Grants8 logo Grants8
Login Create account

Grant Details

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

To support the transition of district heating and cooling (DHC) networks towards carbon neutrality by providing technical support for the preparation of investment plans for the integration of renewable energy and waste heat.
  • Target recipients: Operators/owners of existing DHC systems, municipalities, and relevant key stakeholders involved in DHC development and energy planning.
  • Single, clear statement of grant's core objective: This grant aims to facilitate the decarbonization of heating and cooling sectors by equipping DHC operators and local authorities with robust, endorsed investment plans for new or upgraded efficient DHC systems.
  • Target recipient type and size: Organizations involved in district heating and cooling, including public and private entities; no specific size requirements, but projects must involve a consortium.
  • SECTOR-SPECIFIC: Energy, heating & cooling, infrastructure, environment.
  • Geographic scope: Activities must be implemented in at least 3 eligible countries.
  • Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening:
  • Focus on district heating and cooling.
  • Emphasis on renewable energy and waste heat integration.
  • Project scope is limited to investment plan preparation and technical support, not direct infrastructure financing.
  • Mandatory consortium of at least 3 applicants from 3 different eligible countries.
  • Grant frequency: Recurring call within the LIFE Clean Energy Transition (CET) sub-programme (2021-2027 programme period).
  • Program context: Aligned with the REPowerEU Plan, revised Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), and revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED) to reduce fossil fuel consumption and enhance energy efficiency.

Financial Structure

  • Total budget for the LIFE-2025-CET-DHC topic: EUR 6,000,000.
  • Recommended maximum EU contribution per proposal: Up to EUR 2,000,000.
  • Currency: EUR.
  • Funding rate: 95% of eligible costs for Other Action Grants (OAGs).
  • Co-financing requirements: Applicants are required to cover the remaining 5% of the eligible costs.
  • Eligible costs: Costs related to technical support, preparation of investment plans, pre-feasibility studies, stakeholder engagement, business plan development, and activities supporting the objectives outlined in the scope.
  • Ineligible costs: Actions under this topic are not expected to finance equipment or the development of new tools (e.g., software or platforms). Applicants are encouraged to utilize existing commercial software as needed.
  • Financial reporting requirements: These are described in section 10 of the call document (details not provided in source).

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type & Structure
  • Consortium required: Yes.
  • Minimum number of applicants (beneficiaries): 3.
  • Minimum number of countries represented: 3 different eligible countries.
  • Eligible organization types: Operators/owners of existing district heating/cooling systems, municipalities, and other relevant key stakeholders (e.g., energy agencies, research institutions, associations).
Geographic Requirements
  • Project activities must span at least 3 eligible countries. These typically include EU Member States and associated countries. Countries currently part of the European Union are: - AT, BE, BG, HR, CY, CZ, DK, EE, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IE, IT, LV, LT, LU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SI, ES, SE.
Project Focus Requirements
  • Proposals should address either:
  • Providing technical support to operators/owners of existing DHC systems for investment plan preparation, focusing on fuel switch to meet 'efficient district heating and cooling' criteria as per Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), including extensions based on renewable energy or waste heat.
  • Supporting municipalities and key stakeholders in developing investment plans for new DHC networks, provided they are fully based on renewable energy or waste heat, with attention to existing buildings.
Financial and Operational Capacity
  • Financial and operational capacity will be assessed as described in section 7 of the call document (details not provided in source).
Exclusion Criteria
  • Exclusion criteria apply as described in section 7 of the call document (details not provided in source).

Application Process

Application Deadline
  • Submission deadline: 2025-09-23 00:00:00+00.
Submission Process
  • Applications must be submitted through the electronic submission service on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
  • The submission process is 'single-stage'.
  • To access the submission service, applicants must have an EU Login account or use a supported third-party sign-in service.
Required Documents and Materials
  • Standard application form (LIFE SAP and OAG) – specific to this call and available in the Submission System.
  • Detailed budget table (LIFE).
  • Participant information (LIFE).
  • Proposals must adhere to specified page limits and layout described in Part B of the Application Form.
Evaluation and Grant Agreement Timeline
  • The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in section 4 of the call document (details not provided in source).
Support and Guidance
  • Applicants are encouraged to seek support from their National Contact Point (NCP).
  • Additional support resources include:
  • Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ for proposal submission.
  • IT Helpdesk for technical queries (e.g., forgotten passwords, access rights, submission issues).
  • Online Manual: A step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.
  • Info session recordings and presentations.
  • Frequently Asked Questions specific to the LIFE-2025-CET call.
Post-Award Requirements
  • The legal and financial set-up of the grants is described in section 10 of the call document (details not provided in source).
  • Projects must report on results and impacts at the end of the project and for 5 years after the project concludes.

