Innovative tools and services to manage and empower energy communities

This EU funding opportunity focuses on innovative tools and services aimed at managing and empowering energy communities under the Horizon Europe program, specifically the Cluster 5 Call 02-2026 for HORIZON Innovation Actions. The call's planned opening date is September 16, 2025, with a submission deadline of February 17, 2026. The budget type is a grant under the Model Grant Agreement for Horizon Action Grants.

Eligible applicants include a variety of stakeholders directly involved in the energy sector. This encompasses energy communities, manufacturers of smart appliances, developers of home energy management systems, Distribution System Operators (DSOs), Transmission System Operators (TSOs), local governments, research institutions, institutions focused on social sciences and humanities, and non-profit organizations. The call emphasizes the requirement for consortium formation, underscoring the need for diverse stakeholder participation and testing solutions in at least three energy communities from different European countries.

The target sector is energy, with an emphasis on integrating renewable energy sources, facilitating local energy trading, and improving the efficiency of energy grids. Expected project outcomes include better integration of home and building energy assets using Internet of Things standards, improved market participation for local citizens, enhanced data security, and synergies across different sectors like electricity and mobility.

Funding amounts vary significantly, with indications ranging from €6 million to €33 million per topic. The application process is single-stage and open, which reflects the competitive nature of the funding. Co-funding may be required.

The projects funded are expected to develop open-source tools for managing shared energy community assets, optimize energy consumption, forecast energy needs, and enhance DSO systems for managing grid assets. Testing of developed solutions should occur in energy communities with diverse socio-economic contexts.

The call encourages adherence to European policy measures and sustainability initiatives. It requires participants to employ a cross-sectoral approach and highlights the importance of social and economic impacts resulting from the research activities. Projects are also expected to contribute to broader European initiatives aimed at advancing energy transition and community empowerment in energy management.

Applicants should closely follow submission guidelines and be aware of various administrative conditions outlined in the Horizon Europe documentation. Support resources are available for guidance on the application process and navigating the requirements of the funding program.

This EU funding opportunity focuses on innovative tools and services to manage and empower energy communities, under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically the Cluster 5 Call 02-2026 (WP 2025) (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02). It is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 16 September 2025, and the deadline for submission is 17 February 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The Model Grant Agreement is a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

The expected outcomes of the projects should contribute to: Integration of home and building assets in an efficient way based on common Internet of Things (IoT) communication standards for smart homes and using SGAM architecture and data models (e.g., IEC CIM) for load, generation and storage devices; Facilitating local energy trading and distributed grid-oriented services using micro market and transactions (e.g., peer-to-peer) and improve the market participation for citizens; Enhancing the integration of energy communities in European energy grids and increase the renewable energy share and use of flexibility by providing transparent and efficient market-based cost sharing mechanisms; Increasing the security of data exchange, for prosumer and customer resources, and independent (commercial) asset operators; Increasing synergies using a cross-sectoral approach (e.g., electricity, gas, mobility, heating/cooling) at the level of citizens and/or energy communities; Empowering local governments and intermediaries, strengthen overall community energy policies in EU Member States and enhance tool accessibility and user capacity at local level to promote a decentralised and co-owned energy transition.

The scope of the project should include: Developing innovative and open-source tools for managing shared energy community assets (e.g., energy storage facilities) and optimising energy community management (e.g., selection and switching of aggregators, preparation and trading of smart contracts, peer-to-peer and energy sharing, self-consumption); Developing open-source tools for forecasting, prediction and advanced data analysis using AI tools and in-depth data analysis for customers and prosumers for autonomous optimisation of consumption, production, storage, smart devices (appliances), and electric vehicle (EV) both at household and energy community levels; Extending DSO SCADA and substation systems for autonomous control of grid assets and seamlessly integrate these systems with home and building energy management systems for direct and fast control and data acquisition to implement local (distribution) grid services (constrain alleviation, grid reconfiguration, restoration of supply, maintenance, and enhancement of energy quality), real-time assessment and monetisation of the use of grid resources; Integrating the three elements above as a basis to establish a platform for cooperation between individual customers or prosumers, entire energy communities, wide area aggregators, and DSOs to provide, acquire, and settle energy system-oriented services (system-wide balancing, support of frequency regulation). The cooperation platform should be based on a plug-and-play integration of the energy community eco-system components (hardware and software), using and extending relevant communication standards and data models. The integration mechanism should be embedded within the core systems used by customers/prosumers, DSO (and TSO), aggregators and market operators, fully aligned with SGAM; Developing tailored security solutions for private and public communication networks used by IoT apps and devices (smart appliances) across energy carriers; Ensuring the follow-up and implementation of EU policy measures, including by conducting quality assessments and introducing national community energy targets; Fostering institutional allies at local and regional levels; Providing access to and capacities for using digital planning tools; Identifying the barriers for network operators (e.g. legal, economic, regulatory etc.) who want to introduce smart consumption options for their customers.

