COSMIC’s first year in review: Answering the call of the International Clean Energy Day 2026
Today, the world marks the International Day of Clean Energy, which is a moment to reflect on the growing role renewables play in shaping a more resilient and sustainable future. Clean energy is not only cutting emissions – it creates new industries, supplies jobs, lowers long-term energy costs and helps countries reduce their exposure to market volatility.
Despite the growing awareness about its advantages, the global clean energy transition is still falling short of what is needed. Renewable capacity is expanding faster than the infrastructure that supports it, and high costs of the transition continue to limit access for many regions and communities. To stay on track, the world must triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 – while ensuring that clean power is efficiently connected to homes, cities and industries through smarter, more flexible energy systems.
Turning ambition into action through AI and data
This is precisely where COSMIC steps in. Throughout 2025, COSMIC made significant strides in translating clean energy ambitions into real-world action. Bringing together 22 partners from across Europe, the project laid the technical and organisational foundations needed to deploy AI- and data-driven energy optimisation solutions at scale.
One of the most visible milestones was the launch of COSMIC’s first Open Call, which sought innovative solutions from startups and SMEs working with AI and big data. The response exceeded expectations by a wide margin, confirming both the relevance of the challenges defined by COSMIC and the strong appetite for applied innovation in clean energy systems. This influx of interest ensured that cutting-edge ideas from across Europe could be linked directly to real operational needs in cities, industry, mobility and resource management.
At the same time, before the first Open Call was launched, COSMIC partners jointly defined 17 concrete technical challenges, each rooted in real-world operational contexts. This ensured that innovation within the project remains focused not on abstract experimentation, but on measurable impact – from reducing energy waste and improving system flexibility to supporting inclusive energy transitions.
Read more about the outcomes of the first Open Call here.
Looking ahead
After its first year, COSMIC is well equipped to set a practical example of how Europe can accelerate the clean energy transition by combining digital innovation with real-world deployment. As pilots move from preparation to implementation and selected innovators begin testing their solutions, the project enters a phase where data, AI and clean energy ambitions converge into tangible results.
On this International Clean Energy Day, COSMIC reaffirms a simple message: a clean energy future is within reach – if innovation is connected to reality, collaboration is prioritised, and scale is built into the system from the start.
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