The BRIDGE General Assembly is the annual event of the BRIDGE initiative, bringing together Horizon Europe projects, policymakers, and key energy stakeholders. The Bridge General Assembly took place in Brussels on the 23 and 24th March and showcased project progress, share policy insights, and discussed collaborative strategies shaping the future of European energy innovation. The program fostered exchanges across projects and working groups, supporting alignment and synergies within the BRIDGE community.

The annual event gathers representatives of Horizon Europe projects, European Commission services and agencies, as well as a broad range of energy stakeholders from across Europe. With more than 200 projects and over 1,400 stakeholders from 27+ countries involved in the BRIDGE initiative, the General Assembly remains a key moment for community-wide engagement.

The 2026 BRIDGE General Assembly examined how collaborative R&I efforts can reinforce Europe’s energy grids to remain reliable amid rapid electrification, renewable integration, and evolving security threats.

Discussions focussed on key pillars, of which Hycool_IT is very much part of it: 

(i) digitalisation and automation of grid infrastructure; 

(ii) interoperability and sectoral integration to enhance flexibility; 

(iii) flexibility and storage solutions enabling renewable integration; and 

(iv) risk management and planning to address both physical and cyber threats.

Now we are still digesting all the information and insights from so many projects, and looking forward to next year meeting.