Innovation fund – projects with a budget over 7,500,000 euro

Innovation fund

Innovative low-carbon technologies

Funding body: European Climate Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).

Objective: Driving clean, innovative technologies towards market readiness for the decarbonisation of Europe and support its transition to climate neutrality.

Budget of the 2022 call: € 3 billion, divided into 4 sub-programmes, as follows:

1. Electrification in industry and hydrogen production (€ 1 billion) – projects for direct electrification of industry, replacing conventional fossil fuels use; renewable hydrogen production; industrial applications of renewable hydrogen;
2. Clean-tech manufacturing (€ 0,7 billion) – projects for manufacturing of components such as electrolysers and fuels cells; innovative renewable energy installations and energy storage facilities; heat pumps;
3. Pilot projects for validating, testing and optimising highly innovative solutions (€ 0,3 billion) – projects for deep decarbonisation. Projects should demonstrate innovations in an operational environment, but are not expected yet to reach large scale demonstration or commercial production;
4. General decarbonisation (€ 1 billion) – all projects, except the aforelisted three types. Eligible are all innovative projects concerning renewable energy technologies, innovative solutions for energy-intensive industries; energy storage; carbon capture, storage and use; and others.

Eligible applicants: A single legal entity (companies, public institutions, international organizations) from EU27, Norway and Iceland; individually or as a consortium.

Funding rate: 60% of the expenditure for the implementation of the project.

Project requirements:
• Demonstrate an innovation in one of the 4 themes above;
• Have a total capital expenditure exceeding EUR 7 500 000;
• A feasibility study and a business plan;

Evaluation criteria:
• GHG avoidance (absolute and relative avoidance);
• Degree of innovation;
• Project Maturity (technical, operational and financial);
• Scalability – at sectoral level / economy-wide;
• Cost efficiency;

Deadline for application: 16 March 2023

Evaluation results: July/August 2023

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