Overview
Eligible applicants primarily include research organizations, universities, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and large enterprises involved in battery recycling technologies. The initiative encourages consortium formation which may include diverse research partners from academia and industry. Geographic eligibility extends to EU member states and associated countries, along with potential participation from non-EU countries under specific arrangements.
This funding targets the energy and manufacturing sectors, specifically focusing on advancing battery recycling technologies, particularly for lithium-ion batteries and other economically challenging chemistries, such as lithium iron phosphate and sodium-ion batteries. The goal is to improve recycling efficiency, reduce energy consumption compared to traditional methods, and decrease reliance on raw material imports, thereby enhancing the circular economy within battery manufacturing.
Projects must achieve at least Technology Readiness Level 5, indicating systems should be validated in relevant environments. Successful proposals should demonstrate practical approaches for developing, validating, and integrating direct recycling processes, alongside techno-economic analyses and life-cycle assessments that highlight competitive advantages and sustainability benefits.
The nature of support is in the form of lump sum grants, differing from traditional cost-reimbursement models, simplifying financial management for beneficiaries. The application process is a single-stage submission, requiring comprehensive proposals to be submitted directly without preliminary phases.
While success rates are not explicitly stated, applicants can gauge competition based on anticipated proposal volume relative to funding availability. Co-funding requirements are not formally mandated; however, leveraging additional partnerships or investments is encouraged to enhance project viability.
Overall, this call aims to significantly advance research and innovation in direct battery recycling technologies, fostering sustainable practices and economic resilience in Europe. The focus on efficient recycling processes not only addresses environmental concerns but also positions Europe strategically within the global battery supply chain.
Detail
The expected outcomes of the proposals are: significantly improved recycling efficiency for various battery chemistries, including those with low intrinsic metal values (e.g., LFP, LMFP, sodium-ion); reduced energy consumption of recycling processes compared to conventional recycling methods; substantial decreases in Europe's dependency on raw material imports; demonstrated economic viability and competitive cost structures for direct recycling technologies, enhancing circular economy practices in European battery cell manufacturing; and scalable and automated recycling processes suitable for handling high volumes of gigafactory production scrap, directly reintegrating recycled materials into battery manufacturing processes.
The scope of the proposals should focus on the development, validation, and upscaling of direct recycling technologies targeting next-generation and low-value battery chemistries (LFP, LMFP, and sodium-ion), as well as efficiently managing gigafactory production scrap. Projects are expected to address direct recycling processes validated at relevant environment and capable of selectively recovering high-purity active materials from battery electrodes, minimizing processing steps, and preserving material functionality; specific optimization of recycling routes for economically challenging battery chemistries, achieving recovery efficiencies beyond the state-of-the-art; innovative approaches for process automation, including intelligent sorting and robotic handling systems, tailored for gigafactory scrap streams, with demonstrated potential to seamlessly integrate into industrial-scale manufacturing facilities; formulation of practical design recommendations based on project findings, to facilitate and optimize direct recycling processes through improved cell design; and robust techno-economic analyses demonstrating clear competitive advantages over traditional recycling pathways, complemented by comprehensive life-cycle assessments (LCA) highlighting sustainability benefits in terms of energy savings, CO2 emission reduction, biodiversity and ecosystems impact, and overall resource efficiency.
The Commission initiative for Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) sets a framework for assessing the safety and sustainability of chemicals and materials which should be considered as a reference for project proposals. Proposals could consider the involvement of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) whose contribution could consist of providing added value regarding various aspects of battery circularity and sustainability. This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on the results to the European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.
The general conditions include: Admissibility Conditions regarding proposal page limit and layout, which are 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; Eligible Countries, described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide; Other Eligible Conditions, such as the use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS for projects using satellite-based data, and the potential participation of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) as a consortium member or associated partner; Financial and operational capacity and exclusion, described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes; Evaluation and award criteria, scoring and thresholds, described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes; Submission and evaluation processes, described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual; Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes; and Legal and financial set-up of the grants, including the granting authority's right to object to transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results, and the use of lump sum contributions as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.
Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme. Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information is available in the Submission System, including the Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) and Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA). Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide and Lump Sum MGA. Call-specific instructions, a detailed budget table (HE LS), and guidance on lump sums are also available.
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; and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.
There is a partner search announcement section where LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests. The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header. There is a topic Q&A section, a general FAQ, and a get support section with links to various resources such as 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, and the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment.
In summary, this Horizon Europe funding opportunity aims to foster research and innovation in direct recycling technologies for next-generation batteries, focusing on improving efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and enhancing the circular economy in European battery manufacturing. It encourages projects that develop scalable, automated recycling processes and contribute to reducing Europe's reliance on raw material imports. The call is structured as a single-stage process with a lump sum grant, and it provides extensive guidance and support resources for potential applicants.
