As the European power grid undergoes rapid digital transformation and integrates increasing shares of renewable energy, the underlying data infrastructure is facing unprecedented demands. Addressing these challenges, European IT provider Unicorn Systems has been honored at the prestigious 2026 Industry Eagles Awards for its modernization of the ENTSO-E New Transparency Platform.
The platform, a critical digital tool developed and operated by Unicorn, acts as the backbone of the European electricity market. It ensures transparent access to cross-border energy flows, electricity prices, and renewable generation data. For its technological sophistication and flawless deployment, the project secured two Gold Awards (Technology Innovation of the Year and Best New Product/Service Launch) and one Bronze Award (Project of the Year) at the June 4 ceremony in London.
Transparency as a Market Pillar
In the European energy sector, transparency is a fundamental prerequisite for market stability. Providing regulators, energy companies, and analysts with standardized, reliable data prevents market speculation and enables more informed decision-making.
“Transparency isn’t just a regulatory requirement; it is one of the foundations of trust in the energy market. Our goal was to create an environment in which critical grid and market data is accessible, understandable, and usable by both experts and the public,” said Daniel Ševčík, Director of Unicorn Grid Systems.
Scaling for the Renewable Transition
The massive expansion of renewable energy sources and the growing interconnection of European grids necessitated a complete architectural overhaul of the Transparency Platform. Unicorn Systems delivered a future-proof technological foundation that currently supports:
- ~100 data providers across dozens of European nations.
- 90,000+ registered users, including regulators, grid operators, and researchers.
- Tens of millions of daily API requests and hundreds of thousands of processed messages.
Zero-Downtime Execution
Because the platform serves as critical infrastructure for the single European electricity market, a one-time system switchover was not an option.
“A team of more than 60 specialists opted for controlled parallel operation, gradually deploying individual components and testing them in a live environment,” Ševčík explained. “The transformation included the migration of 72.8 million documents, achieving a peak throughput of more than one million documents per day.”
By successfully navigating this complex migration without any interruption to data availability, Unicorn Systems has reinforced the ENTSO-E New Transparency Platform not just as an IT project, but as a key enabler of efficiency and trust across the modern European energy landscape.
Unicorn is a leading European provider of comprehensive information systems and advanced IT solutions. Since 1990, the company has been developing high-end, large-scale software that delivers significant added value and a competitive edge to major players across key economic sectors. Unicorn is also the creator of the Unicorn Universe – Digital Twin Construction Kit, a robust architecture that powers a wide portfolio of digital services for SMEs and end users via the Plus4U platform. With a strong commitment to sustainability, Unicorn designs software that optimizes the efficient use of natural resources. Furthermore, the company actively invests in societal development and IT education through its own Unicorn University and the comprehensive Unicorn Top Gun Academy training system.
ENTSO-E, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, brings together 40 member TSOs from 36 countries to ensure the secure and coordinated operation of Europe’s electricity system – the world’s largest interconnected grid. Created with a legal mandate under EU law, ENTSO-E delivers technical coordination and strategic contributions to support Europe’s energy and climate objectives.
ENTSO-E brings together the unique expertise of TSOs for the benefit of European citizens by keeping the lights on, enabling the energy transition, and promoting the completion and optimal functioning of the internal electricity market, including via the fulfilment of the mandates given to ENTSO-E based on EU legislation.
