HORIZON-CL4-2027-02-MAT-PROD-32-two-stage
Objective and scope
Decarbonise process industries by replacing fossil energy inputs with renewable energy and improving integrated energy management.
Scope of activities
- Provide renewable alternatives and heat upgrading for low- and medium-temperature process heat (100–500°C).
- Advance electrified and hybrid high-temperature processes above 500°C and suitable high-temperature energy storage.
- Use innovative advanced materials, thermal storage, insulation and integrated energy-system concepts to improve efficiency and resilience to energy-supply variations.
- Integrate energy flows and production processes and demonstrate solutions at pilot scale, preferably under real industrial conditions.
- For advanced-materials solutions, connect design to deployment with feedback from industrial applications; minimise critical-raw-material use and enable recycling.
Target at least a 20% reduction in the CO₂ footprint and demonstrate economic viability, scalability and broad applicability. Projects focused only on demand scheduling are outside scope. Include a business case and exploitation strategy. Proposals should address several of these areas. An exploitation plan should cover scalability, commercialisation, deployment and possible funding, alongside societal and environmental impacts and workplace skills. A greenhouse-gas avoidance methodology with a clear baseline and projected reductions is recommended.
Expected technology development: TRL 4–5 → 6–7.
Eligible applicants
Eligible applicants include SMEs and start-ups, large companies, universities, research organisations and RTOs, public bodies and non-profit organisations with relevant expertise.
A standard collaborative consortium normally requires at least three independent legal entities from three different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, including at least one entity established in an EU Member State. Participation and funding are subject to the General Annexes and topic-specific conditions.
Consortium profiles
Energy-intensive industrial operators, renewable-heat and electrification specialists, thermal-storage and insulation providers, advanced-materials developers, energy-system integrators, equipment suppliers and research organisations.
Funding
Type of action: Innovation Action (IA)
Funding rate: Up to 70% for profit-making entities and up to 100% for non-profit legal entities.
Total topic budget: €52.5 million.
Expected EU contribution per project: €7–9 million. Other requested amounts may be considered if justified.
Funding uses a lump sum. The project budget should cover the justified research, development, demonstration, management and exploitation activities needed to deliver the work plan.
Deadline for submission
Opening date: 13 October 2026.
First-stage deadline: 2 February 2027, 17:00 Brussels time (CET).
Second-stage deadline: 2 September 2027, 17:00 Brussels time (CEST).