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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

The core objective of this grant is to develop novel solutions that enhance the energy security of grid and storage technologies, with a specific focus on renewable energy systems. It targets organizations capable of conducting Research and Innovation Actions, including those forming large multi-beneficiary projects. - SECTOR-SPECIFIC: Energy, Environment, Technology - Geographic scope: European context, with specific eligible countries defined in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. - Key filtering criteria: Projects must address the energy security of grid and/or storage technologies for renewables, specifically focusing on one of three areas: cybersecurity risks, circular economy/critical materials, or sustainability/public perception. - Grant frequency: This is part of the recurring Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025.

Financial Structure

Funding mechanism: Lump sum contributions.
Budget for the topic: 9000000.0 EUR.
Minimum grant amount per project: 3000000.0 EUR.
Maximum grant amount per project: 3000000.0 EUR.
Currency: EUR.
Eligible costs: Estimated direct and indirect costs, including:
Personnel costs (employees, direct contracts, seconded persons, SME owners, natural person beneficiaries)
Subcontracting costs
Purchase costs (travel, equipment, other goods, works, and services)
Other cost categories (financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods/services, transnational/virtual access to research infrastructure, PCP/PPI procurement, Euratom Cofund staff mobility, ERC additional funding)
Ineligible costs: Costs that are ineligible under the Horizon Europe rules must be excluded from the lump sum proposal.
Indirect costs: Calculated by applying a 25% flat rate to eligible direct costs.
Co-financing: The total estimated costs of the action must be greater than the estimated Union contributions, reflecting the co-financing principle.
Payment schedule: Lump sum contributions are paid per work package upon proper implementation of the work package in accordance with Annex 1 of the grant agreement. Pre-financing follows standard Horizon Europe rules.
Financial retention: Between 5% and 8% of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type

Organization types are generally open to participants in Research and Innovation Actions within Horizon Europe, which typically includes companies (SMEs, enterprises), research organizations, universities, and non-profit organizations. No explicit limitations are provided in the current document.

Geographic Location

Countries described as eligible in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. This generally includes:
EU Member States
Countries associated with Horizon Europe (specific list not provided in source, refer to Annex B for definitive list).

Financial and Operational Capacity

Requirements are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Technical Requirements

If projects utilize satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation, or related timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.

Exclusion Criteria

General exclusion criteria for EU funding are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Application Process

Application Procedure

This is a two-stage application process.
Submission is conducted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal's Electronic Submission Service.
Applicants will need to confirm their choice of action type and model grant agreement within the submission system.

Application Timeline and Deadlines

Planned opening date: 2025-05-06
Stage 1 application deadline: 2025-09-02 00:00:00+0000
Stage 2 application deadline: 2026-03-31 00:00:00+0000
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Required Documentation and Materials

Application Form: Part B of the Application Form, which is specific to this call and available in the Submission System. Applicants use the 'Standard application form (HE RIA IA Stage 1)'.
Budget: Applicants must propose the lump sum amount based on estimated direct and indirect costs and provide a breakdown per work package and per beneficiary/affiliated entity. A detailed budget table is to be prepared using relevant templates (but 'Detailed budget table (HE LS)' is 'Not needed for Stage 1').

Evaluation Process

Proposals are evaluated by external independent experts.
The evaluation form used is the 'Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1)' with necessary adaptations.
The evaluation process and specific rules are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

Support and Guidance

Online Manual: Comprehensive guide from proposal submission to grant management.
Horizon Europe Programme Guide: Detailed guidance on structure, budget, and political priorities.
Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ: Answers to common questions on submission, evaluation, and grant management.
Research Enquiry Service: For general questions about European research and EU Research Framework Programmes.
National Contact Points (NCPs): Provide guidance, information, and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe.
Enterprise Europe Network (EEN): Offers advice to businesses, especially SMEs, on EU research funding.
IT Helpdesk: For technical issues related to the Funding & Tenders Portal.
European IPR Helpdesk: Assists with intellectual property issues.
CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk: Advise on standardisation in project proposals.
The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment: Consult for roles, responsibilities, and entitlements.
Partner Search: Tool available to help find partner organizations for proposals.

Evaluation Criteria

Award Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the standard Horizon Europe criteria:
Excellence
Impact
Quality and Efficiency of Implementation

Scoring and Thresholds

Proposals must attain all set thresholds.

Portfolio Balance

To ensure a balanced portfolio covering all three specified areas (Cybersecurity, Circular Economy/Critical Materials, Sustainability/Public Perception), grants will be awarded not only in order of ranking but also at least to one highest-ranked project within each area, provided the applications meet all thresholds and subject to available budget.

Financial Assessment

Experts with financial expertise will check the budget estimate for each work package, ensuring it's an approximation of actual eligible costs.
The budget will be assessed against relevant benchmarks (e.g., market prices, statistical data, historical data).
Experts will verify that applicants have followed their own accounting practices for budget preparation.

Cross-Cutting Themes

Projects should address decent working conditions, essential skills, and efficient skills management within the overall energy network and storage system, as these are important transversal value chain components for inclusivity and competitiveness.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

Admissibility conditions: Proposal page limit 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: As per Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: As per Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial set-up of grants: As per Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising lump sum contributions under Horizon Europe.
Compliance with Horizon Europe Regulation (EU) 2021/695 and EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.

Data Protection and Privacy

The Funding & Tenders Portal has a Privacy Statement that applicants should review.

Ethical Standards

Checks, reviews, and audits will include focus on ethics and research integrity.

Intellectual Property (IP)

Management of intellectual property is an aspect of the grant agreement that will be checked.

Technical Compliance

Projects using satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation, and/or related timing data and services must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.

Risk Management

Projects should address cybersecurity risks, especially for energy system transmission and distribution, and renewables to storage/energy network interface technologies.

Unique Aspects: Lump Sum Funding

This grant uses a lump sum funding model, which significantly simplifies financial management by reducing administrative costs for beneficiaries and focusing more on scientific/technical performance and output.
There is no report of actual costs, and normally no financial ex-post audits. Checks focus on technical implementation and fulfillment of work package conditions.

Cross-Cutting Considerations

Proposals should take into consideration the results of the 'Study on clean energy R&I opportunities to ensure European energy security by targeting challenges of distinct energy value chains for 2030 and beyond'.
Decent working conditions, essential skills, and efficient skills management within the overall energy network and storage system are essential for inclusivity and competitiveness and should be addressed as an important transversal value chain component.

Grant Details