Evaluation Criteria

Expected Impact & Outcomes
  • Demonstrated impact of investment plans and guidance on the transition towards 'efficient district heating and cooling' networks.
  • Contribution to the integration of renewable energy and waste heat.
  • Equipping DHC operators and local authorities with endorsed investment plans ready for implementation post-project.
  • Development of internal capacity and other elements required to build new systems or meet 'efficient district heating and cooling' criteria.
  • Encouragement of potential waste heat suppliers to become heat suppliers to district heating.
  • Quantification of results and impacts using provided indicators, such as:
  • Number of endorsed investment plans.
  • Number of 'follower cases' for knowledge transfer.
  • Number of local and regional authorities integrating project outcomes in energy planning.
  • Triggered investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy sources (cumulative, in million Euro).
  • Quantification of impacts for common LIFE Clean Energy Transition indicators (Primary/Final energy savings in GWh/year, Renewable energy generation in GWh/year, Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in t CO2-eq/year) for the end of the project and for 5 years after the project.
Project Scope and Methodology
  • Clear description of the methodology and planned activities regarding:
  • Identification of local energy resources, required infrastructure, and potential investment costs.
  • Assessment of compatibility with existing building stocks.
  • Involvement of local stakeholders, including potential waste heat suppliers and customers.
  • Preparation of a comprehensive business plan (projected revenues, operating costs, capital expenditures, return on investment).
  • Identification of funding sources (grants, loans, private investments) and a strategy to secure capital.
  • Official endorsement process for the investment plans by relevant stakeholders (e.g., Management board of the DHC company, local authorities).
  • Compliance with local, regional, and national laws and regulations related to energy production, distribution, and consumption.
  • Assessment of the potential for DHC systems to participate in electricity markets (balancing, storage, flexibility services).
  • The investment plans must enable the targeted DHC system to fulfill the criteria for 'efficient district heating and cooling' as specified in the Energy Efficiency Directive Recast within a 10-year timeline.
  • Clear and convincing demonstration of commitment from the operators/owners of the district heating networks that will be targeted for collaboration.
  • Detailed explanation of the support to be provided and how the consortium will deliver this support 'on the ground'.
  • Inclusion of an adequate risk assessment, identification of barriers, and recommendations for regulatory bodies and local administrations.
  • Strategies for promoting replication through other DHC operators/owners.
Quality Thresholds
  • Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in section 9 of the call document (details not provided in source).

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance
  • Investment plans developed must enable the targeted district heating system to fulfill the criteria for 'efficient district heating and cooling' as specified in the Energy Efficiency Directive Recast within a 10-year timeline.
  • Compliance with local, regional, and national laws and regulations related to energy production, distribution, and consumption is mandatory.
Project Scope and Limitations
  • This grant is focused on the preparation of investment plans and technical support.
  • Actions are not expected to finance the purchase of equipment or the development of new software tools (e.g., software or platforms). Applicants are encouraged to use existing commercial software as needed.
Commitment and Endorsement
  • Proposals must clearly and convincingly demonstrate the commitment of the operators/owners of the district heating networks that will be targeted for collaboration.
  • The investment plans developed must undergo an official endorsement process by relevant stakeholders, such as the Management board of the district heating company or local authorities, which should be reflected in the project's deliverables.
Risk Management
  • Actions are expected to provide an adequate risk assessment, identify potential barriers, and propose recommendations for regulatory bodies.
Knowledge Transfer and Replication
  • Projects should include activities to work with 'follower cases', ensuring effective transfer of knowledge during the project's lifetime.
  • There is an expectation to promote replication of successful approaches and investment plans through other district heating operators/owners.
Data Protection and Privacy
  • Data processing related to applications and projects is subject to the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

Grant Details

district heating district cooling dhc renewable energy waste heat decarbonization energy efficiency energy transition clean energy heating systems cooling systems investment plans local authorities municipalities energy planning consortium eu funding life program energy infrastructure climate action sustainable energy
Supporting district heating and cooling networks
48210187TOPICSen
LIFE Clean Energy Transition
OTHER PUBLIC
AT BE BG HR CY CZ DK EE FI FR DE GR HU IE IT LV LT LU MT NL PL PT RO SK SI ES SE
ENERGY ENVIRONMENT CONSTRUCTION
DEVELOPMENT
OTHER
SDG7 SDG9 SDG11 SDG13
FUNDING CAPACITY_BUILDING TRAINING_EDUCATION PILOT_PROJECTS OPERATIONAL_SUPPORT
6000000.00
None
2000000.00
EUR
95.00
Sept. 23, 2025, midnight
None