EUROPEAN CALLS
Funding opportunities in the area
LC-SC3-JA-5-2020: LONG TERM EU-AFRICA PARTNERSHIP FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION ACTIONS IN THE AREA OF RENEWABLE ENERGY
Deadline: Deadline extended until 28 April 2020
17:00:00 Brussels time
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RIA, Research & Innovation Action
The proposal will establish a long term partnership through the implementations of a series of strategic and joint research and innovation actions, and their related research capacity building actions, whose development has been conceptualised and whose essential elements have been so far developed by the project PRE_LEAP_RE http://www.leap-re.eu/ granted under topic LC-SC3-JA-2-2018. The scope of the research activities supported under the long term partnership would include adaptation of renewable energy technologies to the African environmental, social and economic conditions through joint research efforts on renewable energy technologies.
LC-SC3-RES26: DEVELOPMENT OF NEXT GENERATION RENEWABLE FUEL TECHNOLOGIES FROM CO2 AND RENEWABLE ENERGY (Power and Energy to Renewable Fuels)
Deadline: Deadline extended until 28 April 2020
17:00:00 Brussels time
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RIA, Research & Innovation Action
Proposals will develop next generation renewable fuels for energy and transport, which improve substantially (beyond the state-of-the-art), the performance regarding energy efficiency as well as cost of the conversion of direct renewable energy (e.g., sunlight) or renewable electricity and /or heat to liquid or gaseous renewable fuels from CO2. Targeted fuels should also provide very low engine-out emissions.
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Proposals are expected to bring the technology from TRL 3-4 to 4-5 (please see part G of the General Annexes).
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The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 3 to 5 million would allow this challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
LC-SC3-RES-1-2020: DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
Deadline: Deadline extended until 28 April 2020
17:00:00 Brussels time
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RIA: Research & Innovation Action
Support will be given to activities which focus on converting renewable energy sources into an energy vector, or the direct application of renewable energy sources.
This topic calls for bottom-up proposals addressing any renewable technology currently in the early phases of research. Activities also might include energy materials, catalysts, enzymes, microorganisms, models, tools and equipment, as long as those are strictly connected to the energy conversion process.
Developments in sectors other than energy may provide ideas, experiences, technology contributions, knowledge, new approaches, innovative materials and skills that are of relevance to the energy sector. Cross-fertilisation could offer mutually beneficial effects.
Proposals are expected to bring to TRL 3 or TRL 4 (please see part G of the General Annexes) renewable energy technologies that will answer the challenge described. Beside the development of the technology, the proposal will have to clearly address the following related aspects: lower environmental impact, better resource efficiency than current commercial renewable technologies, issues related to social acceptance or resistance to new energy technologies, related socioeconomic and livelihood issues.
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 2 to 4 million would allow this challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
ICT-36-2020: DISRUPTIVE PHOTONICS TECHNOLOGIES
Deadline: Deadline extended until 17 June 2020
17:00:00 Brussels time
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RIA: Research & Innovation Action
The challenge is the development of advanced photonics technologies which have the potential to revolutionise an existing application sector or to create completely new applications and markets.
The focus is on the following themes (sub-topics):
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3D light field and holographic displays
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Packaging and module integration for photonic integrated circuits (PIC)
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Light to Fuel: Development of photonics devices at TRL level 5-6 for the direct and efficient (>5%) conversion of solar energy into chemical fuel. Actions may also include R&D into catalyst development and disruptive material and device concepts where appropriate. Actions should demonstrate technical and economic feasibility.
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Next generation biophotonics methods and devices as research tools to understand the cellular origin of diseases
At least one proposal will be selected to cover each of these themes.
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 3 and 6 million would allow these to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts
FETOPEN-01-2020: FET-OPEN CHALLENGING CURRENT THINKING
Deadline: Deadline extended 03 June 2020 17:00:00 Brussels time
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RIA: Research & Innovation Action
Proposals are sought for cutting-edge high-risk / high-impact interdisciplinary research with all of the following essential characteristics (“FET gatekeepers”):
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Radical vision
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Breakthrough technological targets
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Ambitious interdisciplinary research for achieving the technological breakthrough and that opens up new areas of investigation.
The inherently high risks of the research proposed shall be mitigated by a flexible methodology to deal with the considerable science-and-technology uncertainties and for choosing alternative directions and options.
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 3 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
FETPROACT-EIC-07-2020: FET PROACTIVE: EMERGING PARADIGMS AND COMMUNITIES
Deadline: 02 July 2020 17:00:00 Brussels time
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RIA: Research & Innovation Action
To explore and consolidate a new technological direction in order to put it firmly on the map as a viable paradigm for future technology. To foster the interdisciplinary communities that are able to drive this forward, extending from the participating consortia to a wider European pool of expertise. To stimulate the emergence of a European innovation eco-system around a new technological paradigm, well beyond the world of research alone.
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Proposals are sought for cutting-edge high-risk / high-reward research and innovation projects that aim to demonstrate a new technological paradigm within the scope of one of the following sub-topics:
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a. Artificial Intelligence for extended social interaction.
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b. Breakthrough zero-emissions energy storage and conversion technologies for carbon-neutrality.
This sub-topic aims at multidisciplinary research (starting from TRL 1-3) for breakthroughs in energy storage and conversion that is clean, compact and ultimately low-cost, aimed at decentralised and/or mobile or portable uses in specific application contexts, for instance, in industry as substitutes to fossil fuels or raw materials for chemistry, in the transport sector for portable uses, in sustainable housing, remote places or in emergency situations.
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c. Digital twins for the life-sciences.
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d. Measuring the unmeasurable –– Sub-nanoscale science for Nanometrology.
