EU Energy Projects Podcast: Cross-border collaboration with THUNDER and SUSHEAT

The European Commission often highlights collaboration as the key driver of innovation, particularly within its Horizon Europe framework. The idea is clear: bring together universities, industries, SMEs and end users across national boundaries to accelerate research, reduce risks, and turn ideas into scalable solutions. But while the vision is compelling, it also invites reflection on how effectively this model translates from policy to practice.

Marina explained how the THUNDER consortium, supported by EU funding, unites partners along the entire value chain. From academic institutions providing foundational research, to industries ensuring real-world application and end-users validating performance. She described how this mix “reduces time to market and facilitates knowledge transfer”, aligning closely with the Commission’s broader innovation agenda.

Silvia, speaking about the SUSHEAT project, added that cooperation across sectors and borders helps tailor technologies to diverse European conditions, whether for industrial electrification or district heating systems. Her example of hybrid systems capable of adapting to local needs captured the essence of the EU’s ambition: flexibility through collaboration.

Both speakers emphasised how their projects contribute to the EU’s long-term climate neutrality and energy security goals, from harnessing waste heat in data centres to deploying modular, renewable-based heating solutions. These initiatives represent more than technical progress; they demonstrate how knowledge-sharing can empower European industry to decarbonise and remain competitive globally.

Still, a degree of caution is warranted. For all its promise, cross-border cooperation can be slowed by differing national regulations, administrative complexity and uneven local infrastructures. The Commission’s challenge, therefore, is not just to promote collaboration, but to simplify it, ensuring that these projects can move from pilot phase to widespread implementation.

In this light, initiatives like THUNDER and SUSHEAT show both the strengths and the growing pains of Europe’s collaborative innovation model. They remind us that the EU’s vision of a connected energy future is achievable, but only if coordination keeps pace with creativity.