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Strategic Analysis
This Innovation Action (IA) call focuses on demonstrating hydropower technologies for efficient and sustainable refurbishment of existing plants, aligning with EU climate neutrality goals, energy security, and biodiversity preservation. The winning angle will emphasize scalable, replicable solutions that balance energy flexibility with environmental sustainability, particularly fish migration and sediment dynamics, while ensuring cost-efficiency and resilience to climate change. Strong industry-academia collaboration and clear pathways to market uptake will be critical.
TRL 4 → 8
Based on programme defaults
Demonstration of hydropower technology solutions which allow for efficient and forward-looking refurbishment of existing hydropower plants, ensuring socioeconomically and environmentally sustainable (including biodiversity) solutions with a respective assessment.
Innovative design of turbines (and also draft tubes, nozzles and distributors) and generators, including innovative improvements based on future load cycles and extending their intended life time.
New models and simulation tools for harsher operational conditions.
Digitalisation and artificial intelligence to advance instrumentation and controls and flexibility and to develop innovative operational strategies towards reduced O&M costs.
Transient aspect linked to new operating patterns of hydro plants to cope with climate changes and renewable base load.
New materials for increased efficiency and resistance of equipment and increased performance, life time and resilience of infrastructure including e.g. phasing out of PFAS and mineral oils; low-GHG balance concrete.
Automated maintenance of metal hydropower turbines to reduce cost, operator hazards and reduce LCoE related to OPEX.
Improving water uses resilience via integrated operations and management.
Simulation and forecasting tools for integrated risk and mitigation analysis for climate change adaptation and in response to extreme weather events by taking fully into account biodiversity requirements by targeting good ecological status and e.g. fish migration.
Water flows and sediment dynamics not hampering flexible hydropower production.
Innovative techniques for enhancing the life time of concrete structures and the overtopping safety of embankment and rockfill structures.
Enhancing the capacities of the hydropower fleet to contribute with variable renewables base load to a secure and stable electricity system, including by modernising grid integration and hydropower fleet control.
Increase technology leadership, competitiveness and technology export potential of European hydropower industry.
Address challenges of climate change adaptation for a forward-looking and stable operation of sustainable hydropower for the coming decades.
No expected impacts identified for this destination.
Technologies that are safe and sustainable by design with reduced and diversified external dependence on critical raw materials
highSpecific requirements
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
Exclusion of entities established in China
Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination.
1. Admissibility conditions — Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible Countries — described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide .
3. Other Eligibility Conditions — If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used). Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks. described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion — described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds — are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes — are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual .
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement — described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants — The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf ]]. described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) Guidance HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) Lump Sum MGA Call-specific instructions Detailed budget table (HE LS) Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.
This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.
| Requirement | Covered by | Carried | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope activities | |||
| SC1Demonstration of hydropower technology solutions which allow for efficient and forward-looking refurbishment of existing hydropower plants, ensuring socioeconomically and environmentally sustainable (including biodiversity) solutions with a respective assessment. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC2Innovative design of turbines (and also draft tubes, nozzles and distributors) and generators, including innovative improvements based on future load cycles and extending their intended life time. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC3New models and simulation tools for harsher operational conditions. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC4Digitalisation and artificial intelligence to advance instrumentation and controls and flexibility and to develop innovative operational strategies towards reduced O&M costs. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC5Transient aspect linked to new operating patterns of hydro plants to cope with climate changes and renewable base load. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC6New materials for increased efficiency and resistance of equipment and increased performance, life time and resilience of infrastructure including e.g. phasing out of PFAS and mineral oils; low-GHG balance concrete. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC7Automated maintenance of metal hydropower turbines to reduce cost, operator hazards and reduce LCoE related to OPEX. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC8Improving water uses resilience via integrated operations and management. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC9Simulation and forecasting tools for integrated risk and mitigation analysis for climate change adaptation and in response to extreme weather events by taking fully into account biodiversity requirements by targeting good ecological status and e.g. fish migration. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC10Water flows and sediment dynamics not hampering flexible hydropower production. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC11Innovative techniques for enhancing the life time of concrete structures and the overtopping safety of embankment and rockfill structures. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected outcomes | |||
| EO1Enhancing the capacities of the hydropower fleet to contribute with variable renewables base load to a secure and stable electricity system, including by modernising grid integration and hydropower fleet control. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO2Increase technology leadership, competitiveness and technology export potential of European hydropower industry. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO3Address challenges of climate change adaptation for a forward-looking and stable operation of sustainable hydropower for the coming decades. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Other requirements | |||
| REQ1Use of Copernicus and Galileo/EGNOS earth observation and navigation servicesIf projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ2Contribution to SET Plan and implementation working groupsActivities under this Destination contribute to the activities of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and its implementation working groups. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ3Socioeconomic and environmental sustainability assessmentProvided solutions must be socioeconomically and environmentally sustainable (including biodiversity) and provide a respective assessment. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected impacts | |||
| No expected impacts in this call. | |||
| Underlying policies | |||
| POL1Technologies that are safe and sustainable by design with reduced and diversified external dependence on critical raw materialsThis policy is central to the call, as it mandates the phase-out of PFAS and mineral oils in hydropower equipment and promotes low-GHG materials (e.g., concrete). Proposals must demonstrate compliance with SSbD criteria, including reduced critical raw material dependence and lifecycle sustainability. | · | · | Sign up to track |
The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.
LMIC entities auto-eligible
Low/middle-income country entities are automatically eligible for funding.
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
Exclusion of entities established in China
Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination.
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