5G is envisioned to be the first global technology standard that will address the variety of future use cases of the energy sector, by ensuring that both the radio and core network performance requirements can be met in terms of end-to-end latency, reliability and availability. Up-to-now, the main discussion for 5G has been to support the next wave of smart grid features and efficiency at the behind-the-meter level, by integrating many low-voltage devices into the power grid through low-cost connections, managing demand and load balance domestically, aiming the reduction of the electricity peaks and energy costs. However, it is expected that, as the emergence of smart grids will grow, a lion share of the growth will take place in the medium-voltage levels: towards secondary substations and distributed energy resources, as well as between secondary substations and primary substation. Smart5Grid aims to revolutionise the Energy Vertical industry through the successful establishment of four fundamental functions of modern smart grids, i.e., (i) automatic power distribution grid fault detection, (ii) remote inspection of automatically delimited working areas at distribution level, (iii) millisecond level precise distribution generation control, and (iv) real-time wide area monitoring in a creative cross-border scenario, thus assisting power grid operators and other energy stakeholders (e.g., smart grid operators, distribution system operators/transmission system operators, energy service providers, etc.) Not only this. Smart5Grid introduces an open 5G experimental facility, supporting integration, testing and validation of existing and new 5G services and NetApps from third parties (i.e., SMEs, developers, engineers, etc., that do not belong in the consortium) since underpinning experimentation with a fully softwarised 5G platform for the energy vertical industry is one of the key targets of the proposal. Moreover, in order to supply start-ups and newcomers with the opportunity to accelerate their growth in the high impact industry of the energy vertical, Smart5Grid provides an open access NetApp repository, provisioning support and assistance to third parties through a clear and trustworthy experimentation roadmap.

Eastern Lights (EL) is the de-risking first step to develop a large-scale CCUS cluster in Eastern Europe. The Holcim Bulgaria plant will be the heart and engine of the cluster development starting with CO2 transport and storage (T&S) demonstration in North West Bulgaria. EL will de-risk the CO2 transport and storage by eliminating the main uncertainties of T&S by industrial demonstration, in-depth studies and stakeholder engagement. By constructing and testing a km long transport pipeline fully integrated into the commercial operating CO2 storage, the key process parameters and technical aspects for a full-scale CCUS complex will be validated. The critical risks of the T&S part will be eliminated by an industrial demonstration and comprehensive set of studies leading to permitting. To minimize the risks, saline aquifers from North West Bulgaria will be used for safe and large capacity CO2 storage close to a major CO2 source and Bulgarian pipeline corridors. Extensive geological, geophysical and testing work will be done to address critical issues as induced seismicity and safe injection over time. By actually constructing a short pipeline, specific issues like land-owner allowances will be addressed and the transport will be made ready for permitting and execution for the entire corridor cross-border cluster connecting members to the CO2 sink. Intensive communication, stakeholder consultation, cluster development and permit preparations will complete the Eastern Lights scope. As such, Eastern Lights shall unlock the CCUS potential in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria in particular and potentially Romania, therewith contributing to the Fit for 55 targets. Demonstrating an economically feasible decarbonizing track for the (cement) industry in Bulgaria, will secure jobs and economic activity in this field. Strong cross-border ties will be demonstrated by using CO2 from Tupras in Turkey (Mof4Air), and more generally contributing the EU goal to reach climate targets.