Sustainable processing and refining of raw materials to produce battery grade Li-ion battery materials (Batt4EU Partnership)

The grant opportunity HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-03 falls under the Batt4EU Partnership and is aimed at promoting sustainable processing and refining of raw materials for lithium-ion batteries. It operates as part of the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting the advancement of the battery raw materials sector.

Eligible applicants include small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, universities, research institutes, and public-private partnerships. The mechanism for funding is a grant type specifically classified as a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. The grant is structured around a consortium requirement, necessitating collaboration among various stakeholders, including industry players and research institutions. The geographic eligibility encompasses EU member states, associated countries, and countries with strategic partnerships in raw materials.

Projects must focus on sectors related to battery technology, including cleantech and energy storage, specifically around the sustainable production of lithium-ion battery materials. The grant is set for development and validation stages and aims to support projects that are ready for large-scale implementation.

Funding amounts for this opportunity are expected to range between €1 million and €5 million per project. The application process is a single-stage open call, with a submission deadline of 2 September 2025. The nature of support includes financial assistance through lump-sum funding.

The expected outcomes of the grant include enhancing self-sufficiency within the EU in terms of battery raw materials, increasing processing capacities, promoting circular economy practices, and ensuring societal acceptance of battery material production processes.

Successful proposals will detail strategies for scalability and commercialization and explore co-funding involvement. Success rates for similar grants generally vary between 10% and 39%, reflecting competitiveness in the application process.

The overarching aim of this funding opportunity is to strengthen the EU's battery supply chain, encouraging innovation in processing technologies while fostering sustainability and decreasing reliance on external resources for battery materials.

This EU funding opportunity, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-03, aims to promote sustainable processing and refining of raw materials for Li-ion batteries under the Batt4EU Partnership. It falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically Cluster 5 Call 02-2025 (WP 2025). The action type is HORIZON-IA (Innovation Actions) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement. The call is currently open for submission with a single-stage deadline on 02 September 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The opening date is 06 May 2025.

The expected outcomes of this funding opportunity are: increased autonomy for the EU in the battery raw materials sector, increased processing and refining capacities of battery raw materials within the EU, demonstration of advanced technologies for processing raw materials into high-quality battery materials, increased sustainability and efficiency of the European Li-ion battery sector, promotion of circular battery value chains, and improved societal acceptance of processing plants.

The scope of the projects should demonstrate cost-efficient, safe, and sustainable production of battery-grade metals and precursors, as well as electrode active materials. The raw materials in scope are lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, manganese, and phosphorus. The proposed processes need to be ready for large-scale adoption, utilizing primary sources from EU ores, brine, or mineral-bearing resources, or secondary sources like mining waste, tailings, sludges, slags, black mass, manufacturing scraps, and wastewater. Mining and mechanical recycling of battery cells are excluded. Integration of produced electrode materials into cell production is out of scope, but validation of functionality and quality of the processed materials is within the scope.

Exploitation plans should include strategies for scalability, commercialization, and deployment, including feasibility studies and business plans, and indicate potential funding sources like the Innovation Fund. Proposals should evaluate the social acceptance of business models by consulting affected actors and reducing environmental and social barriers. The Commission initiative for Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) should be considered. Involvement of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) is possible for added value regarding battery sustainability. Projects are expected to collaborate with the Coordination and Support Action defined under HORIZON-CL5-2025-D2-02-06 and report results to the European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU).

The general conditions include admissibility conditions, eligible countries, and financial and operational capacity. Proposal page limits and layout are 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 outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate, subject to restrictions for European communication networks. Participation is limited to legal entities established in specific countries, including Member States, associated countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, Andean Community, and countries with strategic partnerships on raw materials. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Evaluation and award criteria, submission and evaluation processes, and the indicative timeline are detailed in Annexes D and F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. Eligible costs will be in the form of a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021. The specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme, with additional details in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreements are available in the Submission System, along with guidance documents such as the HE Programme Guide and Lump Sum MGA. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2025, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various guidance documents and online manuals.

The budget overview indicates a total budget of 20,000,000 EUR for HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-03, with an indicative number of 2 grants to be awarded. The opening date is 06 May 2025, and the deadline is 02 September 2025.

There are partner search announcements available for this topic.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to bolster the EU's battery raw materials sector by supporting projects that demonstrate sustainable and cost-efficient production of battery-grade materials. It encourages innovation in processing technologies, promotes circular economy principles, and seeks to enhance the EU's autonomy and resilience in the battery value chain. Eligible entities from specific countries are invited to form consortia and submit proposals that align with the call's objectives and guidelines, with the potential for involvement from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. The funding will be provided as a lump sum, and projects are expected to collaborate with other initiatives and report on their progress to the European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU).

There are also other related funding opportunities listed with the same opening and deadline dates:
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-06 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 3 000 000 EUR and 1 indicative grant.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-08 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 10 000 000 EUR and 2 indicative grants.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-10 - HORIZON-COFUND HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions with a budget of 69 000 000 EUR and 1 indicative grant.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-11 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 7 500 000 EUR and 15 indicative grants.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-12 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 500 000 EUR and 1 indicative grant.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-03 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 20 000 000 EUR and 2 indicative grants.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-04 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 12 000 000 EUR and 3 indicative grants.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-06 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 28 000 000 EUR and 4 indicative grants.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-09 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 18 000 000 EUR and 2 indicative grants.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-11 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 18 000 000 EUR and 3 indicative grants.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-15 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 4 000 000 EUR and 1 indicative grant.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-16 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of 1 000 000 EUR and 1 indicative grant.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-17 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 20 000 000 EUR and 2 indicative grants.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-21 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 14 000 000 EUR and 2 indicative grants.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-25 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 10 000 000 EUR and 2 indicative grants.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-26 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of 5 000 000 EUR and 1 indicative grant.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-27 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of 14 000 000 EUR and 2 indicative grants.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types for this opportunity are legal entities established in Member States, associated countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, Andean Community and countries with which the EU has concluded strategic partnerships on raw materials as well as trade (or association/economic partnership or equivalent, including the new Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships) agreements containing raw materials cooperation provisions (i.e. Energy and Raw materials chapters). The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) and HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions (HORIZON-COFUND) with eligible costs taking the form of a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to require a consortium, as the Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding and projects are expected to collaborate and contribute to the activities of the Coordination and Support Action defined under the topic HORIZON-CL5-2025-D2-02-06.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility for applicants is limited to legal entities established in Member States, associated countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, Andean Community and countries with which the EU has concluded strategic partnerships on raw materials as well as trade (or association/economic partnership or equivalent, including the new Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships) agreements containing raw materials cooperation provisions.

Target Sector: The target sector for this program is focused on the battery raw materials sector, specifically the sustainable processing and refining of raw materials to produce battery-grade Li-ion battery materials. This includes areas such as energy, climate, environment, raw materials, and circular economy.

Mentioned Countries: Member States of the EU, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, Andean Community.

Project Stage: The project stage is aimed at large-scale adoption, demonstration, and commercialization, indicating a technology readiness level (TRL) ranging from validation to demonstration and commercialization.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific HORIZON action type:
HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA): €14,000,000 to €28,000,000 with indicative number of grants from 2 to 4
HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA): €5,000,000 to €12,000,000 with indicative number of grants from 1 to 3
HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA): €500,000 to €7,500,000 with indicative number of grants from 1 to 15
HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions (HORIZON-COFUND): €69,000,000 with indicative number of grants around 1

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 lump sum grant.

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

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the potential competitiveness.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding may be required for HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under Cluster 5 and the Batt4EU Partnership, seeks to enhance the EU's autonomy and sustainability in the battery raw materials sector. It aims to increase domestic processing capacity and promote circular economy principles by funding projects that demonstrate cost-efficient, safe, and sustainable production of battery-grade materials. The call is structured around several HORIZON action types, including Innovation Actions (IA), Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), and Programme Cofund Actions, each with varying budget allocations and objectives. Eligible applicants include legal entities from EU Member States, associated countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, and other countries with strategic partnerships with the EU on raw materials. Projects should focus on refining and processing raw materials like lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, manganese, and phosphorus, while adhering to safe and sustainable by design principles. The call emphasizes collaboration, social acceptance, and contribution to the European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU) KPIs. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may be involved in projects, and applicants are encouraged to consult with National Contact Points (NCPs) and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) for guidance.