Innovation Fund (2021-2027)

Summary

The Innovation Fund program that helps reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“Large-scale” projects are projects with a capital expenditure of over € 7.5 million.

“Small scale” projects are projects with a total capital cost of less than € 7.5 million.

Programme Description

The Innovation Fund will contribute to greenhouse gas reduction by:

  • helping create the right financial incentives for new investments in the next generation of technologies needed for the EU’s low-carbon transition
  • boosting growth and competitiveness by empowering companies with a first-mover advantage to become global clean technology leaders
  • supporting innovative low-carbon technologies in all Member States in taking off and reaching the market.

It is bigger and better in several ways:

  • Open to projects from energy intensive-industries
  • Improves the risk-sharing for projects: its grants cover up to 60% of the additional capital and operational costs of innovation
  • Provides support in a more flexible way, following the cashflow needs of the project through pre-defined milestones
  • Simpler selection process
  • Stronger synergies with other EU funding programmes
  • Streamlined governance and simplified decision-making

Thematic Categories

  • Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
  • Energy
  • Environment and Climate Change
  • Research, Technological Development and Innovation
  • Rural development

Eligibility for Participation

  • Central Government
  • Farmers, Agriculturalists
  • Large Enterprises
  • Private Bodies
  • Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
  • State-owned Enterprises

Call Opening Date

01/01/2021

Call Closing Date

31/12/2027

National Contact Point(s)

Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment
Address: 28th of October Avenue 20-22, 2414 Engomi, Nicosia

Mrs. Maria Loizou
Telephone: +357 22408955
Email: mloizou@environment.moa.gov.cy
Website: www.moa.gov.cy

Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy
Address: 29 Vyronos Avenue, 1096 Nicosia

Ms. Elena Poulli
Telephone: +357 22691921
Email: epoulli@research.org.cy, epoulli@dmrid.gov.cy
Website: www.dmrid.gov.cy

EU Contact Point

European Executive Agency for Climate, Infrastructure and the Environment
https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/contact-0_en

Programme/Sub-programme/Plan Calls
  • Innovation Fund 2023 Net Zero Technologies – Pilots

    Closed

    Code: 31766 | Identifier Code: INNOVFUND-2023-NZT-PILOTS | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 23/11/2023 | End submission calls: 09/04/2024

    The objective of this topic is to support highly innovative, disruptive or breakthrough technologies in deep decarbonisation needed for achieving the climate neutrality goal.

  • Innovation Fund 2023 Net Zero Technologies – Manufacturing

    Closed

    Code: 31764 | Identifier Code: INNOVFUND-2023-NZT-MANUFACTURING | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 23/11/2023 | End submission calls: 09/04/2024

    This topic supports projects for manufacturing innovative clean-tech components for hydrogen production/consumption, renewable energy and energy storage. The topic seeks to enhance Europe’s innovation and industrial capacity in clean tech manufacturing, including scale-up, its supply chain resilience and strategic autonomy in Europe.

  • Innovation Fund 2023 Net Zero Technologies – General decarbonisation – Small-Scale Projects

    Closed

    Code: 31760 | Identifier Code: INNOVFUND-2023-NZT-GENERAL-SSP | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 23/11/2023 | End submission calls: 09/04/2024

    The following activities can be funded under these topics:

    • activities supporting innovation in low-carbon technologies and processes in sectors listed in Annex I and Annex III to the EU ETS Directive 2003/8720, including environmentally safe carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) that contributes substantially to mitigating climate change, in particular for unavoidable process emissions, as well as products substituting carbon intensive ones produced in sectors listed in Annex I to the EU ETS Directive
    • activities helping stimulate the construction and operation of projects that aim at the environmentally safe capture and geological storage of CO2 (CCS)
    • activities helping the construction and operation of innovative renewable energy and energy storage technologies.

  • Innovation Fund 2023 Net Zero Technologies – General decarbonisation – Medium-Scale Projects

    Closed

    Code: 31758 | Identifier Code: INNOVFUND-2023-NZT-GENERAL-MSP | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 23/11/2023 | End submission calls: 09/04/2024

    The following activities can be funded under these topics:

    • activities supporting innovation in low-carbon technologies and processes in sectors listed in Annex I and Annex III to the EU ETS Directive 2003/8720, including environmentally safe carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) that contributes substantially to mitigating climate change, in particular for unavoidable process emissions, as well as products substituting carbon intensive ones produced in sectors listed in Annex I to the EU ETS Directive
    • activities helping stimulate the construction and operation of projects that aim at the environmentally safe capture and geological storage of CO2 (CCS)
    • activities helping the construction and operation of innovative renewable energy and energy storage technologies.

