Post-Li-ion technologies and relevant manufacturing techniques for mobility applications (Generation 5) (Batt4EU Partnership)
HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Basic Information
- Identifier
- HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-02-02
- Programme
- Cross-sectoral solutions for the climate transition
- Programme Period
- 2021 - 2027
- Status
- Closed (31094503)
- Opening Date
- May 6, 2024
- Deadline
- September 4, 2024
- Deadline Model
- single-stage
- Budget
- €15,000,000
- Min Grant Amount
- €5,000,000
- Max Grant Amount
- €5,000,000
- Expected Number of Grants
- 3
- Keywords
- HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-02-02HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-02Energy storage
Description
This topic aims at developing:
- Generation 5[1] technologies for mobility applications;
- the relevant manufacturing techniques which are affecting performance, safety and costs;
- Cell designs which will allow for full and easy recyclability at the end of their life.
This topic also aims at evaluating the possible manufacturing compatibility with existing lithium-ion production infrastructure.
Projects are expected to contribute to at least one of the following outcomes:
- Conversion systems based on metallic anodes with enhanced safety, delivering on cost, performance, sustainability and recyclability, with clear prospects for the feasibility of the scale-up of the manufacturing processes.
- Metallic anode protection and/or activation for conversion systems (polymer, ceramic and hybrid electrolytes) with increased safety, cycle life and low cost.
- Post lithium-ion cells based on cations other than lithium with long cycle-life (Sodium-ion is excluded and covered by topic HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-01-02 ).
In addition, projects are expected to contribute to creating rechargeable batteries that will work in realistic environments, are recyclable and with low environmental impact, and have safe manufacturing processes. To the extent possible the safety and sustainability of developed materials should be assessed in alignment with the Commission Recommendation on safe and sustainable by design chemicals and materials[2].
Translating these outcomes into indicative KPIs to guide the R&I efforts, projects are expected to show a credible technical pathway to achieve all the following targets by 2030 and beyond:
- A safe behaviour at cell level: expected EUCAR Hazard level below 4 for automotive; level 2 for aviation and waterborne applications;
- Specific energy at cell level targeting 500 Wh/kg, and volumetric energy density at cell level targeting 600 Wh/l;
- Charge and discharge with a C-rate between 2 and 10;
- 800+ cycles at 50%DoD or 400 cycles at >80%DoD;
- Cost at cell level < 75 euro/kWh.
Proposals should address improvements in sustainable materials designs[3] to reach the manufacturability and high safety of the selected Generation 5 technology for mobility applications.
- Successful projects are expected to cover at least three of the following aspects regarding improvement of materials:
- Scalable and manufacturable surface coating materials for metallic anode protection and/or activation (e.g. CVD, PLD, ALD…) to increase safety and cycle life.
- Binders with high chemical and thermal stability to reduce toxicity and enable the use of water-based manufacturing processes.
- Design and development of new cell technologies with higher capacities compared to Li-ion cells.
- Improve and increase the electrodes-electrolyte compatibility with additives to increase over cell time.
- Improve the understanding of the chemical and/or electrochemical reaction mechanisms using advanced techniques in the cells for Gen5 technologies developed.
- Improve the insertion cathode with high charge-storage capacity.
- Use of safe and non-toxic materials.
- New efficient and sustainable catalysts that can promote polysulfide conversion in Metal-S batteries or the oxygen evolution/reduction reactions in rechargeable Metal-air batteries.
- Successful projects are also expected to cover all of the following aspects regarding design and manufacturing:
- Innovative cell design ensuring high performances, low cost and ready for recycling.
- Develop relevant manufacturing processes and assess the possible manufacturing compatibility with the existing lithium-ion production infrastructure and production lines.
- Proof of concept possibly at small pilot line scale.
- Design production with low environmental impact, safe and healthy environment for workers, low energy consumption.
Projects are encouraged to demonstrate also techno-economic suitability of the solution for other emerging markets, such as motive power for off-road applications, or energy storage applications.
