Valorisation of untapped forest biomass

The HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-RIA-01 call for proposals focuses on the "Valorisation of untapped forest biomass" within the Horizon Europe framework, specifically under the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU). The call is open for submissions until September 18, 2025, with an emphasis on innovative research and development concerning underutilized forest biomass. The program particularly targets various entities, including startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, nonprofits, and public-private partnerships, requiring collaborative consortia that involve stakeholders like farmers and local authorities.

Funding takes the form of grants, with a specific allocation of €7 million per project, part of a total budget of approximately €172 million earmarked for multiple topics. The application process is single-stage, and while success rates aren't explicitly detailed, similar Horizon Europe initiatives typically yield lower success rates owing to high competition.

Eligible applicants must be based in EU member states, EEA countries, or EU-associated third countries, reflecting the call’s EU-centric scope. Projects should primarily be at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3-5, focusing on lab or simulated environment studies, with the goal of developing methods for converting low-value forest biomass into bio-based products. The targeted sectors include agro-forestry, bio-based materials, and environmental technology, aiming to address sustainability, reduce pollution, and foster resource efficiency.

Participation requires adherence to a co-funding model, wherein applicants need to present a financial contribution calculated as total eligible costs minus requested funding. The call encourages decentralized and innovative planning tools for biomass management, as well as creating new business models while actively involving local stakeholders in project development.

Proposals must pursue solutions to enhance the value of underutilized biomass and contribute to EU climate policies and biodiversity strategies, hence fostering rural development and promoting novel income streams for forest owners. There are various resources available for applicants, including essential documents and tools to aid in their submissions and address requirements effectively.

In summary, the HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-RIA-01 initiative aims to encourage collaborative approaches to leverage untapped forest biomass for sustainable innovation, thus aligning with the overarching goals of the EU's bioeconomy and environmental conservation efforts.

The opportunity is the HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-RIA-01 call for proposals titled "Valorisation of untapped forest biomass" under the Horizon Europe program, specifically the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU). It is a HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-JU-RIA) with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] model grant agreement. The call is currently open for submission with a single-stage deadline. The opening date was April 3, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is September 18, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The call aims to contribute to the implementation of several EU strategies and regulations, including the EU Forest Strategy for 2030, the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry Regulation, the Carbon Removal Certification Framework Regulation, and the EU Nature Restoration Law.

Successful projects are expected to enhance the forest-based sector's contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation, forest restoration and resilience, biodiversity, and rural development. They should also add value to feedstock at the point of origin, optimize transportation and logistics costs, inform decision-making by forest owners and managers regarding sustainable practices and novel technologies, develop new value chains and business models for bio-based products, and increase engagement and innovation capacity of regional and local actors, creating positive social impacts in rural areas.

The scope of the call focuses on addressing the challenges faced by forest managers in implementing sustainable practices. It aims to valorize biomass streams from forestry, agroforestry, and horticulture, including residual streams and biomass removed for prevention of natural disasters, to reduce forest abandonment and preserve biodiversity. The call targets biomass with low or negative economic value, such as small wood, damaged wood, mixed forest wood, shrubs, bark, cork, branches, and resin, which are often burned or incinerated. The call encourages exploration of valorization pathways beyond bioenergy and biofuel production.

Proposals should develop innovative planning tools and technologies for harvesting, storage, and pre-treatment of low-value or underutilized forest biomass. Decentralized approaches, including small-scale, mobile, containerized units, are encouraged, considering the challenges across different European regions and company sizes. Proposals should also develop and test the feasibility of conversion routes to bio-based chemicals, compounds, materials, and products, assessing the viability of new business models. Testing of local value chains through logistics optimization, cost efficiency improvements, and collaboration with central hubs is expected. Active involvement of local forest owners, managers, and other primary sector operators is crucial for developing and testing novel value chains in pilot areas. The feasibility of different ownership types and cooperative structures should be addressed to ensure alignment with value-chain cooperation.

In addition to the general requirements, proposals should provide recommendations for developing EU carbon farming certification methodologies for unused and underutilized forest biomass in long-lasting products. The Multi-Actor Approach (MAA) should be followed, ensuring involvement of key actors across the value chains. Synergies with existing initiatives and networks, such as the Common Agricultural Policy and the EIP-AGRI, should be explored. Proposals should go beyond environmental sustainability requirements by preventing soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and carbon loss during biomass extraction, implementing safeguards for different forest types and management practices, and assessing the impact on soil quality and health. Complementarities with past and ongoing R&I projects should be ensured.

