Large scale operational validation and upscaling of state-of-the-art (Generative) AI tools and models powering a next generation digital energy system
Horizon Europe · Grant topic
Summary
A Polish company can use this call for R&D.
Funds companies and research organisations validating and scaling secure, resource-efficient AI tools for grid operations, distributed energy systems and consumer applications.
- Who can apply
- Companies can lead: SME, large company, research org, university.
- Amount
- €10M per projectTotal budget €20,000,000
- Deadline
- 31 Mar 2027 02:00 CESTin 158 days
- Status
- Forthcomingopens 3 Dec 2026
Machine-classified from the call text; check eligibility at the source.
Description
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.
• 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, in detail
- Applicant types
- SME, Large company, Research org, University
- Purpose
- Research and innovation
- R&D relevance
- 3 of 3
- Poland eligible
- Yes
- Country limit
- —
- Region
- Any
- Consortium
- Unclear
- Readiness level (TRL)
- —
- Topics
- Generative AI for energy
- Real-time grid operations
- Federated learning
- Edge AI
- Digital energy infrastructure
Machine-classified from the call text; check eligibility at the source. 23 Oct 2026
Conditions
Typed facts extracted from the source documents by Scindu's grant-data review. Each value keeps its own conditions. Unknown means unstated, not zero or unlimited.
- Applicant restriction
- Entities established in an otherwise eligible country but directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to participate in this action under the cited critical-technology control restriction.
- Consortium required
- Yes
Unless the specific topic conditions provide otherwise, the consortium must include at least three legal entities as beneficiaries, independent from one another and each established in a different country: at least one independent legal entity in an EU Member State and at least two other independent legal entities each in different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Affiliated entities do not count toward any minimum consortium-composition criterion. This is the General Annex B default for this IA topic.
- Other condition
- The Work Programme classifies this topic as a Innovation Action.
- Other condition
- 31 March 2027 at 17:00 Brussels local time, as stated for this call in the Work Programme overview.
- Other condition
- When a project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data or services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS; other data and services may also be used.
- Other condition
- The call overview indicates around 2 project(s) expected to be funded for this topic. This is a planning estimate, not a guaranteed award count or consortium-size rule.
This expected project count is an indicative planning estimate, not a guaranteed number of awards or a consortium-size rule.
- Other condition
- The granting authority may object to a transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results for up to four years after the action ends, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.
Topic-specific legal and financial set-up condition; this is an authority objection right, not an automatic prohibition on all transfers.
- Other condition
- end-of-project TRL 7 to 8
- Other condition
- validate and scale secure frugal open-source generative AI tools and models for real-time grid operation at a demo site and operational grid
- Other condition
- AI development environment and digital twin in the enhanced digital spine
- Technology readiness level at end, maximum
- 8 TRL
Expected end-of-project TRL stated for this topic; the topic also allows activities to start at any TRL.
- Technology readiness level at end, minimum
- 7 TRL
Expected end-of-project TRL stated for this topic; the topic also allows activities to start at any TRL.
Amounts and costs
- Indicative budget
- €20,000,000
Topic budget as stated in the portal's budget table. Lump-sum and per-project limits are in the call conditions.
- Funding intensity, maximumnon-profit legal entity beneficiaries
- 100 percent of eligible costs per beneficiary
General Annex G allows this entity-category maximum for Innovation Actions; it is not a grant guarantee. For lump-sum grants the rate is already applied in the amount methodology.
- Funding intensity, maximumbeneficiaries other than non-profit legal entities
- 70 percent of eligible costs per beneficiary
General Annex G maximum for Innovation action. For lump-sum/unit grants, funding rate is applied through the amount-setting methodology rather than shown as a separate rate in the grant agreement.
- Expected contribution per project
- €10,000,000
Commission estimate of EU contribution per project for this exact topic, taken from the full own-topic overview row and the column heading identifying amounts in EUR millions. The Work Programme expressly says this estimate does not preclude proposals requesting different amounts; it is not a fixed ceiling, floor, guarantee, or the topic allocation.
- Topic allocation
- €20,000,000
Indicative budget allocated to this individual topic; not a per-project grant cap.
Personnel and services
Other role
Staff cost the grant can fund
Horizon MGA Annex 2 identifies employees, natural persons under direct contracts and seconded persons as personnel cost categories; employee costs must relate to personnel working for the beneficiary under an employment contract/equivalent appointing act and assigned to the action. This is an eligible cost category, not a required hire or salary entitlement. The topic page does not state job titles, headcount, pay rates or payroll caps.
Source documents
Call facts
- Opens
- 3 Dec 2026
- Deadline model
- Single-stage
- Programme
- Horizon Europe · 2021 - 2027
- Call
- HORIZON-CL5-2027-02 · BATTERIES and ENERGY
- Types of action
- HORIZON Innovation Actions
- Source
- ec.europa.eu
- Checked
- 24 Oct 2026
- Portal updated
- 7 Oct 2026
- Review status
- Partial review
- Reviewed
- 23 Oct 2026
This is a summary of the source page, not the official text. Eligibility, conditions and the submission system are at the source.