Improved system design for innovative PV applications (EUPI-PV Partnership)

The EU grant opportunity designated as HORIZON-CL5 aims to improve system designs for innovative photovoltaic applications under the Horizon Europe framework. It falls under the "Horizon Innovation Actions," specifically focusing on renewable energy solutions in agrivoltaics and offshore/nearshore photovoltaic systems. The call is expected to allocate a total budget of €30 million for 2026, aiming to fund approximately four demonstration projects, each receiving €7.5 million. Eligible applicants include a diverse array of stakeholders such as research institutions, universities, SMEs, large companies, technology providers, and organizations involved in renewable energy. It is crucial that proposals include participation from the Social Sciences and Humanities to address societal acceptance and stakeholder engagement. The funding type is a lump sum grant designed to simplify the financial management process, avoiding reimbursement for actual costs incurred. A consortium of multiple applicants is required, facilitating contributions from various sectors to enhance technical innovation and social integration. Geographically, eligibility primarily covers EU Member States and associated countries, with provisions for certain non-EU countries based on specific bilateral agreements. The target sectors encompass renewable energy and photovoltaic technology, addressing both agricultural interactions and innovative coastal installations. Projects should be in the demonstration stage, with a focus on large-scale system components (minimum 5 MW) and multiple sites across diverse EU environments. The application process is single-stage, opening on August 4, 2026, and closing on December 1, 2026. Proposals must include detailed plans for exploitation and business models, highlighting strategies for scalability and market entry. Success rates for this call are estimated at below 10% to approximately 15%, reflective of competitive landscapes commonly seen in Horizon Europe funding opportunities. Notably, co-funding is not mandatory, but strategic use of complementary funding sources is encouraged. Overall, this initiative intends to foster innovation in photovoltaics while encouraging sustainable land and sea use, enhancing energy security, and promoting environmental stewardship. Successful projects are expected to contribute to the EU's solar energy strategy and report on outcomes to the European Partnership for Innovation in Photovoltaics, thereby enhancing the region's competitive edge in renewable technologies.

This is a Horizon Europe call focusing on improved system designs for innovative photovoltaic (PV) applications, specifically within the EUPI-PV Partnership. The call, designated as HORIZON-CL5, falls under the ENERGY (HORIZON-CL5-2026-11) call within the Horizon Europe program. It supports HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) using a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement (MGA).

The call adopts a single-stage deadline model, with a planned opening date of August 4, 2026, and a deadline of December 1, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of this call are centered around agrivoltaics (co-location of agriculture and PV electricity production) and offshore/nearshore PV systems. Project results should contribute to:

Harvesting of crops and photovoltaic electricity, providing sustainable solutions for energy production/use/efficiency, soil and biodiversity protection, and water conservation.

Reinforcing the European PV value chain, introducing new business models, and opening new markets for novel, bankable agri- or offshore/nearshore PV systems.

Minimizing the impact of PV on landscape/sea and environment by exploiting its modularity and synergies of use, promoting offshore wind and PV co-location and system integration.

Significant improvement of designs that reduce both CAPEX and OPEX, maximize energy output, and thus reduce Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE).

Promoting integrated and multi-dimensional policy design to overcome socio-technical challenges for agri- and offshore/nearshore PV deployment.

Comprehensive system modeling for accurate and reliable energy yield assessment, with comparable methodologies for biodiversity, plant-yield, and quality in the case of agriPV, as well as power generation.

Advanced system components and system concepts/architectures of adequate scale that minimize impact on land/sea/environment while maximizing energy output and optimizing connection to the grid.

Resilience and adaptation of the systems to climate change impacts, such as extreme events, or changing agricultural practices and/or crop choices in the case of agriPV.

Standardization for module and structure design for these applications.

Permitting process definition.

System demonstrators of adequate scale (minimum 5 MW altogether) at different EU climate/sea zones.

Societal acceptance and sustainability in agriPV development require clarity in permitting procedures, promoting energy justice principles, mitigating agronomic risks, and balancing economic development with environmental conservation (notably biodiversity). These dimensions need to be addressed holistically with the involvement of policymakers, industry stakeholders, and local communities working towards a just and equitable deployment of agriPV. For offshore/nearshore PV, aesthetic appreciation and possible conflicts of interest related to water areas (e.g., commercial shipping, fishing, sand extraction, military use, and recreational sailing) or colocation should be considered.

Exploitation plans should include a strategy for exploitation, a strong business case, and a sound exploitation strategy, including preliminary plans for scalability, commercialization, and deployment (feasibility study, business plan) indicating possible funding sources (in particular the Innovation Fund).

The call requires the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts and institutions to enhance the societal impact of the related research activities.

Projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on the results to the European Partnership for Innovation in Photovoltaics (EUPI-PV) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.

General conditions for admissibility, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, evaluation and award, and legal and financial setup are detailed in the Annexes of the Horizon Europe Work Programme and the Online Manual.

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.

Application forms, evaluation forms, and model grant agreements are available in the Submission System. Additional guidance and documents include the HE Programme Guide, HE Main Work Programme, EU Financial Regulation, and various guidelines and FAQs available on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

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The budget overview for 2026 includes:

HORIZON-CL5-2026-11-D3-04 - HORIZON-PCP HORIZON Pre-commercial Procurement with a budget of €40,000,000, single-stage, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-CL5-2026-11-D3-05 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €13,500,000, single-stage, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-CL5-2026-11-D3-06 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of €18,000,000, single-stage, and an indicative number of 4 grants.

HORIZON-CL5 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €30,000,000, single-stage, and an indicative number of 4 grants.

HORIZON-CL5-2026-11-D3-23 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €30,000,000, single-stage, and an indicative number of 3 grants.

This Horizon Europe call is designed to foster innovation in photovoltaic technology by supporting projects that integrate agriculture with solar energy production (agrivoltaics) or develop offshore solar energy solutions. It aims to optimize land and sea use, reduce costs, and promote the EU's solar energy strategy. The call encourages projects that not only advance technology but also address societal and environmental considerations, ensuring sustainable and equitable deployment of these innovative PV systems. By requiring a strong business case and exploitation strategy, the EU seeks to translate research into real-world applications, contributing to a greener and more sustainable energy future.

HORIZON-CL5-2026-11-D3-04 - HORIZON-PCP HORIZON Pre-commercial Procurement has a budget of €40,000,000.

HORIZON-CL5-2026-11-D3-05 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions has a budget of €13,500,000.

HORIZON-CL5-2026-11-D3-06 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions has a budget of €18,000,000.

HORIZON-CL5 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions has a budget of €30,000,000.

HORIZON-CL5-2026-11-D3-23 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions has a budget of €30,000,000.