Innovation Fund

Europe’s largest funding program for innovative low-carbon technologies

Innovation Fund is one of the world’s largest funding programs for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is providing the revenues for the fund by auctioning emission allowances. The Innovation Fund finances breakthrough technologies for renewable energy, energy-intensive industries, energy storage, and the capture, use and storage of carbon. This fund gives impetus to the green recovery by creating local future-proof jobs, paving the way for climate neutrality and strengthening European technological leadership worldwide.

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Innovation Fund in short

Intented audience Intented audience

Funding is available for companies and public authorities in all EU member states Iceland or Norway.

Budget per project Budget per project

The grants cover up to 60% of project costs.

Application deadline Application deadline

Projects can be submitted only within specific calls for proposals.

Innovation Fund themes

  • Innovative low-carbon technologies and processes in energy-intensive industries, including products substituting carbon-intensive ones
  • Innovative renewable energy generation
  • Energy storage
  • Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
  • Carbon capture and utilisation (CCU)
  • Maritime and aviation technologies
  • Clean-tech manufacturing
  • Battery cell manufacturing

Is your project eligible for funding?

To be eligible, your project must at least:

  • involve the demonstration of a new and highly innovative technology, product or process;
  • have significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
  • have a capital expenditure of at least 2,5 million euros (for Small-scale projects), at least 20 million euros (for Medium-sized projects), or 100 million euro and more (for Large-scale projects)
  • score sufficiently on criteria like maturity, scalability and cost efficiency.

More detailed requirements may be added with each specific call for proposals. The Innovation Fund may support Demonstration projects (focusing on bringing new, promising innovative technologies to the market) and Advanced R&D projects, close to the commercialization phase (pilots). However, please note:

  • early R&D projects (when there is no Proof of Concept yet) are not supported
  • the same goes for ‘overly advanced’ projects, that are already extensively rolling out an innovation. In some cases there may still be opportunities for scale-ups.

100+
Innovation Fund proposals supported

40%
overall success rate

+300
million tonnes of CO2eq reductions over the last years

How can PNO Innovation help you with your Innovation Fund application?

The experts of PNO Innovation can support you in performing the required calculations, writing convincing documents, and managing the application process. Furthermore, they can assist you in strategically scoping and positioning your project in accordance with relevant market trends and EU policy objectives.

A few of our Innovation Fund experts

Start your Innovation Fund application

Are you interested in submitting an Innovation Fund application and in the services of PNO? Please fill out the fields below so we can help you set up your project efficiently.

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