The Innovation Fund
is one of the world’s largest funding programmes for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies.
It focuses on mature, highly innovative technologies and big
flagship projects with European value added that can bring on significant
emission reductions. Around EUR 38
billion of support from 2020 to 2030 (at
EUR 75 / tCO2) will be made available from 2020 to 2030.
The target areas include innovative renewable energy
generation, energy storage, carbon capture and utilisation, carbon capture and
storage as well as low-carbon processes in energy intensive industries.
This fund will be
financed through the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and unspent funds
from its predecessor, the NER 300 programme.
The Fund will issue calls directed towards large-scale projects with
total capital above €7.5 Million yet small-scale projects may still benefit
from separate calls having simplified application and selection procedures.
Background to the Innovation Fund can be found on the European
Commission’s official website.
The National Contact Point (NCP) for this EU fund is the Funds and
Programmes Division (FPD) within the Parliamentary Secretariat for European
Funds, Office of the Prime Minister. However, FPD works closely with the
relevant local competent bodies to ensure adequate consultation and
coordination.
Interested applicants are encouraged to contact the EU Funds
Programme Manager, Ms. Maria Dimech on maria.dimech.1@gov.mt (+356 2555 2604) keeping
Director General, FPD, Inġ. Anthony Camilleri in copy, anthony.c.camilleri@gov.mt , to obtain further
guidance.
Please refer to the national contact point (NCP) for guidance. The
NCP can also assist in communication with the European Commission through the
Funding and Tenders portal. Furthermore, applicants are also advised to contact
the relevant national competent bodies to ensure alignment with national
policies that may be applicable to their project proposal. Such a (non-exhaustive)
list of competent bodies can be found in this link.
A summary of the Innovation Fund’s main points, created by the NCP, can
be found here.
In case you require any information on the previous programme, NER
300, please click here.
News:
CALLS:
The next round of Large-Scale Projects Call
is planned to take place in November 2022. As part of the
REPowerEU plan, the Innovation Fund
will include a REPowerEU window in its next Large-Scale Projects Call that aims
to accelerate the decarbonisation of industry with the aim of transforming
Europe’s energy system. The budget for this call will be increased to 3 Billion
EUR. The call will consist of the General Window which allows submissions of
project proposals in the usual categories (as was done in the past), but now
will also include the REPowerEU window.
The RePowerEU window will support:
(1) innovative electrification and hydrogen applications
in industry
(2) innovative clean tech manufacturing (such as
electrolysers and fuel cells, innovative renewable equipment, energy storage or
heat pumps for industrial uses)
(3) mid-sized pilot projects for validating, testing and
optimising highly innovative solutions.
NB pillar (3) is applicable to all sectors
and categories under the Innovation Fund.
We strongly
encourage relevant stakeholders and interested applicants to frequently visit
this section of the website to stay updated with the latest news and
information from the NCP (the Funds and Programmes Division), including
notifications of forthcoming/ open calls and information
sessions organised by the European Commission.
If you would like
to be included in the NCP’s mailing list to receive regular
updates, please send an email to maria.dimech.1@gov.mt
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/innovation-fund_en