Innovation Fund 2024 Net Zero Technologies – General Decarbonisation – Large Scale Projects (INNOVFUND-2024-NZT-GENERAL-LSP)

The INNOVFUND 2024 Net Zero Technologies fund aims to: 

• To support projects that demonstrate highly innovative technologies, processes and business models or products and services, which are sufficiently mature and have a significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 
• To provide tailor-made financial support, adapted to market needs and risk profiles of eligible projects, leveraging public and private resources. 

These projects are expected to contribute to the transition to a climate neutral economy by 2050 and to the EU's targets of at least 55% emission reductions by 2030, as set out in various climate policies and initiatives, including the European Climate Change Act, the Net Zero Industry Act, the REPowerEU Plan, and the Fitfor55 package. 

Objectives 

For the ‘large-scale projects’ fund (INNOVFUND-2024-NZT-GENERAL-LSP), activities that are under this scope include innovation in low carbon technologies and processes, carbon capture and storage, and innovative renewable energy and energy storage technologies.  

For the maritime transport sector, support can be provided to, for example, breakthrough innovative technologies and infrastructure, including energy efficiency, sustainable alternative fuels, electrification, and zero-emission propulsion technologies such as wind technologies, including innovative infrastructure in the maritime sector, particularly for EU container transhipment ports. Production and installation of new or retrofitted innovative technology (e.g. energy system, engine or equipment) into a ship is eligible for funding provided that the manufacturing and/or installation is done in EU/EEA. 

Eligibility 

Detailed information on eligible applicants can be found in the call document. Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must register in the Participant Register — before submitting the proposal — and will have to be validated by the Central Validation Service (REA Validation). 

Projects must be located in EU Member States or EEA countries (i.e. Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein). Projects may also be located in Northern Ireland on the condition that they concern the generation, transmission, distribution or supply of electricity.  

For projects in the maritime sector: 

• when the projects concern investments on ships, those ships must carry a flag of an EU Member States or an EEA country and call ports under the jurisdiction of an EU Member State or EEA country (see list) on a regular basis (at least 15% of their calls on ports over two years); or must call ports under the jurisdiction of an EU Member State or EEA country (see list) on a regular basis (at least 30% of their calls on ports over two years); or perform service or support activities in ports under the jurisdiction of an EU Member State or EEA country.  
• when the projects concern investments in ports infrastructure (e.g. renewable alternative fuel bunkering infrastructures in ports, including container transhipment ports), the ports must be under the jurisdiction of an EU Member States or an EEA country (see list).  

Budget 

Project budgets (requested grant amount) must be calculated based on the relevant costs, using the relevant cost calculator provided and respecting the conditions set out in the guidelines on the relevant cost methodology. The maximum grant amount may not exceed 60% of the relevant costs. Only projects with a total capital expenditure above EUR 100 000 000 are eligible under this topic. 

Duration 

Under the INNOVFUND-2024-NZT-GENERAL-LSP topic, projects must reach financial close within four years after grant signature, and operate at least five years after entry into operation. Project duration (grant duration) normally ranges between 3 and 15 years, from grant signature to the final payment. Projects of longer duration may be accepted in duly justified cases. 

Innovation Fund 2024 Net Zero Technologies – General decarbonisation – Large-Scale Projects  

Call document 

Check tutorials, Info Day presentations and recordings here 

For help related to this call, please see the helpdesks and support services. 

InnovFund helpdesk – Contact the INNOVFUND helpdesk for questions specifically related to the call documentation, application and evaluation process. 

IT Helpdesk – Contact the IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc. 

Online Manual – Step-by-step online guide through the Portal processes.