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Horizon Europe · European Union

Concentrated solar thermal systems for decarbonising industrial processes

Opens 3 Dec 2026

The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 2 awards of €6 million each, from a total budget of €12 million. Applications close on 31 Mar 2027 (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time). Organisations in EU member states and Horizon Europe associated countries such as Türkiye can usually take part; the topic conditions control.

Expected outcome

Renewable heating can be directly used to efficiently decarbonise industrial processes. Concentrated solar thermal technologies offer a great potential to supply renewable heat for industry for temperatures between 150°C - 400°C. Nevertheless, efforts are still required to demonstrate these technologies for a variety of industrial processes.

Proposals are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes:

• Showcase the capacity of concentrated solar thermal systems to largely meet the heat demand of industrial processes and to achieve a yearly solar fraction of at least 50%.

• Increase competitiveness of concentrated solar thermal for industrial applications. This is to be proven by an economically feasible business case; by reducing the Levelised Cost of Heating (LCoH); and by valorising and promoting the competitive advantages of the technology such as heat storage, flexibility, and energy security.

Scope

The proposals are expected to demonstrate concentrated solar technologies for heat production (within the 150°C - 400°C range), combined with storage, feeding the generated heat to existing heating and/or cooling processes in industry, e.g., drying, melting, sterilisation, refrigeration, etc.

The proposals are expected to efficiently integrate the solar heat system in the selected industrial application. To a possible extent, the proposals should optimise energy efficiency and heat recovery of the industrial process to maximise the coverage of the heat demand by the solar system and to ensure an efficient solar investment. Hybridisation with other on-site renewable energy technologies could be considered. However, the core solutions are expected to focus on the concentrated solar thermal part and not on the industrial process or on the hybrid renewable energy technologies.

The proposed solution is expected to be demonstrated in all possible solar incidence, and for a continuous period of at least 6 months. The replicability potential to other industrial processes should also be taken into account.

Who can apply

Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries, at least one in a Member State (Horizon Europe standard rule).

Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.

Timing

Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-03-31. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).

How to apply

1. Read the full topic on the Funding & Tenders Portal: expected outcome, scope, type of action and the topic conditions, including any country restrictions.
2. Register each participating organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal to get a PIC.
3. Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries (Horizon Europe standard rule; Türkiye is associated). Confirm in the topic conditions.
4. Prepare Part A (administrative forms and budget, completed in the portal) and Part B (the technical description on the official template for this type of action).
5. Submit in the portal before the cut-off time on the deadline day. Late submissions are not accepted.

From the call text

Who can apply

Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Company stage

Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Single applicant or consortium

Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.

Where applicants must be based

Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.

Where to apply

Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.

Read the EU application guide

Where these facts come from

Official sources

Official call page

Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.

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