Plans for the exploitation and dissemination of results for proposals submitted under this topic should include a strong business case and sound exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination. The exploitation plans should include preliminary plans for scalability, commercialisation and deployment (feasibility study, business plan).
Projects are expected to collaborate and contribute to the activities of the Coordination and Support Action defined under the topic HORIZON-CL5-2022-D2-01-08, including the definition of a long-term research roadmap for this topic.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on the results to the European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.
[1] As defined in the Batteries Europe Strategic Research Agenda https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/batteries_europe_strategic_research_agenda_december_2020__1.pdf
[2] Commission Recommendation (EU/2022/2510) establishing a European assessment framework for ‘safe and sustainable by design’ chemicals and materials.
[3] See documents defining the SSbD framework and criteria on: https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/industrial-research-and-innovation/key-enabling-technologies/advanced-materials-and-chemicals_en.
Destination & Scope
This Destination covers thematic areas which are cross-cutting by nature and can provide key solutions for climate, energy and mobility applications. In line with the scope of cluster 5 such areas are batteries, hydrogen[1], communities and cities[2], early-stage breakthrough technologies as well as citizen engagement[3]. Although these areas are very distinct in terms of challenges, stakeholder communities and expected impacts, they have their cross-cutting nature as a unifying feature and are therefore grouped, if not addressed in other places of this work programme, under this Destination.
This Destination contributes to the following Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations (KSO):
- C: Making Europe the first digitally enabled circular, climate-neutral and sustainable economy through the transformation of its mobility, energy, construction and production systems;
- A: Promoting an open strategic autonomy[4] by leading the development of key digital, enabling and emerging technologies, sectors and value chains to accelerate and steer the digital and green transitions through human-centred technologies and innovations;
- D: Creating a more resilient, inclusive and democratic European society, prepared and responsive to threats and disasters, addressing inequalities and providing high-quality health care, and empowering all citizens to act in the green and digital transitions.
It covers the following impact areas:
- Industrial leadership in key and emerging technologies that work for people
- Affordable and clean energy
- Smart and sustainable transport
The expected impact, in line with the Strategic Plan, is to contribute to the “Clean and sustainable transition of the energy and transport sectors towards climate neutrality facilitated by innovative cross-cutting solutions”, notably through:
- Nurturing a world-class European research and innovation eco-system on batteries along the value chain based on sustainable pathways. It includes improvement of technological performance to increase application user attractiveness (in particular in terms of safety, cost, user convenience, fast charging and environmental footprint), in parallel supporting the creation of a competitive, circular, and sustainable European battery manufacturing value chain (more detailed information below).
- Nurturing the development of emerging technologies with high potential to enable zero-greenhouse gas and negative emissions in energy and transport (more detailed information below).
A competitive and sustainable European battery value chain
Batteries will enable the rollout of zero-emission mobility and renewable energy storage, contributing to the European Green Deal and supporting the UN SDGs by creating a vibrant, responsible and sustainable market. Besides climate neutrality, batteries also contribute to other UN SDGs directly and indirectly such as enabling of decentralized and off-grid energy solutions.
The strategic pathway is, on the one hand, for Europe to rapidly regain technological competitiveness in order to capture a significant market share of the new and fast-growing rechargeable battery market, and, on the other hand, to invest in longer term research on future battery technologies to establish Europe's long term technological leadership and industrial competitiveness
The Partnership “Towards a competitive European industrial battery value chain for stationary applications and e-mobility”, with as short name Batt4EU, to which all battery-related topics under this Destination will contribute, aims to establish world-leading sustainable and circular European battery value chain to drive transformation towards a carbon-neutral society.
The main impacts to be generated by topics targeting the battery value chain under this Destination are:
- Increased global competitiveness of the European battery ecosystem through generated knowledge and leading-edge technologies in battery materials, cell design, manufacturing and recycling.
- Significant contribution to the policy needs of the European Green Deal through new solutions for circularity and recycling of batteries.
- Accelerated growth of innovative, competitive and sustainable battery manufacturing industry in Europe.
- Development of sustainable and safe technologies and systems for decarbonisation of transport and stationary applications.
