Innovation Fund offering subsidies for innovative low-carbon technologies
The Innovation Fund is one of the largest subsidy programmes aimed at supporting low-carbon and innovative technologies. The programme is announced and managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) and funded by the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Calls under the Innovation Fund support highly innovative projects aimed at decarbonising energy-intensive industries, innovative renewable energy production (e.g., hydrogen), energy storage, carbon capture, storage and utilisation, or decarbonisation in sea, air, rail, and road transport.
New calls are expected to be launched towards the end of this year. Key for the eligibility of projects is their potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and promote activities leading in particular to the saving of carbon dioxide. An application for aid should include a calculation of the expected GHG emission avoidance.
The first three Czech forerunners
On 11 April 2024, in connection with the Innovation Fund and the need to promote sustainable technologies, the European Commission organised a conference on sustainable innovation and promotion of clean green technology production in the EU. The conference was attended by representatives of the private sector and CINEA, Innovation Fund project managers, as well as representatives of successful projects that have already received support from the Innovation Fund. Three projects have so far been implemented in the Czech Republic.
One of them is a project aimed at building a new line for the production of battery coolers for electric vehicles. The originally energy-intensive production process was replaced by a new laser welding technology using new materials, which will reduce energy consumption by around 50% and emissions by around 224,000 tonnes of CO2 in the first ten years of operation, while increasing material recyclability. Another project obtaining aid from the programme was the design and construction of a new hybrid glass furnace combining electric melting and gas combustion. The new process is expected to reduce emissions by around 193,000 tonnes of CO2 in the first ten years of operation compared to a facility burning predominantly natural gas. The last project receiving support in the Czech Republic consists of hydrogen production in a 2 MW electrolyser fed by a photovoltaic power plant and a biomass cogeneration system. The amount of hydrogen produced is to be equivalent to the annual diesel consumption of 30 local buses.
Applying for aid is very challenging - we will be happy to help
In addition to the Innovation Fund’s strategy, i.e., the need to move industry towards more energy efficient solutions with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, part of the debate focuses on the overall complexity of preparing a grant application. The information, inputs and annexes of the application need to be elaborated in great detail, therefore the application for aid including annexes can be 600 to 900 pages long.
If you are interested in obtaining support from the Innovation Fund, it is necessary to start preparing the application as soon as possible so that all documents can be submitted in the required quality and on time. If you would like more information on this programme, we will be happy to discuss with it you while focusing on your projects and the possibility of obtaining support for them.