The project should preferably use semantically interoperable interactions, as enabled by the ETSI SAREF ontologies, follow the IEC TR 63097 Smart Grid Roadmap, and where relevant, the developed solutions should be open for off-shelf integration using common communication and data standards. The project should benefit from the direct participation of energy communities, smart appliances manufacturers, home energy devices manufacturers, home and building energy management system developers, Distribution System Operators (DSOs), and aggregators. However, in order to comply with Article 33, 36 and 54 of Directive (EU) 2019/944, TSOs or DSOs participating in this project should not own, develop, manage or operate energy storage facilities or recharging points for electric vehicles. Moreover, the role of the distribution system operator in facilitating peer to peer trading should be without prejudice to the rules in Article 35 Directive (EU) 2019/944. The developed solutions have to be tested within, at least, three energy communities from different European countries, preferably in regions with different socio-economic development contexts and different resource availabilities. Technical and social characteristics should be used in the project to validate the developed solutions' credibility. The demonstration sites should cover complex and technologically advanced energy communities, each located within the range of neighbouring secondary substations supplying a variety of customers/prosumers with close-to-autarky local energy generation, a range of energy vectors, a significant share of storage facilities, and flexible topology already available or to be achieved as an integral part of the project. The secondary substation should be already equipped with advanced monitoring and control systems. In order to increase the replication potential of the deployed solutions the three energy communities are invited to closely collaborate with similar energy communities. The selected projects are expected to contribute to the BRIDGE initiative and actively participate in its activities. Additional contributions to the ‘Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation’ (AIOTI) and other relevant activities (e.g., clusters of digital projects and coordinating actions) might be considered when relevant. In particular, this topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.

General conditions for participation include: Admissibility Conditions related to proposal page limit and layout as 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 as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries; Other Eligible Conditions, including restrictions for the protection of European communication networks as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes; Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes; Evaluation and award criteria, scoring and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes; Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual; Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes; Legal and financial set-up of the grants 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) details: 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 HE MGA.

Additional documents include: HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction; HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility; HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. 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 call in 2025 includes various topics with their respective budget, stage, opening date, deadline, contributions, and indicative number of grants. Some examples are: HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-01 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 33,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2025-09-16, deadline on 2026-02-17, around 11,000,000 EUR contribution, and an indicative number of 3 grants; HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-13 - HORIZON-PCP HORIZON Pre-commercial Procurement with a budget of 20,000,000 EUR, single-stage, opening on 2025-09-16, deadline on 2026-02-17, around 20,000,000 EUR contribution, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

There are 28 partner search announcements available. LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics after logging into the Portal, as well as any user having an active public Person profile. The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header. There are currently 0 item(s) found in the Topic Q&As.

