Demonstration of innovative, large-scale, seasonal heat and/or cooling storage technologies for decarbonisation and security of supply
European Comission
ExpectedOutcome :
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Increased availability, robustness and safety of sustainable and efficient choices for energy storage to increase security of supply, reduce energy losses, cost effectiveness and improve the environmental footprint of the energy system.
- Availability and functionality of innovative large-scale energy storage systems developed for specific system designs and applications.
- Increase technology leadership, competitiveness and technology export potential of European storage technology industry.
- Enhanced sustainability of storage technologies, taking fully into account circular economy, social, economic and environmental aspects in line with the European Green Deal priorities.
- In addition to development of the storage technology as such, it should be made suitable to accumulation of different heat sources, including solar-thermal energy, geothermal energy, industrial waste heat, as well as heat produced using photovoltaics, hybrid solar panels (Photo-Voltaic Thermal Panels) and wind energy technologies.
- Systemic approach, smart integration concepts, including intelligent management together with other energy sources. Efficient techniques/methodology of buffering between demand and supply to be ensured. Scope :
Demonstration of innovative heat and/or cooling storage technologies, going beyond the state of the art, which address long-term energy storage up to cross-seasonal storage. Large-scale solutions are expected to be embedded into
- District-level heating and/or cooling storage.
- and/or integrate heat supply (industry waste heat) and demand for heat for industrial processes.
Where appropriate, contribution to Power-to-Heat-to-Power technology should be explored.
They should optimise CAPEX, OPEX and round-trip efficiency of heat storage, as well as circularity and sustainability of the system and its components, which are expected to be non-toxic, highly durable and reasonably easy to recycle. Land (space) footprint is also an important aspect which should be taken into account. An LCA should be performed. Strategic independence is to be considered, i.e. use of abundant materials whenever it is possible.
The demonstration projects should address the required methodologies for the predictive maintenance and control of the whole system.
Maximum use of all available thermal energy sources as well as systemic approach to integration into energy system is to be ensured.
(Indirect) collaboration with IEA’s Energy Storage Technology Collaboration Programme is to be ensured, e.g. through IEA Member States. Notably: Task 39 “Large Thermal Energy Storages for District Heating”.
Basic material research is excluded.
Projects should address economic viability studies validated by industry and assessment of large-scale replication potential. The exploitation plans should include business plan indicating the possible funding sources to be potentially used (such as private equity, InvestEU, EU Catalyst Partnership and the Innovation Fund).
Specific Topic Conditions :
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
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).
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
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