Smart integration of net zero technologies into Energy Intensive industries (Processes4Planet and Made in Europe partnerships) (IA)

The grant opportunity under Horizon Europe focuses on the smart integration of net-zero technologies into energy-intensive industries. It specifically falls within the scope of Innovation Action, with a single-stage submission process. The application submission period opened on May 22, 2025, and concludes on September 23, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. The indicative budget for this call is set at €25 million, with the expected grant contribution ranging from 5 to €9 million. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises, large enterprises, and companies involved in energy-intensive sectors such as steel and chemicals. Proposals must be submitted as part of a consortium, emphasizing collaboration throughout the value chain, including manufacturers of net-zero technology solutions and other stakeholders. The aim of the funding is to facilitate the sustainable and efficient use of energy within these sectors. The initiative promotes co-creation between equipment manufacturers and energy-intensive industries, supporting the development and commercialization of new net-zero technologies and integrated industrial processes to assist in industry decarbonization. Key objectives include enhancing the competitiveness of European industries and accelerating the adoption of net-zero technologies. The scope of work entails fostering collaboration, assessing industrial needs, optimizing and adapting technologies for specific sectors, demonstrating the effectiveness of proposed solutions, and ensuring that processes are standardized yet flexible. Proposals should include a comprehensive business case, exploitation strategy, and a techno-economic analysis, along with plans for societal and environmental impacts. The inclusion of a greenhouse gas avoidance methodology is encouraged. Conditions for eligibility include adherence to specific proposal guidelines and requirements, which cover aspects such as admissibility criteria, eligible countries, evaluation and award criteria, and financial capacities. Resources for assistance are made available through key documents and support services related to the Horizon Europe program. In summary, this funding opportunity aims to bolster European industries' transition to net-zero technologies by encouraging collaborative efforts and providing financial support for the development and execution of innovative solutions. Applicants are expected to create detailed proposals that reflect shared interests among various stakeholders, ensuring success and sustainability in achieving the EU’s Green Deal objectives.

This EU funding opportunity, HORIZON-CL4, focuses on the smart integration of net-zero technologies into energy-intensive industries. It is a Horizon Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) with a single-stage submission process. The call falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically the INDUSTRY (HORIZON-CL4-2025-01) call. The submission session opened on 22 May 2025, and the deadline for submission is 23 September 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The indicative budget for this topic is €25,000,000, and the expected grant contribution ranges from 5,000,000 to €9,000,000.

The expected outcomes of this funding opportunity are:enabling the sustainable and efficient use of energy in energy-intensive industries by connecting users and manufacturers of net-zero solutions, fostering win-win situations through co-creation between equipment manufacturers and energy-intensive industrial sectors, developing new net-zero technologies and industrially integrated processes to support industry decarbonization, enhancing the competitiveness of European energy-intensive and manufacturing industries, and accelerating the adoption of net-zero technologies in energy-intensive industries.

The scope of this topic includes facilitating collaboration between energy-intensive industrial sectors and manufacturers of net-zero technology solutions, assessing the needs of industrial sectors to define standard processes and energy needs, optimizing and adapting technologies to meet industrial sector needs, proposing and demonstrating necessary process modifications for integrating net-zero technologies, demonstrating the effectiveness and replicability of proposed approaches, developing solutions that balance standardisation and flexibility, and supporting the development of skills for integrating net-zero technologies. Proposals should involve all actors in the value chain, ensure interoperability and secure data sharing, include a business case and exploitation strategy, develop an exploitation plan, outline societal and environmental impacts, and be based on a sound techno-economic analysis. The inclusion of a GHG avoidance methodology is recommended.

The general conditions for this funding opportunity include admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout, eligible countries, other eligible conditions, financial and operational capacity and exclusion, evaluation and award criteria, submission and evaluation processes, indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, and legal and financial set-up of the grants. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms, as well as the model grant agreement (MGA), are available in the Submission System. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2025, the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme, the HE Specific Programme Decision, the EU Financial Regulation, the Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme, rules for Legal Entity Validation, the EU Grants AGA, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions.

There are 30 partner search announcements available for this topic. 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, and CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to promote the integration of net-zero technologies in energy-intensive industries through collaboration, technology adaptation, process modification, and skills development. It seeks to enhance the sustainability, efficiency, and competitiveness of European industries while contributing to the EU's Green Deal objectives. Applicants are expected to form consortia involving manufacturers, industrial sectors, and engineering firms, and to develop comprehensive business plans and exploitation strategies for their proposed solutions. The call is part of the Horizon Europe program and involves a single-stage submission process with a deadline of September 23, 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types for this opportunity include manufacturers of net zero technology solutions, energy intensive industries, engineering firms, and construction firms. The call emphasizes the involvement of all actors in the value chain.

Funding Type:The funding type is primarily a grant, specifically a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) or HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) and HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions (HORIZON-COFUND). The Model Grant Agreement is a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

Consortium Requirement:The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants. Proposals should involve all actors in the value chain, from manufacturers of net-zero technology solutions to energy-intensive industries and engineering and construction firms.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility is described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector:The target sectors are energy, environment, manufacturing, and climate, specifically focusing on the integration of net-zero technologies into energy-intensive industries. It also touches upon digital aspects related to interoperability and data sharing.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned, but the opportunity is within the Horizon Europe framework, implying eligibility for EU member states and associated countries. Non-EU and non-associated countries may also be eligible under specific provisions.

Project Stage:The expected maturity of the project is demonstration and commercialization, as the call focuses on demonstrating the effectiveness and replicability of proposed approaches and developing exploitation plans for scalability and deployment.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €1,000,000 to €45,000,000. Some topics provide a range (e.g., €5,000,000 to €7,000,000), while others specify an approximate amount (e.g., around €6,000,000).

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.

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

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.

Co-funding Requirement:The need for co-funding is not explicitly stated, but proposals should include a business plan and financial model indicating possible private and public funding sources, suggesting that co-funding or leveraging additional investment is beneficial.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe call, under the INDUSTRY pillar (HORIZON-CL4-2025-01), aims to foster the smart integration of net-zero technologies into energy-intensive industries. It seeks to bridge the gap between manufacturers and users of these technologies, enabling the sustainable and efficient use of energy and enhancing the competitiveness of European industries. The call encourages collaboration among manufacturers, energy-intensive industries, engineering firms, and construction companies to optimize and adapt net-zero technologies for specific industrial processes.

The call covers a range of topics related to digital, human, materials, and twin transition, with funding instruments including Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) and Programme Cofund Actions (COFUND). Projects should facilitate collaboration, assess industrial needs, optimize technologies, propose process modifications, demonstrate effectiveness, develop standardized solutions, and support skills development. Proposals must include a business case, exploitation strategy, and plans for scalability and deployment, as well as a techno-economic analysis and GHG avoidance methodology.

The funding amounts vary from €1 million to €45 million depending on the type of action, and the call follows a single-stage submission process with a deadline of September 23, 2025. Eligible applicants include manufacturers of net-zero technologies, energy-intensive industries, engineering firms, and construction firms, forming a consortium to address the call's objectives. The call aligns with the Green Deal Industrial Plan and aims to increase the manufacturing capacity of strategic net-zero technologies in the EU.