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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

The core objective of this grant is to support the transition of energy-intensive process industries from traditional heat-driven methods to innovative electrically-driven processes. This aims to significantly reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, achieve substantial energy savings, and enhance the economic viability and resilience of the European process industry. - Explicit identification of target recipient type: Legal entities operating within energy-intensive and process industries, as well as research organizations and universities contributing to industrial innovation. - SECTOR-SPECIFIC: This grant is SECTOR-SPECIFIC, targeting Energy-Intensive Industries, Process Industries, and Manufacturing. - Geographic scope: Projects with impact across the European industry, aligning with EU climate neutrality goals. Eligible participants are from EU Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe, with a specific exclusion for entities established in China. - Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening: Projects must focus on electrically-driven technologies to replace heat input, demonstrate strong potential for GHG emission avoidance and at least 25% energy savings, and provide a clear business case for European deployment. - Grant frequency: This specific topic is part of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 and is a single-stage call for proposals, with calls under the broader Horizon Europe framework occurring regularly.

Financial Structure

Funding Type: This is an Innovation Action (IA) grant, provided on a budget-based mechanism.
Total Topic Budget: The total budget allocated for this specific topic (HORIZON-CL4-INDUSTRY-2025-01-TWIN-TRANSITION-31) is 25,000,000.0 EUR.
Minimum Grant Amount per Project: 8,000,000.0 EUR.
Maximum Grant Amount per Project: 10,000,000.0 EUR.
Currency: All financial amounts are specified in EUR.
Eligible Costs: Will be determined according to the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement (HE MGA).
Financial Reporting: Requirements for financial reporting are detailed in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Co-financing/Funding Rate: Not explicitly specified in the provided topic details. Information would typically be found in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type and Legal Status

Eligible: Legal entities established in EU Member States and countries associated with the Horizon Europe Programme.
Excluded: Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in Innovation Actions in any capacity.
Consortium: Project proposals are expected to be submitted jointly by more than one organization, forming a consortium.

Project Scope and Technical Requirements

Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs): Projects must demonstrate technologies at TRLs 6 and 7. TRL 6 refers to technology demonstration in a relevant environment, while TRL 7 means system prototype demonstration in an operational environment.
Project Focus: Must involve the development and/or integration of highly efficient electrically-driven technologies (e.g., membrane technology, power ultrasound, mechanical activation, electrochemical processes) that can replace traditional heating processes in industry.
GHG Avoidance: Recommended to include a detailed GHG avoidance methodology (specifically referencing the Innovation Fund methodology) with clear baselines and projected emissions reduction.

Business and Exploitation Requirements

Business Case: Proposals must include a robust business case demonstrating expected market opportunities and deployment potential within the EU.
Exploitation Strategy: A credible exploitation strategy is required, identifying obstacles, necessary actions, and pathways to reaching higher TRLs and full-scale deployment in the EU.
Training Material: Recommended to develop training material to equip workers with the necessary skills for the uptake and deployment of new innovative products, services, and processes.

Application Process

Application Submission

Application Deadline: The definitive deadline for submitting proposals is 2025-09-23T00:00:00+0000.
Submission Platform: Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal, by clicking the submission button next to the action type.
Required Documentation: Applicants must use the standard application form (HE RIA, IA), with specific templates available in the Submission System. Part B of the application form details the required layout and page limits.
Supporting Materials: Proposals must include a comprehensive business case and a credible exploitation strategy.
Pre-application Requirements: Before submission, applicants must ensure legal entity validation, LEAR (Legal Entity Appointed Representative) appointment, and financial capacity assessment are completed as per the Rules for Legal Entity Validation.

