Advancements in Direct Air Capture

The grant opportunity is part of Horizon Europe, specifically titled "Advancements in Direct Air Capture" (HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-30). It offers a total budget of €16 million for two anticipated grants, each valued at approximately €8 million. The focus is on advancing technologies for Direct Air Capture (DAC), targeting projects at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 or higher. This means projects must aim for pilot demonstration levels and scale up existing solutions.

Eligible applicants include a variety of organizations, such as universities, research institutions, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, and technology developers, all of which must register with a valid PIC number and participate in a consortium of at least three independent organizations from different countries. The geographical eligibility encompasses EU Member States and associated countries, with provisions allowing some non-EU participants under specific circumstances.

The application process is a single-stage procedure, requiring the submission of a full proposal without a preliminary concept note. The expected outcomes include enhancing the cost-efficiency of the capture process, optimizing material performance, and ensuring flexible operation under renewable energy conditions. Projects must also conduct a comprehensive life cycle assessment to evaluate environmental impacts.

There is no mandatory co-funding requirement, but EU funding can cover up to 70% of eligible costs. The call encourages international collaboration, particularly with countries involved in the Mission Innovation Carbon Dioxide Removal Mission. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2027, and interested parties should prepare to submit proposals through the Funding and Tenders Portal.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-30, focused on Advancements in Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies, falling under the BATTERIES and ENERGY call (HORIZON-CL5-2027-02). It is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The deadline model is single-stage. The planned opening date is 03 December 2026, and the deadline date is 31 March 2027, 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcome is accelerating the commercial availability of Direct Air Capture technologies. The scope of the projects should aim at scaling up existing technical solutions to at least the level of pilot demonstration in relevant environments (TRL 7 or higher).

Projects are expected to demonstrate:
Improving the cost efficiency of the capture and regeneration process, including Balance of Plant.
Improving material performance and process designs (e.g. capture/desorption capacity and kinetics, durability, long-term stability in air).
Potential for manufacturing and scale-up (recycling and reuse of materials).
Flexible operation under intermittent or surplus renewable energy supply.

Depending on the technology, other important issues to address are:
Reducing energy use for sorbent/solvent regeneration.
Alternative materials for - and approaches to - CO2 separation.
Development and demonstration of materials in particular for DAC systems operating in cold temperatures or under humid conditions, or in areas with severe air pollution.
Accuracy of simulated predictions compared to validation experiments.
New designs for efficient, high-flux air contactors, optimised for maximum air contact.

Projects must develop a comprehensive life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental implications of the entire DAC system, from material extraction and use, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions through to end-of-life.

The use of the European Research Infrastructure for CO2 Capture, Utilisation, Transport and Storage ECCSEL is encouraged but not mandatory.

International cooperation with participating countries of the Mission Innovation Carbon Dioxide Removal Mission is encouraged.

The general conditions include:
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3. Other Eligible Conditions: If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025), as described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including the Standard application form (HE RIA, IA).
Evaluation form templates will be used with the necessary adaptations, including the Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA).
Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the Lump Sum MGA.
Call-specific instructions include a Detailed budget table (HE LS) and guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?".

Additional documents include:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

The budget overview for the year 2027 includes several topics:
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D2-05 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 18,800,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2026-12-03, deadline 2027-03-31, and an indicative number of 2 grants around 9,400,000 EUR each.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D2-06 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 37,800,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2026-12-03, deadline 2027-03-31, and an indicative number of 2 grants around 18,900,000 EUR each.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-07 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 12,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2026-12-03, deadline 2027-03-31, and an indicative number of 2 grants around 6,000,000 EUR each.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-08 - HORIZON-COFUND HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions with a budget of 30,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2026-12-03, deadline 2027-03-31, and an indicative number of 1 grant around 30,000,000 EUR.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-09 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 43,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2026-12-03, deadline 2027-03-31, and an indicative number of 1 grant around 43,000,000 EUR.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-10 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 9,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2026-12-03, deadline 2027-03-31, and an indicative number of 2 grants around 4,500,000 EUR each.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-15 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 36,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2026-12-03, deadline 2027-03-31, and an indicative number of 3 grants around 12,000,000 EUR each.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-24 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 20,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2026-12-03, deadline 2027-03-31, and an indicative number of 2 grants around 10,000,000 EUR each.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-30 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 16,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2026-12-03, deadline 2027-03-31, and an indicative number of 2 grants around 8,000,000 EUR each.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-31 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 5,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2026-12-03, deadline 2027-03-31, and an indicative number of 1 grant around 5,000,000 EUR.

