BRIDGE Relay, a new EU-funded support action, officially launched on 1 October 2026. The project carries forward the work of BRIDGE, the European Commission initiative that, since 2015, has connected Horizon-funded projects in smart grids, energy storage, islands and digitalisation.

BRIDGE has spent more than a decade building a community of research and innovation projects working on the energy transition. BRIDGE Relay takes over that legacy and moves it a step further. It is designed as a “high-frequency” support action, continuing the work to collect, organise and amplify the knowledge produced by more than 100 EU-funded energy projects, and turn it into evidence for policymaking, opportunities for collaboration, and greater visibility and uptake of results.

The overall ambition is to support Europe’s smart energy community to speak with one voice for a secure, sustainable and competitive energy transition.

The work continues through four BRIDGE Working Groups, supported by dedicated Task Forces: Regulation, Business Models, Data Management, and Consumer & Citizen Engagement.
Through these groups, BRIDGE Relay aims to consolidate its role as Europe’s reference point for energy research and innovation, support cross-project collaboration and evidence-based policymaking, and increase the visibility and social acceptance of project results, with a strong focus on inclusiveness, co-creation and citizen-centred engagement. Funded by the European Union and managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), BRIDGE Relay is coordinated by RINA and brings together ICONS, PwC and AIT. Following the kick-off, the consortium is now planning the next phases of the project. Projects and stakeholders can follow developments on the project website and social channels.

“BRIDGE is a unique initiative that brings together projects working on Europe’s energy system and its transition. With BRIDGE Relay, we want to keep this community connected and ensure that sharing knowledge and experiences remains at the heart of our collective efforts to build a more sustainable and resilient energy system”, Elena Gallo, project coordinator.