Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility - Co-funding Rate

The European Union is offering funding opportunities through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) specifically aimed at promoting the deployment of alternative fuel infrastructure along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). This funding initiative, known as CEF-T-2024-AFIFCOEN, focuses on seeking solutions to decarbonize transport systems.

Eligible applicants include public and private legal entities from EU Member States that qualify for Cohesion Fund support. This could potentially encompass governmental bodies, municipalities, transportation operators, energy companies, and port authorities. The primary financial mechanism available is through grants, which provide direct financial contributions to successful applicants.

There is no mandatory consortium requirement, allowing for single applicants to apply. However, it’s noted that collaborations between infrastructure operators and fuel suppliers are common within the sector. The funding under this call is primarily intended for EU Member States eligible for Cohesion Fund assistance, especially those with lower economic development.

The target sector for this funding includes various initiatives aimed at enhancing transport decarbonization, particularly actions supporting electricity recharging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles and hydrogen refueling facilities for different transport modes. The project stage expected for applicants is that of mature investment projects which have already received financing approval.

The total indicative budget for the funding call is EUR 220 million, with individual project funding requests having a minimum of EUR 1 million. The funding is available through a rolling call with three deadlines: September 24, 2024, June 11, 2025, and March 4, 2026.

Financial support will cover up to 50% of eligible project costs, necessitating co-funding from applicants or other sources. Successful proposals in a previous cut-off demonstrated a commendable success rate of around 80%. Projects will undergo a single-stage evaluation process, and detailed application procedures have been outlined in the call documents, which include various required submissions from technical plans to financial approvals.

In summary, the CEF-T-2024-AFIFCOEN funding opportunity emphasizes infrastructure development for alternative fuels, targeting economically disadvantaged EU areas and reinforcing the Union's commitment to environmental sustainability and climate goals.

The European Union is offering funding through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for projects that deploy alternative fuel infrastructure. This funding aims to decarbonize transport along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The call is CEF-T-2024-AFIFCOEN.

The objective of this call is to support the deployment of Alternative Fuel supply infrastructure, contributing to decarbonising transport along the TEN-T network.

The following actions are eligible for support:

Actions supporting the deployment of electricity recharging infrastructure for Heavy-Duty Vehicles, equipped with recharging points of respectively minimum 150kW, 350kW and 1MW power output.
Actions supporting the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure for Heavy-Duty Vehicles.
Actions supporting the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure for public transport in bus depots for railways on sections of the TEN-T rail network for which a derogation from the electrification requirement has been granted and on isolated networks, in line with the applicable TEN-T Regulation, or in terminals for refuelling shunting locomotives.
Actions supporting the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling and electricity recharging infrastructure dedicated to inland waterway and maritime vessels, vessels, vehicles and equipment for port operations and airports.
Actions supporting the deployment of bunkering infrastructure for ammonia supply to maritime and inland waterway vessels and vessels for port operations for TEN-T maritime ports and inland ports.
Actions supporting the deployment of bunkering infrastructure for methanol supply to maritime and inland waterway vessels and vessels for port operations for TEN-T maritime ports and inland ports.

Costs related to vehicles or vessels will not be eligible, except for vessels in the case of inland waterway and short sea shipping, if an initial number of vessels is needed to kick-start the use of the supported recharging/refuelling infrastructure. In such case, the eligible cost shall be limited to the difference of cost between a fossil-fuel vessel and the zero-emission vessel(s).

Costs related to the production of green hydrogen for the purpose of transport will be eligible as synergetic elements under the conditions specified in Section 10.6 of the Work Programme.

The call is managed through multiple cut-off dates. The opening date was 29 February 2024. The deadline dates are 24 September 2024, 11 June 2025, and 04 March 2026, all at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The total indicative budget for this call is EUR 220,000,000.

There are two types of action: CEF Infrastructure Projects (CEF-INFRA) and CEF AFIF-EVRI Unit Grants (CEF-AFIF-EVRI-UN). The Model Grant Agreement is a CEF Action Grant Budget-Based [CEF-AG].

The call text has been updated, including a postponement of the third cut-off date to 4 March 2026, clarification of eligibility criteria for maritime and inland waterway vessels supplied by hydrogen refuelling stations and ammonia or methanol facilities, and modification of the extension principle for projects funded with unit contributions. Electric charging in public bus depots is now eligible for funding.

The list of Implementing Partners will be updated as their participation is confirmed by the signature of a new Administrative Agreement with the European Commission for the period 2024-2025.

Admissibility conditions are described in section 5 of the call document. Proposal page limits and layout are described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. Eligible countries are described in section 6 of the call document. Other eligibility conditions are described in section 6 of the call document. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in section 7 of the call document. Submission and evaluation processes are described in section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual. Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in section 9 of the call document. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in section 4 of the call document. Legal and financial set-up of the grants is described in section 10 of the call document.

The following documents are required: Call document CEF-T-2024-AFIFCOEN, Application form (Part A and B), Detailed budget table per WP, Timetable (Gantt Chart), Letter of support (MS agreement), Environmental compliance file, Financial approval letter (IP), Financial approval letter (non-IP), Simplified CBA calculator (CEF-T), List of Implementing Partners, CEF Model Grant Agreement MGA, CINEA guide on economic appraisal for CEF-T transport projects, Work Programme 2021-2027 (CEF-T), CEF Regulation 2021/1153, TEN-T Regulation 2024/1679, and EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509. Proposals must be submitted using the forms provided inside the Submission System.

