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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

The core objective of this grant is to de-risk wave energy technology development through transnational pre-commercial procurement (PCP) of wave energy research and development. It aims to accelerate the development of cost-effective wave energy converters and facilitate their market uptake. - Target Recipient: Legal entities, technology providers, and public procurers (buyers of R&D services). - Target Size: Not explicitly defined, but requires consortium with specific entity types. - SECTOR-SPECIFIC: Focuses exclusively on Wave Energy / Ocean Energy technology. - Geographic Scope: Organisations established in EU Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe. - Key Filtering Criteria: Focus on wave energy technology, prior completion of Stage 3 activities (approx. TRL6), readiness to reach TRL7/8, and a consortium including at least two public procurers. - Grant Frequency: Part of the Horizon Europe work programme, indicating a structured, but possibly single-call opportunity within the specified topic.

Financial Structure

Budget Range: The grant provides a fixed contribution of 20,000,000 EUR per project.
Funding Rate: 50% of the eligible costs are covered by the grant.
Co-financing: The remaining 50% of eligible costs must be co-financed, leveraging national funding from participating users/buyers.
Financial Reporting: Requirements are described in Annex G of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Cost-sharing structures: Expected to involve pooling resources from national and EU levels.

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Type & Legal Structure

Legal entities established in the EU or countries associated with Horizon Europe.
Consortium required: Must include at least three legal entities established in different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.
Consortium Composition: A minimum of two 'public procurers' (buyers of R&D services) must be part of the consortium.

Project Stage Requirements

The proposed wave energy technology must have satisfactorily completed Stage 3 activities (approximately TRL6) as a minimum prior-development requirement.
The project aims to bring wave energy technologies to Stage 4 (approximately TRL7/8) by the end of the action.

Geographic Requirements

Organizations must be established in an EU Member State or a country associated with Horizon Europe.

Financial and Operational Capacity

Requirements are described in Annex C of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Applicants must demonstrate sufficient financial and operational capacity to carry out the proposed activities.

Application Process

Application Timeline and Deadlines

Planned Opening Date for Submission System: 2025-09-16.
Application Deadline: 2026-02-17 00:00:00+00.
Evaluation Process and Timeline: Described in Annex F of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

Required Documentation and Materials

Standard application form (HE PCP) available in the Submission System (Part B).
Completed tender documents (developed during the preparation phase).
Signed joint procurement agreement, confirming collaboration modus operandi and financial commitment of the buyers' group.

Application Procedure

Submission Model: Single-stage application process.
Proposal Page Limit and Layout: Described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, and in Part B of the Application Form.

Project Implementation Timeline

Phased approach: Includes a preparation phase followed by an execution phase.
Demonstrator Testing: At least two commercial scale demonstrators to be tested for at least 12 months during the action duration.

Support and Guidance

HE Programme Guide: Detailed guidance on Horizon Europe structure and priorities.
Online Manual: Procedures from proposal submission to grant management.
National Contact Points (NCPs): Guidance and practical information.
Enterprise Europe Network (EEN): Advice for businesses, especially SMEs.
IT Helpdesk: Assistance with technical aspects of submission.
European IPR Helpdesk: Support on intellectual property issues.
CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk: Advice on standardisation.
Research Enquiry Service: General questions about European research.
Partner Search: Tool to find partner organisations for proposals.

Evaluation Criteria

Award Criteria

Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Expected Outcomes and Impact

Contribution to improved efficiency, flexibility, reduced cost, reliability, robustness, and security of wave energy technologies for energy producers and consumers.
Acceleration of technology development, successful demonstrations, and de-risking of wave energy technologies leading to commercial exploitation.
Improved access to financing for technology providers through better understanding of technological solutions and their bankability, fostering effective market uptake and commercialisation.
Increased knowledge, monitoring, and assessment methods/tools regarding environmental, biodiversity, and socio-economic impacts of wave energy technologies across their lifecycle and value chains.
Detailed analysis of current costs and potential future energy cost reduction pathways, leading to a clear business plan for full-scale commercialisation.

Innovation and Technical Excellence

Development and demonstration of cost-effective wave energy converters capable of surviving harsh ocean environments.
Progress of technology to Stage 4 (approximately TRL7/8) of the IEA-OES Framework Evaluation Areas.
Demonstration of at least two commercial scale demonstrators, tested for at least 12 months in a commercially representative site.
Readiness of at least one demonstrator for testing in an operational environment at commercial scale by the end of the action.
Designs expected to be ready for Stage 5 activities (commercial-scale array demonstration) of the IEA-OES Framework Evaluation Areas.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

Adherence to general conditions described in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes (Annex A, B, C, D, E, F, G).
Compliance with EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment, and Financial Capacity Assessment.

Ethical and Data Protection Standards

Not explicitly detailed in this topic, but standard Horizon Europe ethical guidelines and data protection regulations apply.

Intellectual Property Policies

Described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Unique Aspects and Challenges

Pre-commercial Procurement (PCP) Instrument: Specifically uses a PCP model to de-risk technology, which differs from traditional grants.
Building on Prior Initiatives: Leverages the EuropeWave PCP action and follows the IEA Ocean Energy System Technology Collaboration Platform's evaluation framework.
Public Procurer Requirement: Mandatory inclusion of at least two 'public procurers' in the consortium, reflecting a demand-driven approach.
Phased Approach: Project includes distinct preparation and execution phases, leading to tender documents and joint procurement agreements.

Cross-Cutting Considerations

Environmental and Socio-economic Impact: Projects must demonstrate consideration for environmental, biodiversity, and socio-economic impacts (positive and negative) of wave energy technologies.
Knowledge Transfer: Results from demonstrators are expected to be shared with European industry to accelerate technology development and establish guidelines/standards.
Strategic Alignment: Aims to pool national and EU resources for wave energy R&D, providing a significant developmental boost to the sector.

Grant Details