R&I in Support of the Clean Industrial Deal: Clean Technologies for Climate Action

The Horizon Europe grant opportunity identified as HORIZON-CID-2027-01-02 focuses on improving clean technologies to support climate action. Scheduled to open on January 12, 2027, and close on September 15, 2027, the call has a total budget of €140 million, expected to fund approximately eight projects. Each project can receive between €15 million and €25 million.

Eligible applicants include diverse entities capable of conducting advanced research and innovation, such as large enterprises, SMEs, research organizations, industrial consortia, public-private partnerships, technology suppliers, and energy producers. The application must be structured as a consortium with no more than ten participants, emphasizing industry-driven collaboration across the clean technology value chain.

The call targets multiple sectors specifically related to net-zero emissions energy systems, zero-emission power technologies, and energy storage and renewable fuels. All EU member states and associated countries are eligible to apply, with provisions for some non-associated countries.

Proposals must demonstrate advanced development stages and viability, focusing on cases that clearly show technological maturity and market readiness. The call operates under a single-stage submission process, requiring complete proposals upon submission. The success rate is not officially disclosed but is estimated to be around 13-20%, given the competitive nature of Horizon Europe grants.

Co-funding is encouraged but not mandated, highlighting the need for leveraging additional resources from private or public sources to support project implementation.

Overall, this opportunity aims to accelerate the EU’s transition to climate neutrality by fostering innovation in clean technologies. Projects should be strategically aligned with the objectives of the Net-Zero Industry Act and enhance Europe's industrial competitiveness and manufacturing capabilities while ensuring significant environmental benefits. The call promotes integration with other relevant initiatives and encourages a collaborative approach to developing and deploying clean technologies suitable for the European market.

This is a Horizon Europe (HORIZON) call for proposals under the topic "R&I in Support of the Clean Industrial Deal: Clean Technologies for Climate Action" with call identifier HORIZON-CID-2027-01-02. It falls under the broader call "R&I in Support of the Clean Industrial Deal (HORIZON-CID-2027-01)". The action type is a HORIZON-IA (Innovation Action) with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Model Grant Agreement. The deadline model is single-stage. The planned opening date is 12 January 2027, and the deadline for submission is 15 September 2027, 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of successful proposals are to strengthen the competitiveness, sustainability (including biodiversity), and resilience of innovative clean tech solutions. This involves demonstrating a significant increase in circular material use rate, reducing the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) delivered to end-users, and contributing to Europe’s industrial leadership and competitiveness, aligning with the objectives of the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA). The projects should bring innovative clean tech solutions to full technological maturity and close to market-readiness, accelerating their market deployment and integration in key industrial sectors in Europe, such as manufacturing, energy, and transport.

The scope of the call is aligned with the Clean Industrial Deal, which aims to secure the EU as an attractive location for manufacturing, including for energy-intensive industries. It promotes clean tech and new circular business models to meet Europe’s decarbonisation, climate neutrality, and biodiversity preservation targets. The focus is on the competitive decarbonisation of EU industry and the production of clean technologies in the EU, requiring a considerable increase in electrification of EU energy systems and in all end-use sectors of the European economy.

The call identifies three clean tech areas with strong growth potential: Integrated net-zero emissions energy systems (including energy grids, networks, and systems), Enhanced zero-emission power technologies (including renewable electricity, heat, and energy technologies), and Storage technologies, renewable fuels, and carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) (including batteries and other energy storage solutions, renewable hydrogen, advanced biofuels, and synthetic renewable fuels). Proposals should select one main area but can address a combination of these. Applicants can decide on the specific value chain they wish to strengthen.

Projects can address step-change in relevant network and infrastructure deployment to facilitate scale up across the trans-European energy and transport networks, such as electricity, heat, gas, hydrogen, CO2, batteries, and refuelling networks. The application of advanced innovative materials development, connected process engineering and scale-up, resource efficiency, circularity, and recycling may also be addressed. Technologies with negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems should be avoided.

Proposals are expected to ensure the development of innovative technological solutions along a specific clean tech value chain, involving clean tech suppliers, energy users (manufacturing, energy, and transport), and other relevant stakeholders. A sound business case, considering a gender-sensitive and intersectional approach, is required. Projects should demonstrate an adequate integration of relevant technological solutions, including clean tech and industrial decarbonisation solutions, ensuring a clear and quantifiable impact on competitiveness and reduction of GHG emissions. Reduction or avoidance of harmful pollutants and impact on biodiversity may also be considered. The use of relevant results of R&I projects previously or currently funded at EU or national level is encouraged.

Industrial leadership in deployment after the project is essential. Consortia should be industry-driven, composed of a manageable number of participants (indicatively, not more than ten), and justify their size based on the value chain covered. SME participation is encouraged. Coherence with the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan and relevant industrial initiatives is expected.

The dissemination, exploitation, and communication plan should include a sound business plan and market-readiness strategy, addressing how to prepare and support the deployment of the proposed clean tech solution across relevant EU industrial sectors and/or ensure a high potential for market uptake through further private/public investment. A comprehensive analysis of critical barriers (technological and non-technological) for successful market deployment and a corresponding plan to address them are required.

Proposals should include a clear go/no-go moment ahead of the contracting and demonstration phase. Before this moment, detailed engineering plans, a techno-economic assessment, all needed permits for the demonstrator, a complete business plan, and a market-readiness strategy identifying the industrial partner(s) that will lead the deployment must be delivered. A clear and credible pathway to obtaining all needed permits for the demonstration phase is also expected.

