New CO2 capture technologies

The European Union funding opportunity focuses on the development of innovative CO2 capture technologies, specifically targeting both point-source capture and direct air capture (DAC). This initiative is part of the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically under HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-24, and classified as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA). The program offers HORIZON Lump Sum Grants and follows a single-stage application process. The opening date for submissions is set for September 16, 2025, with a submission deadline of February 17, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time.

Key objectives include facilitating cost-effective CO2 capture technologies that minimize environmental impact, addressing various challenges like absorption and adsorption efficiency, energy use reduction, and material stability. Technologies developed should also meet transport and storage specifications for CO2, keeping impurities low. The program encourages collaboration internationally, especially for DAC projects, and while the use of European Research Infrastructure for CO2 Capture, Utilisation, Transport, and Storage (ECCSEL) is encouraged, it is not mandatory.

Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and potentially large enterprises, primarily located in EU member states and associated countries. The application process consists of a single stage, targeting proposals that address the ongoing need for more effective CO2 capture methods, with a funding range usually around €5 million per project. There is no co-funding requirement, and success rates are estimated to fall between 10% and 39%, reflecting the competitive nature of Horizon Europe.

Successful proposals will be evaluated based on their ability to provide a balanced mix of technologies, ensuring that at least one well-ranked proposal from both capture categories is funded. The financial capacity and operational readiness of applicants will also be assessed.

Support services are available through various channels, including the Horizon Europe Programme Guide and multiple help desks. Applicants are encouraged to consult these resources to facilitate their submission and increase their chances of success.

This EU funding opportunity focuses on the development of new CO2 capture technologies, aiming for cost reduction and minimal environmental impact. The call, HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-24, falls under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically Cluster 5, call 02-2026 (WP 2025) and is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (RIA). It utilizes a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] and follows 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 expected outcome of the projects should be new capture technologies, whether from point sources or directly from the air, that lead to reduced overall capture costs and the lowest possible negative environmental impact, including water use.

The scope of the projects involves the development of new or emerging capture technologies with high potential for cost reduction. Proposals must address CO2 capture from either point sources or directly from the air (direct air capture, DAC), explicitly identifying the chosen area.

Depending on the capture routes selected (e.g., solvents, sorbents, membranes, cryogenic, solid looping), important issues to address include: enhanced absorption/adsorption, improved kinetics, reduced energy use for CO2 capture and desorption, new materials with high selectivity for CO2 capture, operational flexibility, modularisation and scale-up, space occupation, degradation and lifespan of capture materials, ability for retrofit, potential for heat integration, and solvent-induced corrosion.

For DAC, key issues include novel sorbent or solvent materials with higher CO2 capture capacities and long-term stability in the presence of heat and air. All proposals must address the minimisation of health and environmental impacts, considering future scaling up. Developed technologies should aim to deliver CO2 at specifications required for transport and storage, with very low levels of impurities.

For point-source capture, technologies should address performance profiles and characteristics under variable operating conditions, such as load changes, to maintain a high capture rate across the entire operating profile. Results should provide good matches between specific industrial applications and capture technology, guaranteeing the quality and continuity of the industrial process.

The use of the European Research Infrastructure for CO2 Capture, Utilisation, Transport and Storage (ECCSEL) is encouraged but not mandatory. International cooperation with participating countries of the Mission Innovation Carbon Dioxide Removal Mission is particularly encouraged for DAC projects.

The general conditions include:

1. Admissibility Conditions: 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.

2. Eligible Countries, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions may apply to non-EU/non-Associated Countries, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

3. Other Eligible Conditions, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion, as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds, as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Grants will be awarded to ensure a balanced portfolio of activities covering both point-source capture and direct air capture technologies, with at least one highly ranked proposal funded in each area, subject to meeting all thresholds and budget availability.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes, as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants. Eligible costs will be in the form of a lump sum, 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:

Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including the Standard application form (HE RIA, IA).

Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including the Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA).

Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.

Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the Lump Sum MGA.

Call-specific instructions, a detailed budget table (HE LS), and guidance on lump sums are available.

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 lists multiple topics, each with a specific budget, stage (single-stage), opening date (2025-09-16), deadline (2026-02-17), contributions, and indicative number of grants.

Partner search announcements are available, and LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests.

The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

Support is available through 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, ETSI Research Helpdesk, and Partner Search.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call invites proposals for developing innovative and cost-effective CO2 capture technologies, either from point sources or directly from the air. The projects should aim to reduce the cost and environmental impact of CO2 capture, contributing to climate change mitigation. The call encourages international collaboration and the use of European research infrastructure. Funding will be provided as a lump sum, and proposals will be evaluated based on their potential to achieve a balanced portfolio of CO2 capture activities. The submission process is single-stage, with a deadline in February 2026. A wide range of support services are available to applicants.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given that the funding is provided under Horizon Europe and involves Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), Pre-commercial Procurement (PCP) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), the eligible applicants are likely to include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The mention of LEAR appointment and financial capacity assessment suggests that any legal entity is potentially eligible, subject to meeting the specific criteria of the call.

Funding Type: The primary funding mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. There are also Pre-commercial Procurement actions.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required, but the partner search announcements and the nature of Horizon Europe projects suggest that consortia are common and possibly encouraged, though single applicants might be eligible depending on the specific topic.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility appears to be EU member states and associated countries, as indicated by the reference to Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. However, the mention of non-EU/non-Associated Countries with specific provisions suggests that some third-country participants may also be eligible for funding.

Target Sector: The program targets the climate, energy, and mobility sectors, specifically focusing on the development of new CO2 capture technologies. This includes both point-source capture and direct air capture (DAC) technologies. The thematic areas also cover cleantech, energy, environment, and innovation.

Mentioned Countries: The text mentions EU member states, non-EU associated countries, and non-EU/non-associated countries. It also mentions participating countries of the Mission Innovation Carbon Dioxide Removal Mission.

Project Stage: The project stages targeted include development, research, and innovation, as indicated by the HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA). The Pre-commercial Procurement (PCP) action suggests that projects are expected to be at a stage where pre-commercial solutions can be procured.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic and type of action. The budget overview lists several topics with budgets ranging from EUR 6,000,000 to EUR 33,000,000. The indicative number of grants per topic ranges from 1 to 3. Therefore, the funding range is variable, from under €5M to over €5M.

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 lump sum grants.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants and the competitive nature of Horizon Europe funding suggest that the success rates are likely to be in the 10 to 39% range or below 10%.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. However, given that the eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum, it is possible that applicants may need to secure additional funding to cover costs exceeding the lump sum amount.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call focuses on the development of new and emerging CO2 capture technologies, targeting both point sources and direct air capture (DAC). The call aims to reduce the overall cost and environmental impact of CO2 capture. It is structured around several topics with varying budgets and types of actions, including Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), Pre-commercial Procurement (PCP), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA). The call is open to a wide range of applicants, including universities, research institutes, SMEs, and large enterprises, primarily from EU member states and associated countries, with some possibilities for third-country participation. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, and applications involve a single-stage submission process. The call encourages international cooperation, particularly for DAC projects, and promotes the use of the European Research Infrastructure for CO2 Capture, Utilisation, Transport and Storage (ECCSEL). The overall goal is to foster the development and deployment of cost-effective and environmentally sustainable CO2 capture technologies to support climate change mitigation efforts.