Innovation Fund: subsidies for deployment of low-carbon and innovative technologies
The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) has announced new calls under the Innovation Fund to support the deployment of highly innovative and low-carbon technologies helping the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Like the previous year, CINEA has announced several calls under the Innovation Fund to support projects focusing on highly innovative technologies that will contribute to a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. A new call has also been launched to support the production of battery cells for electric vehicles. Applications for support will be accepted until 24 April 2025. Total funds for allocation for all calls are EUR 2.4 billion. The maximum subsidy amount can reach up to 60% of eligible project costs.
Below is a basic overview of individual calls.
Net Zero Technologies - General Decarbonisation - Small/Medium/Large-Scale Projects
The general decarbonisation theme has been divided into three separate calls depending on the scope of the project or the capital expenditure of the project. The limits of eligible costs per call are as follows:
- Small-Scale Projects – EUR 2.5 million to EUR 20 million
- Medium-Scale Projects – EUR 20 million to EUR 100 million
- Large-Scale Projects – over EUR 100 million.
Calls have been designed to provide support for the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries, innovative renewable energy production or carbon capture and storage.
Net Zero Technologies - Clean-Tech Manufacturing
This call aims to support projects involving the production of highly innovative components for renewable energy systems, e.g. components for photovoltaic power plants, concentrated solar power, wind power, geothermal, solar thermal and other renewable energy systems. Support may also be given to the production of electrolysers and fuel cells for hydrogen production and consumption, the development and production of heat pumps or energy storage solutions (except for the production of batteries for electric vehicles).
Net Zero Technologies - Pilot Projects
This call aims to support pilot project activities aimed at validating, testing, and optimising highly innovative decarbonisation solutions. This call has been designed for projects with a higher level of innovation than the other calls.
Batteries - Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles Battery Cells
This call aims to support the production of battery cells for electric vehicles that demonstrate innovative technologies, processes or products that are sufficiently advanced and have significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In all calls except those in the General Decarbonisation category, a project’s eligible costs must be at least EUR 2.5 million. The project should be completed within four years of signing the decision to grant a subsidy and be operational for at least five years after its completion (at least three years after completion for the Small-Scale Projects and Pilot Projects calls). The application for support must also include, e.g., a feasibility study, a business model, a detailed project budget, a financial model, and particularly a GHG emission avoidance calculation.
If any of the calls above are relevant to you or if you would like more detailed information, please do not hesitate to contact us.