Innovation and Networks Executive Agency
INEA
‘Large-scale’ are projects with a capital expenditure above EUR 7.5 million.
The first call for large-scale projects opened on 3 July 2020 with a budget of EUR 1 billion for breakthrough technologies for renewable energy, energy-intensive industries, energy storage, and carbon capture, use and storage. The call closed on 29 October 2020 and the next step is the admissibility and eligibility checks of all submissions.
DG CLIMA gathered feedback on the first stage application process of the call for large-scale projects. Thanks to all stakeholders who filled out the questionnaire. It will help improve the application process to future Innovation Fund calls.
The first call for large-scale project proposals closed 29 October 2020. The next step in the first call of the Innovation Fund is the admissibility and eligibility checks of all submissions. External evaluators will evaluate proposals that fulfil the admissibility and eligibility conditions against the award criteria.
Applicants will be informed about the results of the evaluation in the first quarter of 2021. The best ranked 70 projects will be invited to submit a full application for the second stage by 23 June 2021.
Rejected proposals that have the potential to improve their maturity may be invited for the project development assistance provided by the EIB. The information on the evaluation results from the second stage will be provided in the fourth quarter of 2021. Grants will be awarded at the end of 2021.
We received 311 applications for innovative clean tech projects, promising to reduce around 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 during their operating period within the Innovation Fund. DG CLIMA has prepared a further analysis to show the main technological pathways employed in the proposed projects.
The first call will fund clean energy and clean industry innovative investments to contribute to the green recovery of EU economy and maintain the momentum in EU journey to climate neutrality.
Key elements of the first call for proposals for large-scale projects:
| Event | Timing |
| Launch of large-scale call | 3 July 2020 at 12:00 CET |
| Deadline for submission of applications to 1st stage | 29 October 2020 at 17:00 CET |
| Information on evaluation results and invitation for the 2nd stage or PDA | Q1 2021 (indicative) |
| Deadline for submission of applications to 2nd stage | 23 June 2021 (indicative) |
| Information on 2nd stage evaluation results | Q4 2021 (indicative) |
| Award of the grants | End 2021 (indicative) |
Background information on the preparation of the first call for large-scale projects.
Recording of the training on basic Life Cycle Assessment which includes explanations of basic concepts such as: project boundary, reference and project scenarios and emissions, absolute and relative emission avoidance/saving/reduction, types of inputs (rigid, elastic, semi-elastic), etc. Please note that this training is intended to ease understanding of the GHG emissions avoidance methodology specific to the Innovation Fund, but it also refers to more general concepts on Life Cycle Assessment which might not be applicable to the Innovation Fund.
We have organised a second webinar on the application process of the first call of the Innovation Fund. The main focus on the GHG emission avoidance calculation methodologies and we at the end a dedicated time to helpdesk Q&A from applicants.
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More details on the background of the call are available here.