Partner search announcements are available for finding collaborators. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header. General FAQs and support are available, including the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk, the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment, and a Partner Search tool.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of Direct Air Capture technologies by funding innovation actions that scale up existing solutions to pilot demonstration levels. Projects should focus on improving cost efficiency, material performance, manufacturing potential, and flexible operation, while also conducting a comprehensive life cycle assessment. International cooperation is encouraged, and a range of support resources are available to applicants. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and the call is part of a broader effort to address climate change through technological advancements in carbon dioxide removal.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe calls and the types of actions (Innovation Actions and Coordination and Support Actions), eligible applicants could include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The eligibility is further detailed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Funding Type: The primary funding mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the "Type of MGA: HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]" designation. There are also HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, Horizon Europe projects typically encourage or require consortia to ensure a diversity of expertise and resources. Partner search announcements are available, suggesting that consortia are common.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. The text also mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The target sectors are primarily related to climate, energy, and mobility, specifically focusing on accelerating the commercial availability of Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies. This includes improving the cost efficiency, material performance, and scalability of DAC systems. The call falls under the "BATTERIES and ENERGY (HORIZON-CL5-2027-02)" call.

Mentioned Countries: The text refers to EU member states, associated countries, and non-EU/non-associated countries that have made specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects. It also mentions international cooperation with participating countries of the Mission Innovation Carbon Dioxide Removal Mission.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of projects should be at least at the level of pilot demonstration in relevant environments, corresponding to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 or higher. This indicates that the projects should focus on scaling up existing technical solutions.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic. For example:
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D2-05: EUR 18,800,000 (around EUR 9,400,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D2-06: EUR 37,800,000 (around EUR 18,900,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-07: EUR 12,000,000 (around EUR 6,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-08: EUR 30,000,000 (around EUR 30,000,000 per grant, 1 grant)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-09: EUR 43,000,000 (around EUR 43,000,000 per grant, 1 grant)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-10: EUR 9,000,000 (around EUR 4,500,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-15: EUR 36,000,000 (around EUR 12,000,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-24: EUR 20,000,000 (around EUR 10,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-30: EUR 16,000,000 (around EUR 8,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-31: EUR 5,000,000 (around EUR 5,000,000 per grant, 1 grant)

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the potential success rate, which would depend on the number of applications received.

Co-funding Requirement: For HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions, co-funding is not mentioned. HORIZON-COFUND HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions implies co-funding.

Summary:
This Horizon Europe call, part of the BATTERIES and ENERGY (HORIZON-CL5-2027-02) program, focuses on "Advancements in Direct Air Capture" (DAC) technologies. The call aims to accelerate the commercial availability of DAC by funding projects that scale up existing technical solutions to pilot demonstration levels (TRL 7 or higher). Projects should improve cost efficiency, material performance, and scalability, while also addressing energy use, alternative materials, and efficient designs for air contactors. A comprehensive life cycle assessment is required. The call is open to applicants from EU member states, associated countries, and potentially non-EU/non-associated countries with specific funding provisions. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying amounts allocated to different topics, ranging from EUR 5,000,000 to EUR 43,000,000 per project. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of March 31, 2027. International cooperation is encouraged, particularly with countries participating in the Mission Innovation Carbon Dioxide Removal Mission. This opportunity is designed for organizations ready to demonstrate and scale up DAC technologies, contributing to the broader goal of carbon dioxide removal and climate change mitigation.