The European Commission has announced that 85 innovative net-zero projects across 18 countries will receive a total of EUR 4.8 billion in grants under the Innovation Fund's 2023 call for proposals.
The selected initiatives span sectors such as energy-intensive industries, renewable energy, energy storage, carbon management, net-zero mobility, and buildings, with completion targeted before 2030.
Over the first decade of operation, these projects are expected to reduce emissions by 476 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Cleantech manufacturing initiatives, including production plants for solar and wind energy components, heat pumps, and energy storage technologies, will add 3 GW of solar photovoltaic capacity and 9.3 GW of electrolyser manufacturing capacity in the EU.
Among the grant recipients is Norway's Nel ASA, which secured up to EUR 135 million to industrialize its pressurized alkaline technology. In the renewable hydrogen category, winning projects will contribute 61 kilotonnes of renewable fuel annually, aiding hard-to-abate sectors.
The next call for proposals under the Innovation Fund is scheduled for December 2024.
