The BRIDGE General Assembly, held on 23–24 March 2026 in Brussels brought together over 200 Horizon Europe projects, policymakers, and more than 1,400 energy stakeholders from across 27 countries. This year’s edition focused on how collaborative research and innovation can strengthen Europe’s energy grids amid rapid electrification, renewable integration, and evolving security challenges, with particular attention to digitalisation, flexibility, storage, and sector integration.
STREAM was actively represented at this event through Prof. Andrej Gubina (IRI UL), who participated as the Honorary Chair of the Business Models Working Group (BM WG).
Representing STREAM, Prof. Gubina took on an active role across the full two-day programme. He led discussions at both the opening and closing plenary sessions, and on the second day coordinated the dedicated Business Models Working Group workshop, where the WG’s results were presented and plans for the coming year were outlined. Throughout the event, he also participated in the expert round table and engaged in direct discussions with Mr. Lecomte of the European Commission on behalf of the BM WG.
STREAM’s Contribution to the BRIDGE Community
Through its active participation in the Business Models Working Group, STREAM continues to bring valuable insights from its work on innovative business models for local low-voltage flexibility markets to the broader BRIDGE community. The General Assembly provided an important opportunity to share STREAM’s results, contribute to shaping the EU policy and regulatory debate, and build synergies with fellow Horizon Europe projects working across flexibility, energy communities, digitalisation, and sector integration.
The discussions reinforced that Europe’s energy transition requires not only technological innovation but also new market designs and forward-looking regulatory frameworks — areas where STREAM’s research is making a direct contribution.
We thank the organisers, CINEA, and all Working Group leaders for facilitating such a productive and high-level event.