For general support, it is recommended to read carefully all provisions before preparing the application. The Online Manual serves as a guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing the grant. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ provides answers to frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation, and grant management. The Research Enquiry Service can be used to ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance, practical information, and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) can be contacted for advice to businesses with a special focus on SMEs. The IT Helpdesk can be contacted for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc. The European IPR Helpdesk assists on intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk advise on how to tackle standardisation in the project proposal. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment provide general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers, employers, and funders of researchers. Partner Search can help find a partner organisation for the proposal.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to foster the development and implementation of innovative tools and services that empower energy communities. It seeks to integrate smart home technologies, facilitate local energy trading, enhance grid integration, improve data security, promote cross-sectoral synergies, and empower local governments. The call encourages open-source solutions, adherence to relevant standards, and the active participation of various stakeholders, including energy communities, manufacturers, DSOs, and aggregators. Successful projects are expected to contribute to a decentralised, co-owned, and secure energy transition, aligning with EU policy measures and promoting sustainable energy practices across Europe. The call also emphasizes the importance of social sciences and humanities (SSH) expertise to enhance the societal impact of the research activities.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is open to a wide range of applicants, including energy communities, smart appliances manufacturers, home energy devices manufacturers, home and building energy management system developers, Distribution System Operators (DSOs), aggregators, Transmission System Operators (TSOs), local governments, intermediaries, research institutions, SSH experts and institutions, and network operators. The call text specifies the need for direct participation of energy communities and various manufacturers and developers, indicating a preference for applicants directly involved in the energy sector and related technologies. The inclusion of local governments and intermediaries suggests that public sector entities and organizations that support energy communities are also eligible. The mention of SSH disciplines and experts indicates that research institutions and individual experts in social sciences and humanities are also eligible.

Funding Type: The primary funding type is a grant, specifically through HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), HORIZON Pre-commercial Procurement (HORIZON-PCP), and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe program. The type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to require a consortium. The call text emphasizes the need for direct participation from various stakeholders, including energy communities, manufacturers, developers, DSOs, and aggregators. The requirement to test developed solutions in at least three energy communities from different European countries also implies the need for a consortium to ensure diverse demonstration sites. The partner search announcements further suggest that applicants are expected to form consortia.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes European countries. The developed solutions must be tested within at least three energy communities from different European countries. While non-EU/non-Associated Countries may have specific provisions for funding, the primary focus is on energy communities within the European Union.

Target Sector: The program targets the energy sector, with a specific focus on energy communities, smart grids, and the integration of renewable energy sources. It also encompasses related sectors such as ICT (Internet of Things), smart homes, building energy management, and electric mobility. The program also targets the social sciences and humanities (SSH) to enhance the societal impact of the research activities.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions "different European countries" as locations for testing the developed solutions. It also refers to "EU Member States" in the context of strengthening community energy policies. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries are mentioned as having specific provisions for funding.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project varies depending on the specific type of action. HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA) suggest a focus on demonstration and validation, while HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) indicate a focus on research, development, and validation. HORIZON Pre-commercial Procurement (PCP) focuses on pre-commercial development and validation. The overall scope suggests projects should be at the development, validation, and demonstration stages.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary widely depending on the specific topic and type of action. The budget overview lists topics with funding ranging from €6,000,000 to €33,000,000. The indicative number of grants per topic ranges from 1 to 3. Therefore, the funding range is variable, from €6 million to €33 million per topic.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date is 16 September 2025, and the deadline date is 17 February 2026.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their research, development, and innovation activities.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly mentioned.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe Cluster 5 call focuses on "Innovative tools and services to manage and empower energy communities." It aims to foster the integration of renewable energy, enhance local energy trading, and improve the security and efficiency of energy grids through the development and testing of open-source tools and platforms. The call seeks to empower energy communities, local governments, and citizens by providing them with the means to manage shared energy assets, optimize energy consumption, and participate in energy markets.

The projects funded under this call are expected to contribute to several key outcomes, including the integration of home and building assets using IoT standards, facilitation of local energy trading, enhancement of renewable energy integration, increased data exchange security, synergies across energy sectors, and empowerment of local governments.

The scope of the projects should include developing open-source tools for managing energy community assets, forecasting energy needs, extending DSO SCADA systems, integrating cooperation platforms for various energy stakeholders, developing security solutions for communication networks, and fostering institutional allies at local and regional levels.

The call emphasizes the importance of testing developed solutions in at least three energy communities from different European countries, ensuring the participation of diverse stakeholders, and contributing to relevant initiatives such as the BRIDGE initiative and the Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation (AIOTI). The call also highlights the need for effective contributions from SSH disciplines to enhance the societal impact of the research activities.

The funding is provided through various Horizon Europe action types, including Innovation Actions (IA), Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Pre-commercial Procurement (PCP), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), with budgets ranging from €6 million to €33 million per topic. The application process is a single-stage open call, with a planned opening date of 16 September 2025 and a deadline of 17 February 2026.