【Horizon Europe Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility

Horizon Europe Cluster 5

Horizon Europe Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility

Cluster 5 of Horizon Europe focuses on funding projects that align with the EU’s objectives of achieving ecological transition, clean energy, and sustainable mobility.

This cluster supports innovative solutions that contribute to the green transition, reducing carbon emissions, enhancing energy efficiency, and promoting cleaner, more sustainable transport systems across Europe. The goal is to make Europe a global leader in sustainable energy and mobility technologies.

What is Horizon Europe Cluster 5 and what does it cover?

Cluster 5 of Horizon Europe is dedicated to climate action, energy transition, and sustainable mobility. Its main goal is to fund projects that drive innovative solutions to tackle climate change, accelerate the shift towards clean energy, and enhance sustainable transportation systems.

By focusing on these critical areas, Cluster 5 aims to make Europe a global leader in green technologies, contributing significantly to the European Green Deal and the EU’s climate goals.

Main Objective of Cluster 5: Supporting the Climate and Energy Transition

The primary objective of Cluster 5 is to support the climate and energy transition by funding projects that help reduce carbon emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and drive the development of clean, renewable energy sources. This includes advancing technologies for carbon capture, storage, and renewable energy production, as well as promoting more sustainable transportation solutions to tackle Europe’s climate challenges.

Contribution to the European Green Deal Objectives

Cluster 5 plays a critical role in achieving the European Green Deal’s goal of making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. It contributes to this vision by funding innovative solutions that promote sustainable growth, reduce environmental impact, and support the EU’s climate resilience. These projects help Europe transition to a low-carbon economy and achieve its long-term environmental and energy goals.

Main intervention areas of Cluster 5 (Climate, Energy and Mobility)

Cluster 5 of Horizon Europe focuses on driving innovative solutions to address the challenges of climate change, clean energy transition, and sustainable mobility.

These themes collectively address the need for an integrated approach to sustainability in Europe, aligning with broader global goals to combat climate change and build a more sustainable future.

Climate Science and Solutions

This pillar focuses on projects related to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and climate modeling. The main objective is to improve our understanding of climate systems and develop effective strategies to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Projects under this area aim to:

Enhance climate predictions and forecasting models.
Develop innovative solutions for reducing emissions in key sectors.
Support climate adaptation strategies to protect vulnerable ecosystems and communities.

Clean and Secure Energy

The Clean and Secure Energy pillar focuses on renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, energy efficiency, and energy storage solutions.

Projects in this area aim to accelerate the transition towards a decarbonized energy system, improving energy security and enabling sustainable growth. Key topics under this pillar include

Renewable energy technologies (solar, wind, biomass, etc.).
Hydrogen as a clean energy source for industry and transport.
Energy efficiency measures in buildings, industrial sectors, and transport.
Energy storage solutions to facilitate the integration of renewable energy into the grid.

Smart and Sustainable Mobility

The Smart and Sustainable Mobility pillar focuses on developing technologies and solutions that enable a shift to sustainable transportation and mobility systems. This includes reducing reliance on fossil fuels, promoting electric vehicles, and introducing smart transportation solutions.

Types of Funding, Intensity, and TRL in Cluster 5 of Horizon Europe

Types of funding

Cluster 5 of Horizon Europe offers different funding types depending on the project stage and research focus:

RIA (Research and Innovation Actions): Projects focused on disruptive technologies, including basic research, experimental development, and early validation.
IA (Innovation Actions): Focused on bringing lab-tested technologies closer to market, including prototypes and pilot testing.
CSA (Coordination and Support Actions): Projects that promote collaboration and knowledge transfer between institutions and key sectors.

Funding intensity

The funding intensity depends on the action type and participant profile. Non-profit organizations and public authorities are generally funded at 100%.

RIA (Research and Innovation Actions): Up to 100% of eligible costs, focused on basic research and experimental development.
IA (Innovation Actions): Up to 70% funding (up to 100% for non-profits), supporting innovation and development activities.
CSA (Coordination and Support Actions): Up to 100% of eligible costs for coordination and support activities.

Technology Readiness Level (TRL)

TRL (Technology Readiness Level) measures the maturity of a technology, from basic research (TRL 1) to full commercialization (TRL 9), indicating its readiness for real-world application.

Cluster 5 projects align with different TRL levels:

TRL 1–4: Early-stage research and development, mainly under RIA (basic research, concept validation, lab testing).
TRL 5–6: Technology development and validation, typical of IA (prototypes and pilot testing).
TRL 7–9: Demonstration and commercialization, where IA projects bring technologies to market at scale.

Contact our EU funding experts

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