Digital tools for CSP and solar thermal plants
European Comission
ExpectedOutcome :
Project results are expected to contribute to some of the following expected outcomes:
- Improved performance of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants.
- Improved performance of concentrated and/or non-concentrated solar thermal heat and/or cold plants.
- Reduced operation and maintenance costs of CSP plants.
- Reduced operation and maintenance costs of concentrated and/or non-concentrated solar thermal heat and/or cold plants.
- Reinforced role of CSP plants in the power market.
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
- Achievement of the CSP targets of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan. Scope :
Support will be given to the innovative application of digital tools (or to the application of innovative digital tools, or both) in the following areas: (i) CSP and/or (ii) solar thermal heat and/or cold. Any type of application of the digital tools is in the scope (e.g., component control, performance measurement, self-diagnostic, ancillary services to the power system, digital twins, etc.). Artificial intelligence techniques are also in the scope.
Proposals are expected to bring and demonstrate measurable benefits of the proposed digital tools in terms of operation, maintenance, and flexibility of the plant.
Where applicable, the digital tools should support night baseload generation from thermal energy storage.
Where applicable, the demonstration should span a continuous interval of at least six months covering all possible incidence angles of the direct solar radiation.
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
To ensure a balanced portfolio, grants will be awarded to proposals not only in order of ranking but at least also to one proposal that is the highest ranked within the area of concentrated solar power (CSP) and at least also to one proposal that is the highest ranked within the area of solar thermal heat and/or cold, provided that proposals attain all thresholds (and subject to available budget). This condition to ensure a balanced portfolio will also be considered to be met if a proposal addressing both areas is funded.
- 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
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
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)
Template excel for the detailed budget costs breakdown (Lump Sum)
Presentation - Lump Sum Funding: What do I need to know?
Decision authorising Lump Sum under Horizon Europe
Standard evaluation form — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
MGA
Call-specific instructions
Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
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