Horizon Europe European Union
Neutral-Atom Platform Technologies
This action aims to establish European leadership in neutral-atom quantum simulation and digital quantum computing by delivering: • Fully programmable industry-ready quan…
Horizon Europe · European Union
Large scale operational validation and upscaling of state-of-the-art (Generative) AI tools and models powering…
Full title in the source: Large scale operational validation and upscaling of state-of-the-art (Generative) AI tools and models powering a next generation digital energy system
Opens 3 Dec 2026
The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 2 awards of €10 million each, from a total budget of €20 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.
- Deadline
- 31 Mar 2027 (in 136 days)
- Opens
- 3 Dec 2026
- Grant amount
- €10 million per project
- Total budget
- €20 million
- Funding rate
- 70% for companies, 100% for non-profits Standard rule for this programme; the call can differ.
- Total budget
- €20 million
- Expected awards
- 2
- Type of action
- HORIZON Innovation Actions · HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based
- Likely applicant types
- Companies, SMEs / start-ups, Non-profits, Universities & research, Public bodies From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
- Funder
- Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
- Reference
- HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-24
- Call
- HORIZON-CL5-2027-02
- Last checked
- 14 Nov 2026
Expected outcome
Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:
• Advanced, secure frugal (energy-, resource-, data- and cost-efficient, sustainable) AI tools for real-time grid operations (including protection), market operations (if relevant) and consumer empowerment in distributed energy systems.
• A demonstrated AI development environment integrated with the upgraded digital spine of the energy system and energy-saving consumer applications.
• Scaled-up capabilities for learning at edge nodes and federated systems using agent-based architectures.
• A governance framework and operating model for the Gen(AI)-powered digital spine.
Scope
Building up on previous actions in Horizon Europe (e.g. the digital spine of the energy system in cluster 5 as well as cloud and edge continuum and AI data processing activities in cluster 4) and Digital Europe (Common Reference Framework for energy consumer applications across the EU, Common Energy Data Space), projects are expected to:
• Validate (demo site and operational grid) and scale secure state-of-the-art specialised frugal (energy- and resource-efficient, data- and cost-efficient, locally deployed and sustainable) open-source (Generative-)AI tools and models for real-time grid (and market, if relevant) monitoring, balancing, forecasting and consumer empowerment in a distributed energy system.
• Demonstrate an AI development environment within the enhanced digital spine of the energy system, including its digital twin, which should incorporate the functionality of the Common Reference Framework for energy saving applications.
Read the full text
• Prototype and validate at scale machine learning at the edge node level and federated at swarm level in an agent-based architecture, leveraging new mechanisms for scaling down AI models as well as incremental and reinforcement learning.
• The project's deliverables should be compatible with the principles of the Common European Energy Data Space and consistent with the EU's Apply AI and Competitiveness Compass, ensuring that they promote AI adoption and competitiveness in line with EU policies, as well as the EU Digitalisation of the energy sector initiatives.
• Where relevant and possible, the selected projects are expected to make use of the European AI factories and AI gigafactories.
• The selected projects are expected, where available, to make use of and further develop commonly agreed European standards and to actively collaborate and contribute to the work of established and de facto European standards developing organisations and open-source communities and platforms.
Selected projects are expected to contribute to the BRIDGE [1] initiative and actively participate in its activities.
Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL.
[1] https://bridge-smart-grid-storage-systems-digital-projects.ec.europa.eu/
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
- Read the full topic on the Funding & Tenders Portal: expected outcome, scope, type of action and the topic conditions, including any country restrictions.
- Register each participating organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal to get a PIC.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
Where these facts come from
| Fact | Value | How we know | Taken from the source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | 31 March 2027 “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).” | official data field | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Amount per applicant | Unknown — not stated in the source we hold | unknown | — |
| Total budget | €20 million | official data field | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Funding rate | 70% for companies, 100% for non-profits | programme standard rule | 15 Nov 2026 |
| 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). | programme standard rule | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Where to apply | Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route. | read from the official text | 15 Nov 2026 |
Official sources
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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