Grid-forming capabilities for more resilient and RES-based electricity grids

The Horizon Europe funding opportunity titled "Grid-forming capabilities for more resilient and RES-based electricity grids" under the call identifier HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-18 focuses on developing and demonstrating technologies that enhance electricity grid resilience and flexibility to integrate renewable energy sources (RES). The total available funding for this call is €20 million, with a maximum grant of €10 million for each of the expected two projects. The call opens on December 18, 2025, with a submission deadline of March 31, 2026.

Eligible applicants include research organizations, universities, Transmission System Operators (TSOs), Distribution System Operators (DSOs), technology providers specializing in grid-forming inverters, renewable energy producers, and energy storage system operators. A multi-stakeholder consortium approach is mandatory, requiring diverse participants to address complex technical challenges.

The opportunity emphasizes international cooperation, especially with Mediterranean countries and Latin America and the Caribbean. Projects must demonstrate innovative grid control technologies and conduct validation activities across at least two distinct EU Member States, integrating various voltage levels and geographical contexts.

The call is structured as a single-stage open application process, where proposals will be submitted in their entirety. Funding will be allocated based on actual eligible costs incurred during the project's implementation, rather than fixed contributions. While explicit co-funding percentages are not required, in-kind contributions from participants are expected.

The central objective is to develop grid-forming inverter solutions that can provide essential services such as frequency control and voltage support, essential for achieving the EU's renewable energy and decarbonization targets. Projects should also address interoperability, develop simulation and modeling tools, and produce best practices for grid operators. Emphasis is placed on modern technologies, including artificial intelligence and digital twins, to foster innovation and ensure scalability of the solutions developed.

Overall, this funding opportunity aims to boost the resilience of European electricity grids, facilitate integration of high shares of variable RES, and support the green transition through collaborative research and development initiatives.

This is a comprehensive description of the Horizon Europe funding opportunity, specifically focusing on the call "BATTERIES and ENERGY (HORIZON-CL5-2026-03)". The main topic is "Grid-forming capabilities for more resilient and RES-based electricity grids" under topic ID HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-18. This is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of 20,000,000 EUR for the year 2026. The call adopts a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date is December 18, 2025, and the deadline for submission is March 31, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The indicative number of grants is 2, with each grant expected to be around 10,000,000 EUR.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this topic include: improved preparedness of electricity grids to support the EU's renewable energy targets for 2030 and full decarbonization by 2050; increased resilience and flexibility of electricity grids to manage high shares of variable renewable energy systems (RES); development and use of modern procedures and techniques by Transmission System Operators (TSOs) and Distribution System Operators (DSOs) for maintaining grid stability and secure operation; and seamless integration of power electronics-interfaced devices (PEID) in modern grids.

The scope of the projects should address the following items: developing new knowledge and insights into synthetic inertia, frequency control, very fast voltage support, and overall system stability offered by grid-forming inverters (GFIs); developing and/or updating relevant models and simulation tools; developing and demonstrating innovative grid control and grid-forming solutions that leverage the capabilities of GFIs; addressing use cases for both transmission- and distribution-level grids, including applications in residential, commercial, large RES generators (PV or wind), and grid-scale battery storage systems, and potentially LVDC microgrids; taking a system-wise approach with control strategies encompassing wider areas; developing interoperability between different GFI solutions and manufacturers through standardized approaches using hardware in the loop and advanced simulation models; leveraging modern solutions like digital twins and artificial intelligence, and using/developing open-source software solutions and modules; developing a manual and best practices for TSOs and DSOs, proposing standardized technical requirements for GFIs, and suggesting market conditions to incentivize GFI deployment.

The demonstration, test, and validation activities must be carried out in at least two pilots in different EU Member States or Associated Countries, addressing diverse solutions, voltage levels, and geographical landscapes. Each project is expected to include at least one electricity TSO, two DSOs, one GFI technology provider, one RES-based energy producer, and one university and/or research organization. Collaboration is encouraged with GFI suppliers, grid-scale battery storage system operators, and aggregators managing distributed energy resources including GFIs. The collaboration minimum number of entities is sought per project in total and does not necessarily apply per each pilot in particular.

