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Beyond Megawatts: Grid Readiness and Energy Competitiveness in the Balkans

Beyond Megawatts examines how generation, grid capacity and flexibility shape the ability of eight Balkan electricity systems to accommodate new energy-intensive investment. It looks beyond installed capacity to ask a more practical question: how much power can a new investor actually access, where, on what terms and within what timeframe?
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The Missing 100 MW: Why Balkan Grid Readiness Is Becoming an Investment Bottleneck

Power grid and industrial infrastructure in the Balkans
For a new data centre or industrial project, having enough electricity in the national power system is only the beginning. New Polis examines whether Balkan grids can deliver 100 MW where it is needed, how transparency affects investment decisions, and why flexibility is becoming the next test.
Read MoreThe Missing 100 MW: Why Balkan Grid Readiness Is Becoming an Investment Bottleneck

Urban Light Pollution: How Cities Can Balance Safety, Nature and the Night Sky

Artificial light at night supports urban safety and mobility, yet excessive and poorly designed lighting affects ecosystems, sleep, energy use and the visibility of the night sky. This article examines the pace of light pollution, its consequences in Europe, and three possible approaches to designing safer and more sustainable urban lighting.
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Digital Energy, New Vulnerabilities: Why Cyber Resilience Matters for the Energy Transition

Modern electricity substation illustrating how digitalisation and connected infrastructure are reshaping cybersecurity in the energy transition
How secure is an energy system increasingly run through software, data and millions of connected devices? This article explores how digitalisation is reshaping energy security, from smart grids and battery storage to cyber resilience, regulation and the vulnerabilities emerging across an increasingly connected power system.
Read MoreDigital Energy, New Vulnerabilities: Why Cyber Resilience Matters for the Energy Transition

The Environmental Impact of AI: Energy, Water and Land Behind the Digital Boom

Aerial view of a large data center campus beside a low-flow river, surrounded by power infrastructure and heat-stressed vegetation.
AI may seem weightless and digital, but its rapid expansion depends on increasingly resource-intensive infrastructure. Drawing on new research from UNU-INWEH and the IEA, this article looks beyond carbon emissions to explore how the AI boom is reshaping demand for energy, water and land, and why these pressures are becoming an issue for infrastructure planning.
Read MoreThe Environmental Impact of AI: Energy, Water and Land Behind the Digital Boom

Low River Levels and Urban Resilience: Europe’s Hidden Infrastructure Risk

Record-low Danube water levels expose sandbanks near a riverside power plant during the 2026 European heatwave, illustrating the link between river infrastructure and urban resilience.
Europe's record-low river levels in the summer of 2026 disrupted far more than navigation, affecting power generation, transport, tourism and industrial supply chains. The events reveal why rivers should be viewed not only as natural landscapes but also as critical infrastructure essential to urban resilience.
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​Cycling Infrastructure in the Western Balkans: Why Streets Must Work for People, Not Cars

Cycling is increasingly recognised as one of the most effective investments in sustainable urban mobility, yet cities across the Western Balkans continue to struggle with car dependency and limited cycling infrastructure. In this interview, one of Serbia's leading cycling advocates discusses the progress being made, the political and cultural barriers that remain, and why cycling infrastructure in the Western Balkans is essential for healthier, more liveable and more resilient cities.
Read More​Cycling Infrastructure in the Western Balkans: Why Streets Must Work for People, Not Cars
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