CROSSBOW (CROSS BOrder management of variable renewable energies and storage units enabling a transnational Wholesale market) is an EC funded project led by ETRA GROUP, whose goal is to propose the shared use of resources to foster cross-border management of variable renewable energies and storage units, enabling a higher penetration of clean energies whilst reducing network operational costs and improving economic benefits of clean energies and storage units.

These benefits will be achieved by fostering regional cooperation among the system operators in South Eastern Europe. The project will provide 9 different tools to help the Regional Coordination Center in the region to facilitate higher RES penetration, whilst reducing operational costs for individual operators – both at transmission and distribution layers.

The objective is to demonstrate a number of different, though complementary, technologies, offering the regional transmission network higher flexibility and robustness through:
1) A better control of exchange power at international interconnection points.

2) new energy storage solutions – distributed and centralized-.

3) better Communications and control -e.g. better network observability.

4) the definition of a transnational wholesale market, proposing fair and sustainable remuneration for clean energies though the definition of new business models supporting the participation of new players and the reduction of costs.

The CROSSBOW results will be evaluated by 8 TSOs in South Easter Europe during 18 months, grouped to form clusters that will validate each of the projects outcomes in at least three different countries, demonstrating in all cases how CROSSBOW tackles the transnational challenges faced by the region.

CROSSBOW project is funded by the Research and Innovation Program of the European Commission, Horizon2020 with 17,2 million euros. CROSSBOW is currently one of the most relevant innovation project of the European Union in the Smart Grids sector. 24 partners from 13 European countries participate among which there are 8 national Transmission System Operators. The project started in November 2017 and will have a duration of 54 months.

Awarded by the EU Innovation Radar:

The European Commission has added the 9 CROSSBOW products to the league of high-potential EU-funded innovations featured in the EU Innovation Radar under the Innovation Topic: Smart & Sustainable Society.