This opportunity is about advancing battery recycling technologies, specifically targeting the direct recycling of newer battery chemistries like LFP and sodium-ion. The goal is to make recycling more efficient, less energy-intensive, and economically viable, ultimately reducing Europe's dependence on imported raw materials. The projects should not only develop these technologies but also demonstrate their scalability and automation potential for use in gigafactories. Think of it as a push to create a closed-loop system for battery materials, where old batteries are efficiently broken down and their components are directly reused to make new batteries, minimizing waste and environmental impact. The EU is looking for projects that can show a clear path to industrial adoption and a positive impact on the environment and the European economy.
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Breakdown
Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. There are two types of actions: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA).
Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to require a consortium, as the Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium. Partner search announcements are available, suggesting that applicants are expected to form consortia.
Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Eligible countries are 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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Target Sector: The program targets the battery and energy sectors, specifically focusing on the development, validation, and upscaling of direct recycling technologies for next-generation and low-value battery chemistries (LFP, LMFP, and sodium-ion), and the efficient management of gigafactory production scrap. It also touches on areas like process automation, robotics, and sustainable design.
Mentioned Countries: The text refers to "EU," "non-EU countries," and "non-Associated Countries." The opportunity is within the Horizon Europe framework, so it is implied that EU member states and associated countries are the primary geographic focus.
Project Stage: The project stage targets development, validation, and upscaling, aligning with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5. The scope includes demonstrating economic viability, competitive cost structures, and scalable recycling processes, suggesting a focus beyond basic research and towards practical application and industrial integration.
Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call:
HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D2-02: EUR 14,200,000 (around EUR 4,700,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-01: EUR 9,000,000 (around EUR 3,000,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-12: EUR 15,000,000 (around EUR 5,000,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-13: EUR 31,500,000 (around EUR 10,500,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-18: EUR 20,000,000 (around EUR 10,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-19: EUR 24,000,000 (EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 12,000,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-20: EUR 14,000,000 (around EUR 7,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-21: EUR 12,000,000 (around EUR 4,000,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-22: EUR 12,000,000 (around EUR 6,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-29: EUR 25,000,000 (around EUR 5,000,000 per grant, 5 grants)
Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.
Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.
Application Stages: The application process involves a 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 number of successful projects.
Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly stated. However, Horizon Europe grants typically fund a percentage of the total eligible costs, implying that applicants may need to secure additional funding from other sources.
Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the BATTERIES and ENERGY theme, focuses on advancing direct recycling technologies for next-generation and low-value battery chemistries. The goal is to improve recycling efficiency, reduce energy consumption, decrease Europe's reliance on raw material imports, and enhance circular economy practices in battery cell manufacturing. Projects should develop and validate direct recycling processes, optimize recycling routes for challenging battery chemistries, implement innovative process automation, and provide design recommendations for improved cell design. Applicants are expected to conduct techno-economic analyses and life-cycle assessments to demonstrate the competitive advantages and sustainability benefits of their proposed technologies. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and applications are submitted through a single-stage process. Consortia are expected, and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate in projects. The call aims to support projects at TRL 5, focusing on development, validation, and upscaling of recycling technologies.
Short Summary
Impact The funding aims to significantly improve recycling efficiency for various battery chemistries, reduce energy consumption of recycling processes, decrease Europe's dependency on raw material imports, and enhance circular economy practices in battery cell manufacturing. | Impact | The funding aims to significantly improve recycling efficiency for various battery chemistries, reduce energy consumption of recycling processes, decrease Europe's dependency on raw material imports, and enhance circular economy practices in battery cell manufacturing. |
Applicant Applicants should possess expertise in battery recycling technologies, materials science, process engineering, and sustainability assessments, with the ability to conduct robust techno-economic analyses and life-cycle assessments. | Applicant | Applicants should possess expertise in battery recycling technologies, materials science, process engineering, and sustainability assessments, with the ability to conduct robust techno-economic analyses and life-cycle assessments. |
Developments The funding will support the development, validation, and upscaling of direct recycling technologies targeting next-generation and low-value battery chemistries, as well as efficient management of gigafactory production scrap. | Developments | The funding will support the development, validation, and upscaling of direct recycling technologies targeting next-generation and low-value battery chemistries, as well as efficient management of gigafactory production scrap. |
Applicant Type This funding is designed for research organizations, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, and industrial partners engaged in battery recycling technologies. | Applicant Type | This funding is designed for research organizations, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, and industrial partners engaged in battery recycling technologies. |
Consortium The opportunity encourages multi-partner consortia, although single applicants may also apply. | Consortium | The opportunity encourages multi-partner consortia, although single applicants may also apply. |
Funding Amount Each project can receive approximately €4,700,000, with a total budget of €14,200,000 allocated for 3 expected grants. | Funding Amount | Each project can receive approximately €4,700,000, with a total budget of €14,200,000 allocated for 3 expected grants. |
Countries Eligible applicants must be based in EU member states or associated countries, with potential participation from non-EU/non-Associated Countries under specific arrangements. | Countries | Eligible applicants must be based in EU member states or associated countries, with potential participation from non-EU/non-Associated Countries under specific arrangements. |
Industry This funding targets the battery recycling and circular economy sectors within the broader energy and manufacturing domain. | Industry | This funding targets the battery recycling and circular economy sectors within the broader energy and manufacturing domain. |
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