Selected projects are expected to contribute to the BRIDGE initiative and actively participate in its activities. Proposals are encouraged to consider services offered by European research infrastructures, particularly RISEnergy. International cooperation is encouraged, especially with Mediterranean countries other than the EU and with Latin America and the Caribbean.

The general conditions for this call include admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout, eligible countries, other eligible conditions, and financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria. The evaluation and award process involves award criteria, scoring, thresholds, submission and evaluation processes, and an indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement. The legal and financial setup of the grants is also specified.

Specific conditions include details on the application and evaluation forms, the model grant agreement (MGA), and additional documents such as the Horizon Europe Work Programme, Programme Guide, Framework Programme, Specific Programme Decision, EU Financial Regulation, and various guidelines and rules related to legal entity validation, financial capacity assessment, and grant management.

Applicants can find partners through the Funding & Tenders Portal and are encouraged to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. The Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, and Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ are valuable resources. Support is available through the Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to enhance the resilience and flexibility of European electricity grids by promoting the integration of renewable energy sources and advanced grid-forming technologies. It seeks to foster collaboration among TSOs, DSOs, technology providers, research institutions, and other stakeholders to develop and demonstrate innovative solutions for grid stability and decarbonization. The call encourages international cooperation and the use of open-source software and standardized approaches to ensure interoperability and scalability of the proposed solutions.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types for this opportunity include electricity Transmission System Operators (TSOs), Distribution System Operators (DSOs), providers of technology that includes Grid-Forming Inverters (GFIs), Renewable Energy Source (RES)-based energy producers, universities, and research organizations. Collaboration is also encouraged with suppliers of GFIs, grid-scale battery storage system operators, and aggregators that manage distributed energy resources including GFIs. The minimum requirement is one electricity TSO, two DSOs, one provider of technology that includes GFIs, one RES-based energy producer, and one university and/or research organisation.

Funding Type: The funding type for this opportunity is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based grant, under the HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) funding scheme. There are also HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) available.

Consortium Requirement: This opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants. Projects are expected to include at least one electricity TSO, two DSOs, one provider of technology that includes GFIs, one RES-based energy producer, and one university and/or research organisation. Collaboration is encouraged with additional entities such as GFI suppliers, battery storage system operators, and aggregators.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. International cooperation is encouraged, especially with Mediterranean countries other than the EU and with Latin America and the Caribbean. 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 for this program are energy, climate, and technology, specifically focusing on electricity grids, renewable energy systems, power electronics, grid-forming inverters, digital twins, and artificial intelligence.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU Member States, Associated Countries, Mediterranean countries other than the EU, and countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is demonstration, test, and validation, as the activities must be carried out in at least two pilots in different EU Member States or Associated Countries. The program supports both Research and Innovation Actions and Innovation Actions, suggesting projects can be in the development, demonstration, or validation stages.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic. Some topics have a fixed budget per project, while others have a range. For example, HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-19 has a funding range of EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 12,000,000, while HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-18 has a budget of EUR 20,000,000. The total budget for all topics listed is EUR 201,900,000.

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 grant to support their projects.

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 success rate. For example, a topic with a budget of EUR 20,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants suggests a higher potential success rate than a topic with a similar budget but a higher number of indicative grants.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, part of the BATTERIES and ENERGY program (HORIZON-CL5-2026-03), focuses on enhancing electricity grids to support the EU's renewable energy targets and decarbonization goals. The call aims to improve grid resilience and flexibility through the integration of grid-forming inverters (GFIs) and advanced technologies like digital twins and AI. It seeks to foster collaboration among various stakeholders, including TSOs, DSOs, technology providers, RES producers, universities, and research organizations, to develop and demonstrate innovative grid control and grid-forming solutions. The projects should address use cases for both transmission- and distribution-level grids, promote interoperability between different GFI solutions, and propose standardized technical requirements and best practices. The call encourages international cooperation, particularly with Mediterranean countries and Latin America and the Caribbean. The funding is provided through HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), with a single-stage application process and varying budget allocations per topic. The overall goal is to facilitate the seamless integration of power electronics-interfaced devices (PEID) in modern grids and to prepare the electricity grids for a future with a high share of variable renewable energy sources.