Accelerating the green transition and energy access in Africa
European Comission
ExpectedOutcome :
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Technologically reliable and economically viable renewable energy solutions by 2030.
- Improve climate adaptation and/or climate mitigation potential of the solutions compared to other technologies/solutions.
- Strengthening of the joint EU-AU Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Collaborative Partnership efforts, with emphasis on improving the visibility of EU Science Diplomacy actions in Africa.
- Proven positive environmental, health, climate, social and economic impacts of the renewable energy solutions.
- Acceleration of the achievements of the African countries’ targets of the Paris Agreement. Scope :
The proposal should demonstrate innovative sustainable renewable energy solutions that improve climate adaptation and/or mitigation potential compared to other technologies/solutions in the African social, economic and environmental contexts. The proposal may address development of renewable energy sources, including solutions for off-grid communities, and their integration into the existing energy system. Proposals should consider the generation of renewable energy, and where relevant the transmission, and the use of storage/battery systems.
The action should cover either urbanised or rural contexts in Africa. It should contribute to reducing the stress on the water-energy-food nexus, with the aim of providing sustainable renewable energy access and creating other socio-economic benefits such as improved health, economic wealth and jobs.
Actions should design, construct, commission and operate the demonstration installation. Actions should also develop and implement a tailored value chain approach, identifying the most suitable manufacturing value chains, on the basis of the local context, local material supply chain(s) and local workforce, with the objective of ensuring sustainable local economic development. African SMEs are expected to play an important role in the overall value chain and to contribute in the identifying the needs. Actions should also include the identification of technical, vocational and educational needs of the workforce and propose relevant training and qualification activities. Actions should finally define a market and business strategy that could take into consideration funding from financial instruments and aid programmes to ensure impact through a quick and viable commercial take-up of the technological solution demonstrated.
Social innovation should be considered. The business plan should include appropriate consideration of available financial support instruments (local, regional and/or international) to enhance the speedy market deployment of the solution.
Proposals should include a life cycle analysis showing the impact of the proposed solutions when compared to other technologies/solutions on the environment, on climate change targets and on the social and the economic dimensions, taking a cradle to grave viewpoint. The life cycle analysis should take a cradle to grave approach. Proposals should adopt a circular economy approach.
As the demonstration installation will be located in Africa, relevant African partners have to participate in the implementation of the project. A balanced involvement in the activities of the projects of European and African partners will be considered an asset in the evaluation.
Actions should also participate in and contribute to the African Union[1] - European Union collaborative research action on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy, in particular through cooperation/collaboration with the project LEAP-RE, “, www.leap-re.eu.
Specific Topic Conditions :
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
[1]“African Union member states” includes countries whose membership has been temporarily suspended.
General conditions
- Admissibility conditions: described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System
- Eligible countries: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide .
- Other eligibility conditions: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes
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).
The following additional eligibility criteria apply:
For the consortium, in addition to the standard eligibility conditions for consortia, at least two entities established in at least one African Union member state must be part of the consortium.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes
Evaluation and award:
- Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes
For the criterion 'Quality and efficiency of the implementation', in addition to its standard sub-criteria, the following aspect shall constitute a major element: Proven access to necessary land and / or permits for operation at the time of application and / or convincing risk management regarding delayed availability of land or permits. Risk management can include go / no-go decisions at mid-term.
Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes
- Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes
Specific conditions
- Specific conditions: described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Documents
Call documents:
Standard application form — call-specific application form is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Standard evaluation form — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
MGA
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 13. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual