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
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.
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 Orientations ‘Green 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
- 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.
- 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.
- The buildings in Europe are increasingly interacting with the users, energy system and their environment contributing to an integrated, resilient, secure and flexible operation.
- The buildings and built environment in Europe mitigate climate change and are more resilient.
- 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
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]
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. General Annexes
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
Support & Resources
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