Strength in numbers: towards an integrated Central and Eastern European power grid

This briefing summarizes a high-level roundtable discussion hosted by Ember and partners during the PCI Energy Days in Brussels on November 4-5, 2024. The discussion focused on the necessity of an integrated power grid in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to manage the rise of intermittent renewables, ensure energy security, and facilitate the transit of clean energy from coastal regions to landlocked countries.

• The Baltic Energy Hub concept aims to integrate over 80 GW of estimated wind and solar potential from the Baltic States with hydrogen infrastructure, transmission, and interconnection. This coordinated planning is intended to deliver clean power to local and distant demand centers, potentially supporting economic growth and competitiveness across the wider Central Europe region.
• Several CEE countries, including Lithuania, Poland, and Hungary, are deploying wind and solar capacities that nearly match or exceed peak electricity demand. Estonia is expected to join this group soon, with Czechia and Bulgaria likely to do so by 2030.
• While the Baltic Sea region may have a production surplus, Central Europe is expected to face an electricity deficit in the next ten to fifteen years due to soaring demand. This creates an opportunity to export offshore wind energy to landlocked nations such as Austria, Czechia, Hungary, and Slovakia, provided that littoral countries like Germany and Poland modernize national grids to manage internal congestion.
• Financial and regulatory barriers hinder infrastructure megaprojects. Long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) often require guarantees beyond the financial capacity of suppliers, necessitating support from EU financial institutions and governments. Proposed solutions include the EIB guarantee program for wind projects, joint equipment purchases (such as transformer stations and HVDC cables), and streamlined public financing through one-stop-shops.
• To integrate intermittent renewables, TSOs can utilize flexibility tools such as battery storage, dynamic line rating, and a more active approach to curtailment. Demand flexibility is also critical, though it depends on the rapid deployment of smart metering. Future planning must also incorporate the electrification of industry, buildings, and transport, as well as compressed air storage.

APA

Ember (2024). Strength in numbers: towards an integrated Central and Eastern European power grid. https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/strength-in-numbers-towards-an-integrated-central-and-eastern-european-power-grid

Chicago

Ember. Strength in numbers: towards an integrated Central and Eastern European power grid. 2024. https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/strength-in-numbers-towards-an-integrated-central-and-eastern-european-power-grid.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Strength in numbers: towards an integrated Central and Eastern European power grid |date=2 December 2024 |url=https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/strength-in-numbers-towards-an-integrated-central-and-eastern-european-power-grid |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember2024strength, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Strength in numbers: towards an integrated Central and Eastern European power grid}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/strength-in-numbers-towards-an-integrated-central-and-eastern-european-power-grid}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }