Using captured CO2 as a resource to replace fossil hydrocarbons in industrial production

The Horizon Europe grant opportunity HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-27 is focused on the innovative use of captured CO2 as a resource to replace fossil hydrocarbons in industrial production. This constitutes an HORIZON Innovation Action, specifically categorized as a grant under the HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based model. The call opened on May 6, 2025, and will close on September 2, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time.

Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, and other legal entities from EU member states and associated countries. Proposals must involve a consortium of at least three partners, each from different EU or associated countries.

The targeted sectors for this grant involve climate, energy, and environmental processes, emphasizing carbon capture and utilization technologies aimed at developing advanced synthetic fuels, chemicals, polymers, or minerals. The projects are expected to positively contribute to emission reduction and energy security while promoting EU autonomy by substituting fossil-based feedstocks with waste materials and captured CO2.

While the precise funding amount for this specific call is not explicitly stated, similar projects typically range between €1 million and €5 million, and the total budget for this call stands at approximately €14 million. The application process is structured as a single-stage open call.

The grant provides monetary support for research, innovation, coordination, and support activities. The success rates for applications in Horizon Europe tend to be between 10 and 39%, reflecting the competitive nature of the program. Co-funding is generally required for profit-oriented entities, while non-profit entities might receive full funding.

Proposals are expected to outline the economic feasibility of their approaches, demonstrate scalability, and minimize reliance on virgin raw materials. Moreover, they should specify energy and cost targets, tolerate varying levels of CO2 purity, and incorporate robust lifecycle analysis aligned with EU standards.

This call aligns with broader EU climate goals and is part of a concerted effort to innovate within industrial practices, promoting sustainable alternatives to fossil resources. The framework includes detailed evaluation criteria and guidelines for submission, with various support resources available to assist prospective applicants throughout the process.

The EU Funding and Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically within Cluster 5, call 02-2025 (WP 2025) (HORIZON-CL5-2025-02). The topic is "Using captured CO2 as a resource to replace fossil hydrocarbons in industrial production" (HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-27). This is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] model grant agreement.

The call is currently open for submission with a single-stage deadline model. The opening date was May 6, 2025, and the deadline for submission is September 2, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the projects should contribute to: Unlocking the economic potential of CO2 utilization, strengthening the industrial carbon management value chain through innovative solutions for recycling CO2 to produce advanced synthetic fuels, chemicals, polymers, or minerals, making them price-competitive and accelerating their market deployment, and contributing to emission reduction, energy security, and autonomy of the EU through the gradual substitution of fossil-based feedstocks in the production of chemicals and materials by alternative feedstocks, like waste and residues, and captured CO2.

The scope of the proposals should aim at reducing the capital intensity and energy and environmental footprint of CO2 conversion technologies to allow for upscaling in the short to medium term. In particular, proposals are expected to: Provide information and assessment about the economic feasibility and the potential of scaling-up the proposed solutions at commercial scale as appropriate. Reduce the use of virgin critical raw materials. Define ambitious but achievable targets for energy requirements of the conversion process, production costs and product yields, as well of price competitiveness, that will be used to monitor project implementation. Define minimum CO2 concentrations and maximum impurities levels that the conversion process can tolerate. Solutions that can cope with less pure CO2 streams will improve the overall energy efficiency. Apply rigorous life-cycle analysis (LCA) to ensure that the proposed solution is comprehensively assessed on its ability to contribute to long-term sustainability: climate mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity, water use, pollution, and virgin resources depletion. The LCA must be in line with guidelines developed by the Commission, such as the Innovation Fund GHG methodology and the relevant ISO standards and the EU Taxonomy Regulation. Proposed solutions should focus on the CO2 conversion process, although integration in industrial capture or direct air capture facilities can be included. Enhanced oil, gas or coalbed methane recovery (EOR/EGR/ECBM) are out of scope of this topic. Whenever the expected exploitation of project results entails developing, creating, manufacturing and marketing a product or process, or in creating and providing a service, the plan for the exploitation and dissemination of results must include a strategy for such exploitation and an analysis of equivalent final products in the market. The exploitation plans must include preliminary ideas for scalability, commercialisation, and deployment (feasibility study, business plan, financial model) indicating the possible funding sources to be potentially used (in particular the Innovation Fund).

The submission session is now available for: HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-09, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-26, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-11, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-15, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-11, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-17, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-25, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-12, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-16, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-10, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-04, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-03, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-21, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-27, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-03, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-06, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-08, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-06

General conditions for admissibility include 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. Other eligible conditions are described in Annex B, while financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are in Annex C. Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are in Annex D. Submission and evaluation processes are detailed in Annex F and the Online Manual, with the indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement also in Annex F. The legal and financial setup of the grants is described in Annex G. 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, with a standard application form (HE RIA, IA). Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including a standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA). Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide, and the Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is 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, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview for the call includes various topics with their respective budgets, stages, opening and deadline dates, contributions, and indicative number of grants.