  • Innovation Fund 2023 Net Zero Technologies – General decarbonisation – Large-Scale Projects

    Closed

    Code: 31755 | Identifier Code: INNOVFUND-2023-NZT-GENERAL-LSP | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 23/11/2023 | End submission calls: 09/04/2024

    The following activities can be funded under these topics:

    • activities supporting innovation in low-carbon technologies and processes in sectors listed in Annex I and Annex III to the EU ETS Directive 2003/8720, including environmentally safe carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) that contributes substantially to mitigating climate change, in particular for unavoidable process emissions, as well as products substituting carbon intensive ones produced in sectors listed in Annex I to the EU ETS Directive
    • activities helping stimulate the construction and operation of projects that aim at the environmentally safe capture and geological storage of CO2 (CCS)
    • activities helping the construction and operation of innovative renewable energy and energy storage technologies.

  • Innovation Fund 2023 Auction - RFNBO Hydrogen

    Closed

    Code: 31691 | Identifier Code: InnovFund-2023-AUC-RFNBO-Hydrogen | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 23/11/2023 | End submission calls: 08/02/2024

    The objective of this topic is to cost-efficiently support the new production of renewable fuel of non-biological origin (RFNBO) hydrogen, on the territory of EU/EEA, as defined in the Renewable Energy Directive 2018/2021 and its Delegated Acts, in support of the 2030 targets for renewable hydrogen established in this Directive and supported by the REPowerEU Plan, the Green Deal Industrial Plan and the European Hydrogen Bank Communication.

  • Innovation Fund Small Scale Projects

    Closed

    Code: 28192 | Identifier Code: InnovFund-2022-SSC | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 30/03/2023 | End submission calls: 19/09/2023

    The present call targets projects on low-carbon technologies and processes in all sectors covered by Directive 2003/87/EC (the EU ETS Directive).

    The objectives of this call are to:

    • support projects demonstrating highly innovative technologies, processes, business models or products/services, that are sufficiently mature and have a significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
    • offer financial support tailored to market needs and risk profiles of eligible projects, while attracting additional public and private resources.

  • Innovation Fund Large Scale Projects - Innovative electrification in industry and hydrogen

    Closed

    Code: 25132 | Identifier Code: InnovFund-2022-LSC-02-INDUSTRY-ELEC-H2 | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 03/11/2022 | End submission calls: 16/03/2023

    The objective of this topic is to support projects on innovative electrification in industry and innovative hydrogen production and use, in support of the 2030 targets for renewable hydrogen established in the REPowerEU Action Plan, and to decrease the use of and dependency on imported fossil fuels.

  • Innovation Fund Large Scale Projects - Clean-tech manufacturing

    Closed

    Code: 25120 | Identifier Code: InnovFund-2022-LSC-03-MANUFACTURING | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 03/11/2022 | End submission calls: 16/03/2023

    The objective of this topic is to support projects on innovative clean-tech manufacturing of components for hydrogen production, renewable energy and energy storage in order to build industrial capacity, technology leadership, supply chain resilience and strategic autonomy on these decarbonisation technologies within the EU.

  • Innovation Fund Large Scale Projects - Mid-sized pilots

    Closed

    Code: 25118 | Identifier Code: InnovFund-2022-LSC-04-PILOTS | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 03/11/2022 | End submission calls: 16/03/2023

    The objective of this topic is to support highly innovative, disruptive or breakthrough technologies in deep decarbonisation needed for achieving the climate neutrality goal and strengthening synergies with the Horizon Europe programme.

  • Innovation Fund Large Scale Projects - General decarbonisation

    Closed

    Code: 25110 | Identifier Code: InnovFund-2022-LSC-01-GENERAL | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 03/11/2022 | End submission calls: 16/03/2023

    The Innovation Fund provides grants for projects aimed at the commercial development of innovative low-carbon technologies, with the aim of bringing to market industrial solutions to decarbonise Europe and support its transition to climate neutrality.

  • Innovation Fund Small Scale Projects

    Closed

    Code: 20532 | Identifier Code: InnovFund-2021-SSC | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 31/03/2022 | End submission calls: 31/08/2022

    The objectives of this call are to:
    (a) support projects demonstrating highly innovative technologies, processes, business models or products/services, that are sufficiently mature and have a significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
    (b) offer financial support tailored to market needs and risk profiles of eligible projects, while attracting additional public and private resources

  • Innovation Fund Large Scale Projects

    Closed

    Code: 15099 | Identifier Code: InnovFund-LSC-2021 | Programme name: Innovation Fund (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 26/10/2021 | End submission calls: 03/03/2022

    The objectives of this call are to:

    • support projects demonstrating highly innovative technologies, processes or products, that are sufficiently mature and have a significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
    • offer financial support tailored to market needs and risk profiles of eligible projects, while attracting additional public and private resources.