CEF Energy: CINEA has signed grant agreements with 8 awarded projects under the PCI 2023 Call

Following the 2023 call for proposals for Studies & Works for Projects of Common Interest and the subsequent award decision, CINEA has signed Grant Agreements with all the eight projects that were awarded EU funding. This is a significant milestone for these projects to advance in their implementation. 

The total EU funding  for these projects, contributing to PCIs from the 5^th PCI list, amounts to nearly EUR 600 million, and their specific characteristics are: 

CO₂ networks:

• ARAMIS: part of the PCI 12.7 "Aramis – cross-border CO₂ transport and storage project”, the project has been awarded EUR 124 million to encompass all the essential activities needed to set up a CCUS (Carbon capture, storage and utilisation) infrastructure to allow CO₂ emitters in hard-to-abate industrial sectors in Northwest Europe to store their CO₂ emissions on the Dutch continental shelf. Aramis will be able to connect the CO₂ collection hub developed by the CO2next project (see below), to the onshore CO₂ collection pipeline and to the compression hub (developed by the Porthos project, also co-funded by CEF), as well as to the offshore geological storage sites located on the Dutch continental shelf.
• CO2next: the objective is to develop, build and operate an open-access hub terminal in the Maasvlakte (Port of Rotterdam) for the reception, temporary storage and transit of liquid CO₂, as a first step to establish a value chain network for the transport and storage of CO₂ in the area. Supported with EUR 33 million, CO2next also contributes to the PCI 12.7 “Aramis – cross-border CO2 transport and storage project”, by providing a crucial link between remote emitters, the pipeline and storage infrastructure. It will allow hard-to-abate industries to invest in the decarbonisation of their processes while offsetting the CO₂ emissions produced, therefore directly contributing to EU 2030 decarbonisation targets.
• D’Artagnan Phase I: the D’Artagnan CO₂ Hub project contributes to the implementation of PCI 12.8 “Dartagnan”. It aims at implementing a first-of-its-kind open-access infrastructure in France for the transport, liquefaction, and export via shipping of CO₂, captured from hard-to-abate industries in Dunkirk and its hinterland. D’Artagnan will receive a maximum EU funding of nearly EUR 162 million and contributes to the development of European infrastructure for the transport of CO₂ towards sites for permanent geological storage of CO₂ in the North Sea.
• Northern Lights Phase 2 Expansion : the project, awarded with EUR 131 million, aims at expanding from 1.5 Mtpa to over 5 Mtpa the CO₂ storage capacity of the Northern Lights Initiative (PCI 12.4 “Northern lights project”) and transport the captured CO₂ by ship to a storage site on the Norwegian continental shelf, which is developing infrastructure for handling and permanent storage of CO₂ from EU emitters into the Norwegian continental shelf. The co-funded works cover the execution of the CO₂ storage infrastructure expansion, including onshore (intermediate storage tanks, pumps, jetty) and offshore facilities (pipeline, umbilical, and underwater structures).
• Studies 4CCS Interconnector: it is a pioneer action dedicated to the preparation of studies to develop an open access multi-modal liquid CO₂ import-export terminal in Gdańsk (Poland), with related CO₂ transport infrastructure from the facilities of industrial emitters to the pan-European CCS network. The terminal in Gdańsk will bring a new and significant impetus to reinforce and densify the CO₂ transport and storage network in Eastern Europe. The project is supported with EUR 2.54 million and will pave the way for the implementation of the PCI 12.9 “POLAND-EU CCS Interconnector”.

Natural Gas

• DROCSP1: the project contributes to the implementation of the PCI 6.20.4 “Depomures storage in Romania”. The project, supported with EUR 12.77 million, consists of the refurbishment and expansion of the existing Underground Gas Storage (UGS), aiming to increase the reverse flow pressure regime from Depomures UGS to the National Transmission System by 250% and to eliminate the current interconnection bottlenecks. It will have a positive impact on Romania’s interconnections with Hungary and Bulgaria, which will further facilitate the integration of the national energy market within the European one.   

Smart Grids

• Gabreta: the project contributes to the implementation of the PCI 10.11 “Gabreta”, which aims to increase grid hosting capacity, enable remote monitoring and control of medium voltage grids, and improve grid observability and network planning. The project has received EUR 100 million of CEF funding to reinforce and digitalise the distribution grids of Czechia and Germany. It will do so by strengthening and modernising the electrical infrastructure, installing new communication equipment and smart components, and by developing the ICT based control system and applications. Once the project is completed it will strengthen the grid in the border region, increase security and quality of electricity supply, and it will facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources and new energy market players.

Electricity

• LAG Study: the project contributes to the implementation of the PCI 2.32 “Interconnection between Lonny (FR) and Gramme (BE)”, which aims at reinforcing the existing 380 kV high-voltage cross-border transmission line between France and Belgium with approximately 1 GW. The project is supported with EUR 1.22 million to encompass only the Belgian part of the interconnector. It concerns the 380-10 line between Gramme and Achêne (approx. 37 km), the 380-19 line between Achêne and the Belgian-French border (approx. 35 km) and the Achêne substation. The scope covers technical studies and permits, including stakeholder engagement. 

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