Country and Regional Projects in Central and Eastern Europe

NREL provides technical expertise and analysis to European countries to strengthen energy system reliability, security, and affordability through advanced energy technologies and data-driven decision-making tools.

Croatia

NREL partnered with Croatia to assess the feasibility of using geothermal energy as a renewable heat source, including evaluating deep geothermal resources and integration costs.

Latvia

NREL is collaborating with Latvenergo on a study aimed at enhancing energy security in Latvia and the Baltic region by reducing reliance on energy imports. The study utilizes detailed modeling and analysis to guide Latvenergo’s decisions on where to site renewable energy projects and how to modernize existing power plants.

Lithuania

NREL is collaborating with the Lithuanian Energy Agency and other organizations to conduct in-depth modeling and analysis on pathways for Lithuania to achieve 100% renewable energy in its power system. This study evaluates the impacts of renewable energy policies on grid operations, hydrogen development, energy storage, and electricity distribution networks. Initial results show that Lithuania has sufficient renewable energy potential and infrastructure to reliably meet its 2030 electricity demand with 100% renewable energy.

Romania

NREL partnered with Romania and the Bucharest thermal district operator to assess the feasibility of using geothermal energy as a renewable heat source for the city's district heating system. This effort includes evaluating deep geothermal resources and the cost of integrating them into the existing distribution network.

Ukraine

Together with partners at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, NREL is applying its expertise in microgrid development, energy storage integration, and advanced grid modeling to strengthen Ukraine’s energy resilience. NREL conducted a techno-economic analysis for a microgrid in Merefa, evaluated solar and battery storage integration at critical facilities in Chernihiv and Chortkiv, and assessed rooftop solar potential in Lviv and Chernihiv.

NREL also developed high-resolution solar resource data, which can be accessed through RE Data Explorer and integrated into modeling tools to support project siting and investment decisions. PVWatts, now available in Ukrainian, enables users to leverage this data to estimate solar panel energy output.