonnes of hydrogen by 2030 and import another 10 million tonnes. The infrastructure needs to be ready.

The Ripple Effect

This investment does more than upgrade wires and pipes. It solves the cruel irony of renewable energy: having abundant clean power but nowhere for it to go.

When grids get congested, wind turbines shut down and solar panels disconnect, wasting zero-carbon electricity at the exact moment we need it most. With smarter controls, expanded transmission, and energy storage, that clean energy can finally reach the people who need it.

The upgrades will help countries share renewable energy across borders, meaning a sunny day in Spain can power homes in Poland, and wind from the Baltic can light up Bulgaria.

More proposals are coming soon, with the next funding call scheduled between April and June for even more clean energy infrastructure projects.

Europe is proving that the green energy transition isn't just about building more solar panels and wind turbines. It's about building the highways that let that clean power flow where it's needed most.