There are 7 partner search announcements available. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics.

To start the submission process, click the submission button next to the action type and model grant agreement. Carefully read all provisions before preparing the application. The Online Manual is a guide for procedures from proposal submission to grant management. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains detailed guidance on structure, budget, and political priorities. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ provides answers to frequently asked questions. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance and assistance. The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) provides 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 roles and responsibilities. Partner Search helps find partner organisations.

The budget for HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-27 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions is 14 000 000 EUR. It is a single-stage call, opening on 2025-05-06 and closing on 2025-09-02. The indicative number of grants is around 2.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call focuses on innovation actions to promote the use of captured CO2 as a resource in industrial production, aiming to replace fossil hydrocarbons. The call seeks proposals that can reduce the capital intensity and environmental footprint of CO2 conversion technologies, making them economically viable and scalable. Projects should contribute to emission reduction, energy security, and the substitution of fossil-based feedstocks with alternative sources. The call provides a comprehensive framework, including eligibility criteria, evaluation processes, and access to various support resources to facilitate successful participation.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated but can be inferred to include a wide range of entities such as research organizations, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, and other legal entities capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The mention of LEAR (Legal Entity Appointed Representative) suggests that any legally recognized entity is potentially eligible, provided they meet the specific criteria outlined in the call conditions and annexes.

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

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the partner search announcements and the nature of Horizon Europe projects suggest that both single applicants and consortia are possible, but consortia are more common, especially for Innovation Actions and Research and Innovation Actions. The partner search tool indicates a possibility, and perhaps even a preference, for collaborative projects.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is for entities located in the EU and associated countries, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. However, the text also mentions that non-EU/non-Associated Countries may have specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects, contingent on specific agreements or provisions.

Target Sector: The program targets the climate, energy, and mobility sectors, with a specific focus on using captured CO2 as a resource to replace fossil hydrocarbons in industrial production. This includes areas such as advanced synthetic fuels, chemicals, polymers, and minerals. The program also emphasizes reducing the capital intensity and environmental footprint of CO2 conversion technologies.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU countries and associated countries. It also refers to non-EU and non-associated countries, indicating a broader international scope with specific provisions.

Project Stage: The project stage ranges from research and innovation (RIA) to innovation actions (IA), suggesting a focus on development, demonstration, and potentially commercialization or scale-up of CO2 conversion technologies. The emphasis on scalability, commercialisation, and deployment indicates that projects should aim for Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) ranging from development to demonstration and potentially market introduction.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic and type of action (IA, RIA, CSA, COFUND). The indicative budgets range from €500,000 to €69,000,000.
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-03: €20,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-06: €3,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-08: €10,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-10: €69,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-11: €7,500,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-12: €500,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-03: €20,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-04: €12,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-06: €28,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-09: €18,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-11: €18,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-15: €4,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-16: €1,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-17: €20,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-21: €14,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-25: €10,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-26: €5,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-27: €14,000,000

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

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

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage, meaning applicants submit a full proposal by the deadline.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but Horizon Europe programs typically have success rates ranging from 10% to 40%, depending on the specific call and topic.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is generally not required for HORIZON-IA and HORIZON-RIA projects, but HORIZON-COFUND actions specifically involve co-funding from other sources.

Summary:
This Horizon Europe Cluster 5 call focuses on "Using captured CO2 as a resource to replace fossil hydrocarbons in industrial production." It aims to unlock the economic potential of CO2 utilization by strengthening the industrial carbon management value chain. The call seeks innovative solutions for recycling CO2 into advanced synthetic fuels, chemicals, polymers, or minerals, making them price-competitive and accelerating their market deployment. The goal is to reduce emissions, enhance energy security, and promote EU autonomy by substituting fossil-based feedstocks with alternative feedstocks like waste, residues, and captured CO2.

Projects should focus on reducing the capital intensity and environmental footprint of CO2 conversion technologies to enable upscaling. Proposals should include economic feasibility assessments, scalability potential, reduction of virgin critical raw materials, ambitious energy and cost targets, tolerance for CO2 impurities, and rigorous life-cycle analysis. Enhanced oil, gas, or coalbed methane recovery (EOR/EGR/ECBM) are explicitly excluded.

The call encompasses various types of actions, including Innovation Actions (IA), Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), and COFUND actions, each with different funding levels and objectives. The geographic scope is primarily the EU and associated countries, with potential provisions for non-EU countries. The application process is a single-stage submission, and funding is provided in the form of grants. This initiative is part of the broader Horizon Europe program, aligning with its climate, energy, and mobility goals, and emphasizes the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing among participants.