We proudly announce that the international strategic project SENTINEL (Sustainable Energy Capabilities for Enhanced Military Camps and Operations) has been approved for funding under the 2024 call of the European Defence Fund (EDF).
The project, coordinated by TECES, has a total value of nearly 57 million € and is focused on developing advanced energy solutions to enhance the operational efficiency, resilience, and tactical autonomy of military bases.
The approval of the SENTINEL project marks a significant milestone in TECES’s long-term strategic direction and is a result of its active involvement in the Slovenian Energy and Environment Partnership in Defence (SiEnE), established in 2020 by TECES and the Slovenian Ministry of Defence.
In the Role of Coordinator:TECES will lead the efforts of a consortium of 41 partners from 15 EU Member States, while the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia (SiMoD) will coordinate the work of 12 national defence ministries. Both TECES and the SiMoD will draw on valuable experience gained from leading and coordinating the strategic project EDF-2021-INDY (Energy Independent and Efficient Deployable Military Camps), which developed a strategic plan to increase the energy resilience, independence, and efficiency of deployable military camps by 2050.
In addition to its coordinating responsibilities, TECES has successfully integrated six Slovenian partners, TECES members, into the SENTINEL project, further confirming its role as a key connector between Slovenian stakeholders and the European defence innovation landscape.
SENTINEL addresses the pressing need to transition from fossil fuel dependency to sustainable, robust, and energy self-sufficient solutions for powering military camps.
Project Objectives:
- Increase the operational efficiency and tactical autonomy of deployable military camps and operations.
- Reduce the logistical footprint.
- Improve the efficiency and flexibility of energy supply.
As part of the project, 17 key energy capabilities will be developed and tested in collaboration with armed forces. These include advanced energy technologies, improved mobility, digital energy solutions, and smart grid integration. All solutions will be validated in realistic military scenarios under various climatic conditions.
You can read more in the SENTINEL Factsheet.
TECES Engages Six Slovenian Partners in SENTINEL
TECES has successfully engaged six Slovenian TECES members in the international strategic project SENTINEL. These organisations will contribute their expertise to the development of advanced technologies and solutions. The partners are:
- Robotina d.o.o.
- Smartis d.o.o.
- OneDrone d.o.o.
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana
This further confirms TECES’s key role in bridging Slovenian partners with the European research, innovation, and defence domains.
A Remarkable Success Among Nearly 300 Proposals
The EDF 2024 call received 297 project proposals, of which only 62 defence research and development projects, totalling €910 million, were selected for co-funding. Including the SENTINEL project among the selected few highlights its high strategic importance for enhancing the EU’s defence energy resilience, especially given the strong competition.
TECES’s Strategic Progress Under the SiEnE Partnership
The approval of the SENTINEL project marks a significant milestone in TECES’s long-term strategic direction. It is a result of its active involvement in the Slovenian Energy and Environment Partnership in Defence (SiEnE), established in 2020 by TECES and the Slovenian Ministry of Defence.
The leading and coordinating roles of TECES and the MoD in this strategically vital project reflect the strong trust of the international defence community in Slovenia, which is the result of consistent and professional efforts over many years.
Thanks to its expertise, experience, and international recognition, TECES—supported by the MoD—has played key roles in several EDF projects in the field of energy resilience in recent years, including:
- EDF-2021-INDY
- EDF-2021-NOMAD
- EDF-2023-CALIPSO
Furthermore, TECES and the MoD are active collaborators with the European Defence Agency (EDA), particularly within CapTech technology capability groups, most notably EnE CapTech (Energy and Environment CapTech), which focuses on energy and environmental challenges in defence.
TECES also actively participates in key European initiatives and forums, such as:
- Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS)
- Incubation Forum for Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEEDS)
- Hub for EU Defence Innovation (HEDI)
These initiatives address critical issues of energy efficiency, resilience, circular economy, and innovation in the European defence industry.
If you are interested in more information about the approved projects under the EDF Call 2024, please read:
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