Horizon 2020 opens €118M funding call for renewable energy

Horizon 2020, the European Commission’s research and innovation programme, is calling for submissions of project proposals competing for European grants in renewable energy technologies and low carbon energy.

The €118.3 million call comprises several aspects of renewable and low carbon energy, including ‘Developing the next generation of renewable energy technologies’ section, that lists ‘Developing the next generation technologies of renewable electricity and heating/cooling’ topic.

Horizon 2020 is providing €61.3 million for this topic, and the eligible technologies that can apply for the funding grant include those involved in ocean energy power generation.

According to the European Commission (EC), the fundamental challenge to be addressed under this call in 2016 when it comes to ocean energy is the development of novel and advanced reliable prime mover (system blades, pitch and hub for tidal energy converters and device structure for wave energy converters) and the development of novel and advanced power take-off and control systems, converting mechanical energy from prime mover into grid compliant electricity.

For 2017, EC states, the challenge for ocean energy sector is to develop advanced ocean energy subsystems: innovative power take-off systems, and control strategies.

The aim is to improve the performance of ocean energy devices and reduce the overall cost of ocean energy by means of the demonstration of innovative power take-off systems and control strategies in order to increase power capture and power conversion efficiency, to reduce cost of components in the systems and increase power quality.

For the advanced sub-system an improved understanding of their interaction with energy resource is needed. Further, new system designs and methodologies are needed to enhance reliability and performance levels, making a step change in the sector and introduce as well a certain level of standardisation.

The submission deadline is set on February 16, 2016.

Other topics that are covered by this funding call include the development of next generation biofuel technologies (€10 million), international cooperation with Mexico on geothermal energy (€10 million), international cooperation with South Korea on new generation high-efficiency capture processes (€17 million), utilisation of captured CO2 as feedstock for the process industry (€10 million), and social sciences and humanities support for the Energy Union (€10 million).

More information about this Horizon 2020 funding call can be found here.

Images: EC