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Innovative approaches for the deployment of Positive Energy Districts

HORIZON Innovation Actions

Basic Information

Identifier
HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D4-04
Programme
Cluster 5 Call 02-2026 (WP 2025)
Programme Period
2021 - 2027
Status
Open (31094502)
Opening Date
September 16, 2025
Deadline
February 17, 2026
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-CL5-2026-02-D4-04HORIZON-CL5-2026-02

Description

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

  • Increased number of approaches and solutions enabling a net positive yearly energy balance at district level and the export of excess renewable energy to the grid outside its geographical boundaries, with enhanced replicability on a larger scale in other positive energy districts (PEDs) in different contexts;
  • Measurable increase in inclusiveness and public acceptance of the implementation of PEDs;
  • Improved user-friendliness and user-awareness of guidelines, tools, and training materials targeting key professionals for overcoming the different types of barriers towards the realisation of PEDs.
Scope:

Recent projects have demonstrated the feasibility of PEDs, but there is a need to further demonstrate climate-neutral impact, while developing and demonstrating innovative approaches and solutions for overcoming technical, business, social and organisational constraints in several domains. Such domains include, for example, climate mitigation, integration of renewable energy sources and energy storage in buildings, grid connections, accommodation of distributed energy generation and storage at district level, permitting, data privacy and security and the application of new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Presently, these constraints, which inhibit the demonstration of complete and qualified PEDs, require the cooperation of key professionals from the public and private sector, such as municipal and regional authorities and those from the energy and construction sectors, in complex implementation processes.

Proposals are expected to address all of the following:

  • Demonstrate innovative approaches and solutions for overcoming constraints which prevent the successful implementation of PEDs;
  • Develop supportive local planning frameworks for the design and realisation of PEDs;
  • Demonstrate the proposed approaches, solutions, and supportive local planning frameworks in at least three districts in diverse geographical areas that implement energy efficiency measures alongside renewable energy installations, storage solutions, digital and smart technologies, and local energy communities;
  • Develop and/or update existing guidelines, tools, and training materials for key professionals that will enable other cities to successfully replicate these innovative approaches, solutions and supportive local planning frameworks in their district/cities;
  • Ensure the active involvement of all relevant public and private stakeholders, including citizens, through co-creation processes and community engagement activities.

This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise (including social innovation), in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.

Destination & Scope

This Destination targets the energy demand side, notably a more efficient use of energy in buildings and industry. It contributes to the activities of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and its implementation working groups.

This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic OrientationsGreen transition’, ‘Digital transition’ and ‘A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe’.

In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Using energy in buildings and industry in an efficient, affordable and sustainable way’.

The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are:

Highly energy-efficient and climate neutral European building stock

  1. The life-cycle energy performance and resource efficiency of the European building stock is improved at an accelerated pace and contributes to the EU's energy security.
  2. The renovation and construction are cost-efficient, affordable and less disruptive, have reduced climate and environmental impact through circularity, and use of low-carbon materials.
  3. The buildings in Europe are increasingly interacting with the users, energy system and their environment contributing to an integrated, resilient, secure and flexible operation.
  4. The buildings and built environment in Europe mitigate climate change and are more resilient.
  5. The built environment is inclusive and delivers a better quality of life for all users.

Industry

The energy efficiency of EU energy intensive industries is improved, their consumption of fossil fuel and their GHG and other pollutants emissions are drastically reduced, while preserving / enhancing their global competitiveness.

Eligibility & Conditions

General conditions

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 Eligible Conditions

The following exceptions apply: 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

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.

Specific conditions

described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]

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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