Synergies and coordination with similar or complementary projects funded under topics HORIZON-CID-2026-01-02 and HORIZON-CID-2027-01-02, as well as relevant European Partnerships (e.g., Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking and Clean Energy Transition Partnership), are encouraged.

The proposal page limit in part B of the General Annexes is exceptionally extended to a total maximum of 60 pages to accommodate the business plan and market-readiness strategy.

Admissibility conditions include compliance with proposal page limits 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. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. If projects use satellite data, they must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D. To contribute to a balanced portfolio, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but also to at least one application that is the highest ranked for each technology area, provided that the applications attain all thresholds. Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F and the Online Manual, and the indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is also described in Annex F. Legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in Annex G, with the granting authority able to object to a transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results for up to 4 years after the action's end.

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 (HE MGA), and call-specific instructions. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 (General Introduction, Digital, Industry and Space, Horizontal Activities, General Annexes), EIC Work Programme 2026, ERC Work Programme 2026, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget for HORIZON-CID-2027-01-01 is EUR 125,000,000, and for HORIZON-CID-2027-01-02 is EUR 140,000,000. The opening date is 12 January 2027, and the deadline is 15 September 2027. The indicative number of grants for each topic is 8, with contributions ranging from EUR 15,000,000 to EUR 25,000,000.

LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics. The submission system will open on the date stated in the topic header.

Applicants are advised to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. The Online Manual provides guidance on procedures from proposal submission to grant management. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ answers frequently asked questions. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research and the EU Research Framework Programmes. National Contact Points (NCPs) provide guidance and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. The Enterprise Europe Network offers advice to businesses, especially SMEs. The IT Helpdesk addresses technical questions. The European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC and ETSI Research Helpdesks advise on standardisation. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct outline the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers. Partner Search helps find partner organisations.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to foster the development and market readiness of clean technologies to support the Clean Industrial Deal and the EU's climate and decarbonisation goals. It targets three key clean tech areas and encourages projects that demonstrate significant improvements in circularity, cost-effectiveness, and GHG emission reduction. Successful proposals should have a strong industry focus, a clear business plan, and a well-defined path to market deployment. The call provides substantial funding and encourages collaboration and synergies with other relevant initiatives and partnerships.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined in the provided text. However, the call encourages the participation of clean tech suppliers, energy users (e.g., manufacturing, energy, and transport), SMEs and other relevant stakeholders. The consortium should be industry-driven. Therefore, eligible applicants could include startups, SMEs, large enterprises, research institutes, and other relevant organizations involved in the clean tech value chain.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) under the Horizon Europe program. The type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

Consortium Requirement: The call specifies that to ensure market readiness and effective collaboration amongst relevant stakeholders along a specific clean tech value chain, the consortium should be industry driven and composed of a manageable number of participants (indicatively, not more than ten participants). The consortium size should be justified based on the extent of the value chain covered. Therefore, a consortium of multiple applicants is required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility primarily focuses on activities and outcomes within Europe. The Clean Industrial Deal aims to secure the EU as an attractive location for manufacturing. Also, the call mentions sourcing from the EU or other Horizon Europe Associated Countries. 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 program targets the clean tech sector, with a focus on competitive decarbonisation of EU industry and the production of clean technologies in the EU. Specific areas include: Integrated net-zero emissions energy systems (e.g. including energy grids, networks and systems), Enhanced zero-emission power technologies (e.g. including renewable electricity, heat and energy technologies), Storage technologies, renewable fuels, and carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) (e.g. including batteries and other energy storage solutions, renewable hydrogen, advanced biofuels and synthetic renewable fuels) enabling climate neutrality. It also touches upon energy-intensive industries, manufacturing, energy, transport, advanced materials development, connected process engineering, resource efficiency, circularity, and recycling.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity focuses on the European Union and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Specific countries are not explicitly mentioned, but the focus is on the EU's industrial and technological landscape.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is at the technology demonstration and market readiness stage. Proposals should bring innovative clean tech solutions to full technological maturity and close to market-readiness with a view to accelerating its market deployment and/or integration in key industrial sectors in Europe. There is also a go/no-go moment ahead of the demonstration phase.

Funding Amount: The indicative contribution per project ranges from EUR 15,000,000 to EUR 25,000,000. For the topic HORIZON-CID-2027-01-01, the budget is EUR 125,000,000, with an indicative number of 8 grants. For the topic HORIZON-CID-2027-01-02, the budget is EUR 140,000,000, also with an indicative number of 8 grants.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage open call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant to support their projects.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates cannot be determined from the provided text. However, given the indicative number of grants (8) and the competitive nature of Horizon Europe, the success rate is likely to be below 10%.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement. However, Innovation Actions typically require some level of co-funding from the applicant or other sources.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe call, part of the R&I in Support of the Clean Industrial Deal (HORIZON-CID-2027-01), aims to bolster the EU's clean technology sector and promote the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries. The call invites consortia to develop and demonstrate innovative clean tech solutions, focusing on integrated net-zero emissions energy systems, enhanced zero-emission power technologies, and storage technologies/renewable fuels/CCU. Projects should strengthen the competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of clean tech solutions, bringing them closer to market readiness. The call encourages industry-driven consortia involving clean tech suppliers, energy users, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure a sound business case and effective market deployment. Proposals should demonstrate a clear and quantifiable impact on competitiveness and GHG emission reduction. The funding is provided through HORIZON Innovation Actions, with grants ranging from EUR 15,000,000 to EUR 25,000,000 per project. The application process is a single-stage open call, and the projects are expected to reach full technological maturity and market readiness. The call also emphasizes synergies with other related projects and European Partnerships, such as the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking and the Clean Energy Transition Partnership.