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The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of EUR 4 to 4.50 million and with a duration of up to 4 years would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts or project duration.
LC-SC3-EC-5-2020: SUPPORTING PUBLIC AUTHORITIES IN DRIVING THE ENERGY TRANSITION
Deadline: 10 September 2020 17:00:00 Brussels time
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RIA: Research & Innovation Action
a) Support to local and regional public authorities
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b) Supporting the delivery of the Energy Efficiency Directive
Proposers should focus their proposed action on:
Actions assisting Member States to fulfil their obligations under the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and – where relevant to the implementation of the EED – under the Energy Union Governance Regulation.
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The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 1 and 1.5 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
LC-SC3-CC-1-2020: SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES (SSH) ASPECTS OF THE CLEAN-ENERGY TRANSITION
Deadline: 01 September 2020 17:00:00 Brussels time
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RIA: Research & Innovation Action
Energy citizenship: SSH research offers many insights into the conditions favouring civic engagement, active participation and interaction with institutional or corporate actors. Such “energy citizenship” is not limited to early technology adopters or environmental activists, and it goes beyond (but also encompasses) mere “consumer involvement”. Rather than using SSH research as an instrument to achieve particular outcomes (e.g., social acceptance) it can help to understand in what kind of environments collaborative goal setting and commitment can take place, how relevant decisions are made and any trade-offs between competing goals are addressed. This has important implications for EU energy policymaking. Proposals are expected to examine the factors affecting the emergence and effectiveness of energy citizenship and its potential for achieving the decarbonisation of the energy system. This should include factors such as digitalisation, social media, social group dynamics (e.g. creating trust, finding shared goals), societal factors (e.g. institutional, corporate or legal environment), demographics and social justice. It should result in practical recommendations for policy-makers.
LC-SC3-NZE-5-2020: LOW CARBON INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION USING CCUS
Deadline: 01 September 2020 17:00 Brussels time
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IA: Innovation Action
Projects will focus on integrating CO2 capture in industrial installations, whilst addressing the full CCUS chain. Projects will elaborate a detailed plan on how to use the results, i.e. the subsequent transport, utilisation and/or underground storage of the captured CO2. Important aspects to address are of technical (e.g. the optimised integration of capture plant with industrial processes; scalability; CO2 purity), safety (e.g. during transportation and storage), financial (e.g. cost of capture; cost of integration) and strategic nature (e.g. business models; operation and logistics of industrial clusters and networks).
Projects are expected to bring technologies to TRL 6-7. Technology development has to be balanced by an assessment of the societal readiness towards the proposed innovations. Relevant end users and societal stakeholders will be identified in the proposal, and their concerns and needs will be analysed during the project using appropriate techniques and methods from the social sciences and humanities, in order to create awareness, gain feedback on societal impact and advancing society’s readiness for the proposed solutions. Projects should also explore the socio-economic and political barriers to acceptance and awareness with a view to regulatory or policy initiatives.
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 15 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
LC-SC3-RES-3-2020: INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION WITH USA AND/OR CHINA ON ALTERNATIVE RENEWABLE FUELS FROM SUNLIGHT FOR ENERGY, TRANSPORT AND CHEMICAL STORAGE
Deadline: 01 September 2020 17:00:00 Brussels time
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RIA: Research & Innovation Action
Proposals will aim at international cooperation with the USA and/or China on targeted research activities for obtaining advanced biofuels and alternative renewable fuels for energy and transport through photochemical/ photobiological or electrochemical reaction.
The proposals will develop breakthrough artificial photosynthesis technologies in terms of sunlight conversion efficiency for the production of energy carriers (other than electricity) with either de-novo synthetic biological and artificial/biochemical hybrid systems or novel photo-catalysis or photo-electro catalysis coupled with CO2 reduction.
At least one of the following technology-specific challenges has to be addressed:
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Improved light-harvesting and efficient charge separation in photocatalytic systems;
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Photoelectrochemical cells – PECs and catalyst development
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Improved light harvesting coupled with improved CO2 reduction efficiency in synthetic biological systems
Use of external renewable electricity or electricity generated by sunlight with PV or CSP to produce the carriers is excluded from this topic.
Proposals are expected to bring technologies to TRL 3-4.
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 2 to 4 million would allow this challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
new calls to drive the european green deal to be announced soon
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The European Green Deal provides a roadmap with actions to
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boost the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy
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restore biodiversity and cut pollution.
It outlines investments needed and financing tools available, and explains how to ensure a just and inclusive transition.
The EU will be climate neutral in 2050. To do this, we proposed a European Climate Law turning the political commitment into a legal obligation and a trigger for investment.
Reaching this target will require action by all sectors of our economy, including
• investing in environmentally-friendly technologies
• supporting industry to innovate
• rolling out cleaner, cheaper and healthier forms of private and public transport
• decarbonising the energy sector
• ensuring buildings are more energy efficient
• working with international partners to improve global environmental standards
LC-SC3-RES-25-2020: INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION WITH JAPAN FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION ON ADVANCED BIOFUELS AND ALTERNATIVE RENEWABLE FUELS
Deadline: 01 September 2020 17:00:00 Brussels time
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RIA: Research & Innovation Action
Proposals will aim at international cooperation with Japan[2] involving Japanese organisations in the consortia for the development of disruptive catalytic technologies, by developing novel catalysts and linked lab-scale components/systems with significantly improved performance for conversion efficiency and specific marginal cost reduction for obtaining low-cost bioenergy carriers, non-food/feed based advanced biofuels and alternative renewable fuels (excluding hydrogen) and maximizing GHG abatement.
Proposals are expected to bring technologies to TRL 3 (please see part G of the General Annexes).
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 2 to 5 million would allow this challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