A new version of the Application Form (Part B) template is available in the Submission System as of April 4, 2025. The submission session is available for multiple topics under the HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025 call as of April 3, 2025.

The general conditions for participation include admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout (described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form), eligible countries (described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide), other eligible conditions (described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes), financial and operational capacity and exclusion (described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes), evaluation and award criteria (described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes), submission and evaluation processes (described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual), and legal and financial setup of the grants (described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes). Specific conditions are described in section 2.2.3 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2025.

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 2023–2025, the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, rules for legal entity validation, the EU Grants AGA, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions.

The budget overview indicates that approximately 3,500,000 EUR is allocated to this specific topic (HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-RIA-01), with an indicative number of 2 grants to be awarded.

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

To start the submission process, applicants should access the Electronic Submission Service and select the appropriate type of action and model grant agreement.

Various support resources are available, including the Online Manual, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, the Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), the Enterprise Europe Network, the IT Helpdesk, the European IPR Helpdesk, the CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk, and the Partner Search tool.

In summary, this call for proposals aims to foster innovative approaches to valorizing untapped forest biomass, promoting sustainable forest management, and developing new bio-based value chains, ultimately contributing to the EU's environmental and bioeconomy goals. It encourages collaborative projects that involve local stakeholders and address the specific challenges and opportunities in different European regions. The call provides funding to research and innovation actions that can demonstrate the feasibility and sustainability of new technologies and business models in the forest-based sector.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the context of Horizon Europe and the CBE JU (Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking), eligible applicants are likely to include a range of entities such as universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations involved in research and innovation within the bio-based sector. The Multi-Actor Approach (MAA) requirement suggests that consortia should involve diverse actors including feedstock providers, industrial players, consumers, advisors, and policymakers.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a "HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]". The call falls under HORIZON-JU-RIA (HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions) and HORIZON-JU-CSA (HORIZON JU Coordination and Support Actions).

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the Multi-Actor Approach (MAA) and the need to involve various actors in the value chains strongly suggest that a consortium is preferred or even required. The text mentions the need to involve local forest owners, managers, and other primary sector operators, implying the need for a consortium to cover the entire value chain.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is for EU member states and associated countries, as this is a Horizon Europe program. The text mentions that "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," indicating that some third-country participation is possible, subject to specific provisions outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The program targets the bio-based sector, with a specific focus on forestry, agroforestry, and horticulture. It aims to valorize unused and underutilized forest biomass for the production of bio-based chemicals, compounds, materials, and products. Key areas include: forestry, agriculture/food, cleantech, innovation, and DeepTech.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the program is focused on European regions and the EU. The reference to "non-EU/non-Associated Countries" implies a broader international scope with specific conditions.

Project Stage: The project stage is primarily focused on research, development, and demonstration. The call for proposals includes both Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA), suggesting that projects should range from early-stage research to demonstration and testing of new technologies and business models. The emphasis on developing and testing the feasibility of conversion routes and testing the local value chain indicates a focus on validation and demonstration.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic. Based on the "Budget overview," the funding ranges are approximately:
around €3,500,000 for RIA projects, around €7,000,000 for IA projects, around €20,000,000 for IAFlag projects, and around €1,000,000 for CSA projects.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process. The call opened on April 3, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is September 18, 2025.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe program, specifically the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU). It aims to enhance the sustainability and value of the forest-based sector by promoting the valorization of unused and underutilized forest biomass. The call seeks projects that can develop innovative technologies, tools, and business models for harvesting, storing, pre-treating, and converting low-value forest biomass into bio-based products. The projects should involve a diverse range of stakeholders, including forest owners, managers, industrial players, and policymakers, following a Multi-Actor Approach (MAA). The ultimate goal is to contribute to the EU's climate change mitigation, biodiversity, and bioeconomy objectives, while also fostering rural development and creating new income sources for forest owners and managers. The call includes various topics with different funding levels, ranging from Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) to Innovation Actions (IA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), each with specific objectives and expected outcomes. Applicants need to submit their proposals electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal, adhering to the guidelines and templates provided.