Demonstration of industrial excess/waste heat conversion to mechanical or electrical power

Overview

Supports the demonstration of industrial excess or waste heat conversion to mechanical or electrical power, targeting industrial sectors with significant heating demand in the EU and Associated Countries. Aims to improve energy efficiency, grid stability, and replicability of solutions across industries.

Who Can Apply

Consortia of legal entities (e.g., businesses, research organizations, public bodies) from eligible countries. Projects must involve at least one operational industrial site for demonstration.

Funding Details

• Maximum grant amount: €9,400,000
• Funding rate: Not specified (lump-sum model)
• Total budget: Not specified

What Is Funded

• Development and validation of novel excess/waste heat recovery and conversion systems.
• Physical demonstration of heat recovery and conversion to power, optionally combined with energy storage, at industrial sites.
• Standardization of common components and open technical/economic guidelines for integration into SCADA/EMS infrastructures.
• Business model development for heat valorization as flexible electricity generation.
• Dissemination of results to relevant communities, including Cluster 4 partnerships.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

• Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 7–9 (system prototype demonstration in operational environment to actual system proven in operational conditions).

Key Dates

• Open date: 2027-05-04
• Deadline: 2027-09-14

Application Process (High-Level)

• Single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
• Proposals must adhere to page limits and layout described in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Post-Award Obligations

• Use of lump-sum funding model.
• Potential restrictions on transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results for up to 4 years post-project.
• Compliance with dissemination and reporting requirements, including open guidelines and tools.

Geographic Scope & Language

• Eligible countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, United Kingdom, Switzerland.
• Application language: English.

Notes

• Projects must survey and analyze the needs of EU/Associated Countries’ factories in the target sector(s) before design to ensure replicability.
• If satellite-based data/services are used, beneficiaries must utilize Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.
• Proposals must align with Horizon Europe’s lump-sum funding rules.