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TRINITY · Project

Software Tools That Connect South-Eastern Europe's Electricity Markets for Cheaper, Cleaner Power

energyPilotedTRL 7
trinityh2020.eu

Imagine Europe's electricity grid as a patchwork of separate neighborhoods that each set their own power prices and can't easily share clean energy with each other. Western Europe already figured out how to link these neighborhoods together, but South-Eastern Europe — the Balkans and surrounding countries — was still stuck with fragmented markets. TRINITY brought together 8 national grid operators and built four software tools that let these countries trade electricity across borders, coordinate their grids, and plug in more wind and solar without instability. Think of it as building the payment and logistics system that lets 11 countries shop at each other's power stores.

By the numbers
8
National transmission system operators involved as end-users
4
Nominated electricity market operators (NEMOs) as end-users
11
Countries covered across South-Eastern Europe
25
Consortium partners
4
Independent but complementary software products developed
80%
Industry partners in the consortium
The business problem

What needed solving

South-Eastern European countries operate isolated electricity markets that cannot efficiently trade power across borders, leading to higher energy prices, wasted renewable energy, and slower decarbonization. While Western Europe solved this through market coupling years ago, the Balkans and surrounding region lacked the software infrastructure and coordination tools to join the unified European electricity market.

The solution

What was built

Four software products were developed and demonstrated: T-Market Coupling (cross-border electricity trading), T-Sentinel Toolset (grid monitoring), T-RES Control Center (renewable energy management), and T-Coordination Platform (TSO cooperation). These were lab-tested as an integrated system and then deployed and demonstrated with real grid operators across South-Eastern Europe, producing 35 deliverables in total.

Audience

Who needs this

Transmission system operators (TSOs) in countries not yet connected to EU market couplingNominated electricity market operators (NEMOs) seeking cross-border trading toolsRenewable energy developers in South-Eastern Europe facing grid curtailmentEnergy software integrators looking for proven grid coordination solutionsNational energy regulators planning market liberalization
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Energy Trading & Market Operations
enterprise
Target: Power exchange operators or electricity trading companies in South-Eastern Europe

If you are a power exchange or trading company struggling with fragmented electricity markets across SEE borders — this project developed the T-Market Coupling tool that enables coordinated cross-border electricity trading. Tested with 8 TSOs and 4 NEMOs across 11 countries, it removes the technical barriers that prevent efficient price formation and energy flow between national markets.

Renewable Energy Integration
any
Target: Renewable energy developers or operators with cross-border grid connection needs

If you are a renewable energy developer losing revenue because the local grid cannot absorb all your output — this project built the T-RES Control Center that helps grid operators manage higher penetration of clean energy sources. Demonstrated across 11 South-Eastern European countries, it coordinates renewable generation with transmission capacity so less clean power goes to waste.

Grid Technology & Software
mid-size
Target: Energy software vendors or system integrators serving transmission system operators

If you are a grid technology vendor looking to expand into the SEE market — this project created 4 integrated software products (market coupling, grid sentinel monitoring, RES control, and coordination platform) that were lab-tested and deployed with real grid operators. With 20 industry partners already in the consortium, partnership or licensing opportunities exist for companies that can support ongoing deployment.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement these tools in my grid or market operation?

The project data does not include specific licensing or implementation costs. Since these are enterprise-grade tools built for national grid operators (TSOs) and market operators (NEMOs), pricing would likely be negotiated per deployment. Contact the coordinator for commercial terms.

Can these tools work at the scale of a national electricity grid?

Yes. The tools were designed for and tested with 8 national transmission system operators and 4 nominated electricity market operators across 11 countries. The demonstration deliverables confirm deployment activities were conducted with real grid infrastructure in South-Eastern Europe.

Who owns the intellectual property, and can I license the technology?

The consortium of 25 partners — with 80% from industry — holds the IP. The coordinator is ETRA Investigacion y Desarrollo SA (Spain), a private company. Licensing arrangements would need to be discussed directly with the consortium, but the strong industry presence suggests commercial exploitation was part of the plan.

Does this comply with EU electricity market regulations?

The project was specifically designed to support the EU's goal of a single unified electricity market. It aligns with EU energy market coupling regulations and was built in coordination with actual market operators (NEMOs) and the regional coordination center (RCC). The tools facilitate compliance with cross-border trading requirements.

How long would it take to deploy in a new country or market?

Based on the project timeline, integrated lab testing was completed first, followed by preliminary and then final deployment activities across the SEE region over a 4-year period. For a single new country with existing grid infrastructure, deployment would likely take significantly less time since the tools are already proven.

Can these tools integrate with our existing grid management systems?

The 4 tools — T-Market Coupling, T-Sentinel Toolset, T-RES Control Center, and T-Coordination Platform — were designed as independent but complementary products. The lab testing deliverable specifically reports on integration of all 4 tools, suggesting they can work both standalone and together with existing infrastructure.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavy-industry consortium with 25 partners across 11 countries and an unusually high 80% industry ratio — meaning this was built by and for the companies that actually run electricity grids and markets. The consortium includes 8 national grid operators (TSOs) and 4 market operators (NEMOs) as direct end-users, which is rare and signals that the tools were developed with real operational requirements. The coordinator is ETRA (Spain), a private R&D company. The geographic spread covers the Balkans and surrounding region (BA, BG, EL, ES, FR, HR, HU, ME, MK, RO, RS), which is exactly the target market. With only 1 university and 2 research organizations, this was clearly an implementation-focused effort, not an academic exercise.

How to reach the team

ETRA Investigacion y Desarrollo SA (Spain) — search for TRINITY H2020 project coordinator contact on their website or LinkedIn

Order a report on this consortiumSee ETRA INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO SA profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the TRINITY team to discuss licensing or deployment of their electricity market tools? SciTransfer can arrange a direct connection with the right technical contact.

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