- Contributing to the strategic independence of Europe through investigation of alternative battery chemistries using non-critical raw materials and efficient recycling technologies.
- Increasing synergies with other partnerships and initiatives.
Emerging breakthrough technologies and climate solutions
Although the contribution of a wide range of technologies to reach climate neutrality is already foreseeable, EU R&I programming should also leave room for emerging and break-through technologies with a high potential to achieve climate neutrality. These technologies can play a significant role in reaching the EU’s goal to become climate neutral by 2050.
Relevant topics supported under this Destination complement the activities supported under Pillars I or III. They address emerging technologies that can enable the climate transition with a technology-neutral bottom-up approach. Research in this area is mostly technological in nature but should also, where relevant, be accompanied by assessments of environmental, social and economic impacts, by identification of regulatory needs, and by activities supporting the creation of value chains to build up new ecosystems of stakeholders working on breakthrough technologies.
The main expected impacts to be generated by the topic targeting breakthrough technologies and climate solutions under this Destination are:
- Emergence of unanticipated technologies enabling emerging zero-greenhouse gas and negative emissions in energy and transport;
- Development of high-risk/high return technologies to enable a transition to a net greenhouse gas neutral European economy.
[1] The bulk of activities are supported by the Institutional Partnership ‘Clean Hydrogen’.
[2] Communities and cities are mainly supported under the Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, and through the co-funded Partnership ‘Driving Urban Transition’, implemented in this work programme as a grant to identified beneficiary.
[3] Citizens engagement as well as social sciences and humanities are mainstreamed across multiple topics across various Destinations in this work programme.
[4] ‘Open strategic autonomy’ refers to the term ‘strategic autonomy while preserving an open economy’, as reflected in the conclusions of the European Council 1 – 2 October 2020.
Eligibility & Conditions
General conditions
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.
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).
3. Other eligibility conditions: 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
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Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes
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Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual
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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: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes
Documents
Call documents:
Standard application form — call-specific application form is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Standard application form (HE RIA IA Stage 1)
MGA
Call-specific instructions
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 13. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Support & Resources
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Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe.
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Latest Updates
Call update: EVALUATION results
Published: 07/12/2022
Deadline: 05/09/2024
Available budget: EUR 39,000,000.00
The results of the evaluation for each topic are as follows:
Topic | D2-02-01 | D2-02-02 | D2-02-03 |
Number of proposals submitted (including proposals transferred from or to other calls) | 4 | 32 | 36 |
Number of inadmissible proposals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Number of ineligible proposals | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Number of above-threshold proposals | 4 | 23 | 30 |
Total budget requested for above-threshold proposals | 28,157,627.00 € | 114,106,339.00 € | 230,574,337.00 € |
Number of proposals retained for funding | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Number of proposals in the reserve list | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Funding threshold* | 14 | 13 | 14.5 |
Ranking distribution | |||
Number of proposals with scores lower or equal to 15 and higher or equal to 14 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Number of proposals with scores lower than 14 and higher or equal to 13 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
Number of proposals with scores lower than 13 and higher or equal to 10 | 2 | 14 | 27 |
* Proposals with the same score were ranked according to the priority order procedure set out in the call conditions (for HE, in the General Annexes to the Work Programme or specific arrangements in the specific call/topic conditions).
Summary of observer report
"The selection of experts was found to be well balanced, and the experts complemented each other well. In general, the content of the topics was well covered by the experts. The CINEA staff was well prepared, and the organisational set-up was professionally arranged. Transparency was ensured through briefings, clear guidelines and quality control. The evaluation process was found efficient, with well-organized briefings and supporting documentation. The evaluation was considered fair and impartial, with high confidentiality maintained. The evaluation was conducted in full conformity with the applicable rules and guidance documents, and the quality of the entire evaluation process was high. The report also highlights some recommendations for improvement".
We recently informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals.
For questions, please contact the Research Enquiry Service.
The call for proposals HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-02 closed on 05/09/2024. 76 proposals were submitted to the call. The breakdown per topic is:
HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-02-01 (IA): 5
HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-02-02 (RIA): 33
HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-02-03 (IA): 38