For help related to this call, contact CINEA-CEF-TRANSPORT-CALLS@ec.europa.eu. Additional resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, IT Helpdesk, and Online Manual.

The call CEF-T-2024-AFIFCOEN has closed on 24 September 2024. 10 proposals have been submitted, with 3 under CEF-T-2024-AFIFCOEN-COSTS and 7 under CEF-T-2024-AFIFCOEN-UNITS. Evaluation results are expected in Q1 2025.

The evaluation results for the first cut-off are as follows: 10 submitted proposals, 9 admissible and eligible, 1 inadmissible, 0 ineligible, and 8 successful. The total CEF contribution for the successful proposals is EUR 90,205,500.

This funding opportunity, CEF-T-2024-AFIFCOEN, aims to boost the deployment of alternative fuel infrastructure across Europe's TEN-T network. It supports projects focused on electric recharging and hydrogen refuelling for various transport modes, including heavy-duty vehicles, public transport, and maritime/inland waterway vessels. The EU provides financial assistance to cover the costs of infrastructure development, encouraging a shift away from fossil fuels and towards greener transport solutions. The call has multiple deadlines, allowing for staged submissions, and requires applicants to demonstrate financial stability and project feasibility. The EU has allocated a significant budget to this initiative, reflecting its commitment to decarbonizing the transport sector and achieving its climate goals.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the context, eligible applicants could include public and private entities involved in transport, infrastructure deployment, and alternative fuel initiatives. Implementing Partners and non-Implementing Partners are mentioned, suggesting that financial institutions, transport operators, port authorities, and other relevant organizations could be eligible. The eligibility criteria are described in section 6 of the call document.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a CEF Action Grant Budget-Based [CEF-AG], as indicated under "Type of MGA" (Model Grant Agreement). The call also refers to "CEF-INFRA CEF Infrastructure Projects" and "CEF-AFIF-EVRI-UN CEF AFIF-EVRI Unit Grants," suggesting different funding modalities within the grant framework.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required. However, the mention of "multi-applicants proposal" and "partners from different Member States" suggests that consortia are possible and perhaps encouraged. The need for a "Letter of support (MS agreement)" further implies the potential for multiple partners across different Member States.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility appears to be focused on the TEN-T network, which spans across the European Union. The reference to "Member States eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund" indicates that projects within Cohesion countries are particularly relevant for this call, especially under the "Cohesion envelope." Eligible countries are described in section 6 of the call document.

Target Sector: The program targets the transport sector, specifically focusing on the deployment of alternative fuel supply infrastructure. This includes: electricity recharging infrastructure for Heavy-Duty Vehicles (HDV) with minimum power outputs of 150kW, 350kW, and 1MW; hydrogen refuelling infrastructure for HDV and public transport (bus depots, railways, shunting locomotives); hydrogen refuelling and electricity recharging infrastructure for inland waterway and maritime vessels, port operations, and airports; and bunkering infrastructure for ammonia and methanol supply to maritime and inland waterway vessels and port operations.

Mentioned Countries: The text refers to "Member States" and "Cohesion Member States," indicating that the program is primarily targeted towards EU member countries, with a particular focus on those eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is deployment. The call supports the roll-out of infrastructure, suggesting that projects should be at the stage where they are ready to be implemented and scaled up.

Funding Amount: The indicative budget for the call is EUR 220,000,000. The total CEF contribution for successful proposals from the first cut-off was EUR 90,205,500. The funding is distributed through multiple cut-off dates.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with multiple cut-off dates. The deadline model is "multiple cut-off," with deadlines on 24 September 2024, 11 June 2025, and 04 March 2026.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support the deployment of alternative fuel infrastructure.

Application Stages: The application process involves multiple stages, including admissibility checks, eligibility checks, evaluation, and grant agreement preparation. The "Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement" is described in section 4 of the call document.

Success Rates: For the first cut-off, 10 proposals were submitted, 9 were admissible and eligible, and 8 were successful. This suggests a success rate of approximately 80% for admissible and eligible proposals.

Co-funding Requirement: Yes, there is a co-funding requirement. The call requires a "Financial Approval Letter" demonstrating that the project has secured at least 10% of its funding from a financial institution (Implementing Partner or non-Implementing Partner). Projects financed only by own resources will not be considered admissible.

Summary:

The CEF-T-2024-AFIFCOEN call, under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), aims to support the deployment of alternative fuel supply infrastructure across the TEN-T network. The call provides grants to projects focused on electricity recharging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure for various transport modes, including heavy-duty vehicles, public transport, maritime and inland waterway vessels, port operations, and airports. It also supports bunkering infrastructure for ammonia and methanol. The call has a total indicative budget of EUR 220 million and employs a multiple cut-off date submission model. While the specific types of eligible applicants are not explicitly listed, the call targets entities involved in transport, infrastructure, and alternative fuels, including financial institutions, transport operators, and port authorities. A key requirement is that projects must have secured at least 10% of their funding from a financial institution, demonstrating financial viability and due diligence. The call encourages projects that are ready for deployment and contribute to the decarbonization of the transport sector within the EU's TEN-T network, with a particular emphasis on projects located in Cohesion countries. The application process is managed through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, and detailed guidelines, application forms, and supporting documents are available within the Submission System. The call has been updated several times, with adjustments to eligibility criteria and deadlines, so applicants should review the latest call text for the most accurate information.