Evaluation and Selection Process

Evaluation Criteria: The award criteria, scoring system, and thresholds for evaluation are detailed in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Review Process: The submission and evaluation processes are outlined in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Timeline: An indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement signature is provided in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Project Implementation and Post-Award

Project Duration: The grant duration parameters are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Reporting Obligations: Grant beneficiaries are required to adhere to a reporting schedule and frequency for project progress and financial information as per the Model Grant Agreement and Annex G.
Exploitation Plan: An elaborated exploitation plan, including preliminary plans for scalability, commercialisation, and deployment (with feasibility study, business plan, and financial model), must be developed as a project output.
Monitoring and Verification: Monitoring, reporting, and verification of performance (especially GHG emission avoidance) is required for disbursement and knowledge-sharing, following the principles of the Innovation Fund methodology for GHG calculations.

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation criteria are typically structured around Excellence, Impact, and Quality and Efficiency of Implementation, as detailed in the Work Programme General Annexes. Based on the topic's description, the following aspects will be key for scoring: Impact

Contribution to EU Climate Neutrality: Assessed on the project's potential to contribute to the EU's climate neutrality objective and the proposed 2040 90% GHG reduction target.
Energy Savings: Expected to achieve at least 25% energy savings compared to processes based on relevant Best Available Technologies (BAT).
Economic Viability and Competitiveness: The extent to which the project improves the economic viability, competitiveness, and resilience of the European process industry.
Market Opportunities and Deployment: Clear demonstration of enhanced market opportunities for participants and successful deployment in the EU in the short to medium term.
Scalability and Replicability: The potential for the proposed solution to be scaled up, replicated across the industry, and offer demonstrable economic return.
Societal and Environmental Benefits: The project's positive societal and environmental impacts, including implications for the workplace and alignment with the Industry 5.0 paradigm (which emphasizes human-centric, sustainable, and resilient industry).

Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation

Technical Soundness: The quality and effectiveness of the proposed electrically-driven technologies (e.g., membrane technology, power ultrasound, mechanical activation, electrochemical processes) in replacing traditional heating processes.
Holistic Approach: The comprehensiveness of the approach, including redesign of equipment, use of advanced materials, and integration of electrified processes.
Safety and Control: Assurance of process safety, sufficient flexibility, and ease of process control.
Methodology for GHG Avoidance: The quality and robustness of the proposed GHG avoidance methodology, including the detail and accuracy of baselines and projected emissions reduction.
Project Plan: The feasibility and credibility of the exploitation plan, including preliminary plans for scalability, commercialisation, deployment, and identification of possible public and private funding sources.
Team and Consortium: The quality and complementary nature of the consortium partners (if applicable) and their capacity to implement the project.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory and Legal Compliance

Regulatory Compliance: Projects must adhere to all regulatory compliance requirements, including those specified in the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, the Horizon Europe Framework Programme 2021/695, and the Specific Programme Decision 2021/764.
General Annexes: Compliance with the general conditions for admissibility, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, and exclusion criteria is mandatory, as described in Annex A, B, C, and G of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Data Protection and Privacy: Applicants should be aware of the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement regarding data protection.

Technical and Operational Standards

Process Safety: Projects must ensure process safety, sufficient flexibility, and ease of process control for the newly developed or integrated technologies.
Quality Standards: Technical documentation requirements and quality standards are expected for advanced materials and integrated electrified processes.

Special Considerations

Strategic Alignment: This topic is part of the co-programmed European partnership 'Processes4Planet', indicating a strong strategic importance within the EU's industrial transformation agenda.
Innovation Focus: Preference is given to proposals demonstrating truly innovative electrically-driven technologies (e.g., membrane technology, power ultrasound, mechanical activation, electrochemical processes) that fundamentally replace traditional heat-driven processes, rather than conventional electric heating or heat pumps.
Knowledge Sharing: Consortia are encouraged to make voluntary contributions of data, indicators, and knowledge to relevant Joint Research Centre (JRC) platforms such as INCITE and EIGL to further capitalize on project knowledge and enhance policy relevance.
Human-Centric Innovation: Projects should consider the human dimension, including gender differences, and implications for the workplace (skills and organizational change), aligning with the 'Industry 5.0 paradigm'.

Grant Details