This grant supports proposals demonstrating concentrated solar thermal technologies to decarbonize industrial processes using renewable heat at temperatures between 150°C - 400°C. The objective is to achieve a yearly solar fraction of at least 50% while also improving competitiveness through economically feasible business cases and reduced heating costs.
General information
- Programme
- Horizon Europe (HORIZON)2021–2027
- Call
- BATTERIES and ENERGY HORIZON-CL5-2027-02
- Programme part
- Pillar II · Global Challenges & CompetitivenessCluster 5 · Climate, Energy and Mobility
- Destination
- Ensuring more efficient, sustainable, secure, and competitive renewable and decarbonised energy supply (2026-27)
- Type of action
- HORIZON-IA Innovation Actions
- Type of MGA
- HORIZON-AG-LS HORIZON Lump Sum Grant
- Status
- Forthcoming
- Deadline model
- Single-stage
- Opening date
- 03.12.2026
- Deadline date
- 31.03.2027, 17:00 Brussels time
- Cross-cutting priorities
Budget overview
| Type of action | Budget 2027 | EU contribution per project | Grants | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HORIZON-IAInnovation Actions | €12M | €6M | 2 | 31.03.2027 |
Expected outcome
Renewable heating can be directly used to efficiently decarbonise industrial processes. Concentrated solar thermal technologies offer a great potential to supply renewable heat for industry for temperatures between 150°C - 400°C. Nevertheless, efforts are still required to demonstrate these technologies for a variety of industrial processes.
Proposals are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes:
- Showcase the capacity of concentrated solar thermal systems to largely meet the heat demand of industrial processes and to achieve a yearly solar fraction of at least 50%.
- Increase competitiveness of concentrated solar thermal for industrial applications. This is to be proven by an economically feasible business case; by reducing the Levelised Cost of Heating (LCoH); and by valorising and promoting the competitive advantages of the technology such as heat storage, flexibility, and energy security.
Scope
The proposals are expected to demonstrate concentrated solar technologies for heat production (within the 150°C - 400°C range), combined with storage, feeding the generated heat to existing heating and/or cooling processes in industry, e.g., drying, melting, sterilisation, refrigeration, etc.
The proposals are expected to efficiently integrate the solar heat system in the selected industrial application. To a possible extent, the proposals should optimise energy efficiency and heat recovery of the industrial process to maximise the coverage of the heat demand by the solar system and to ensure an efficient solar investment. Hybridisation with other on-site renewable energy technologies could be considered. However, the core solutions are expected to focus on the concentrated solar thermal part and not on the industrial process or on the hybrid renewable energy technologies.
The proposed solution is expected to be demonstrated in all possible solar incidence, and for a continuous period of at least 6 months. The replicability potential to other industrial processes should also be taken into account.
The proposals are expected to address the techno-economic feasibility and the environmental impact of the proposed systems, as well as specific issues related to the integration of the solar systems in the industrial process such as surface availability.
The proposal is expected to include a clear go/no go milestone before entering the deployment phase. Before this go/no-go milestone, the project is expected to submit: i) a proof of solid engagement of the industrial demonstration party, ii) all needed permits for deployment, iii) credible and detailed engineering plans, and iv) a complete business and implementation plan.
The use of the European Research Infrastructure for concentrated solar power EU-SOLARIS is encouraged but not mandatory.
Who can apply
- A consortium of at least three independent organisations from three different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, at least one from an EU Member State.
- Ukraine has been associated to the programme since 2022: Ukrainian organisations can coordinate and receive funding on equal terms.
- Universities, research organisations, companies (including SMEs), public authorities and NGOs can take part.
Topic-specific condition: In line with the “restriction on control in innovation actions in critical technology areas” delineated in General Annex B of the General Annexes, entities established in an eligible country but which are directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to participate in the action.If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).
Applicant types in our database: Higher Education Institutions (HEI), Research Institute or Organization (RnD), Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), Start-Up, Non-governmental organization (NGO).
How to apply
- Register your organisation on the Funding & Tenders portal and get a PIC (9 digits).
- Build a consortium or join one: use Partner Search on the topic page.
- Download the proposal template (Part A forms, Part B narrative) in the submission system on the topic page.
- Submit by 31.03.2027, 17:00 Brussels time. The system opens on 03.12.2026.
The official topic text, templates and submission are on the Funding & Tenders topic page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline for HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-07?
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Become a partner in a proposal
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