Demonstration of hydropower technologies for efficient and forward-looking refurbishment of existing hydropower plants
Horizon Europe · Grant topic
Summary
A Polish company can use this call for R&D.
Funds companies and research organisations demonstrating sustainable hydropower technologies for plant refurbishment, grid integration and adaptation to climate change.
- Who can apply
- Companies can lead: SME, large company, research org, university.
- Amount
- €8.5M per projectTotal budget €17,000,000
- Deadline
- 01 Dec 2027 01:00 CETin 403 days
- Status
- Forthcomingopens 4 Aug 2027
Machine-classified from the call text; check eligibility at the source.
Description
Expected Outcome:
For a renewables-based electricity system sufficient flexible and also in the long-run fully sustainable hydropower capacity is pivotal.
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
• 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.
Scope:
Demonstration of hydropower technology solutions which allow for efficient and forward-looking refurbishment of existing hydropower plants. Provided solutions must be socioeconomically and environmentally sustainable (including biodiversity) and provide a respective assessment. Issues which can be addressed are for example: 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.
Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL.
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
- Hydropower refurbishment
- Grid integration
- Hydropower control
- Climate adaptation
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.
- Consortium required
- Yes
Unless the exact topic-specific conditions provide otherwise, this action requires three independent beneficiary legal entities established in three different countries: at least one in an EU Member State and at least two others in different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Affiliated entities do not count toward the minimum. Topic-specific required organisation types, applicant restrictions, and exceptions recorded elsewhere in this packet remain applicable; this baseline does not replace them.
- Other condition
- The Work Programme specifies Innovation Action as the action type for this topic.
- Other condition
- Entities established in eligible countries but directly/indirectly controlled by China (or China-established legal entities) cannot participate where the topic invokes the critical-technology restriction.
- Other condition
- A renewables-based electricity system needs sufficient flexible, sustainable hydropower capacity; the topic seeks modernised grid integration/control, European industry competitiveness, and climate-adaptation-ready operation.
- Other condition
- Technology Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-7 by the end of the project – Readiness Level see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL.
- Other condition
- Work Programme call table lists an indicative EU contribution of around EUR 8,500,000 per project and an indicative 2 project(s) expected to be funded. The amount and count are indicative, not guarantees or hard recipient caps.
- Other condition
- The granting authority may, up to four years after action end, object to results ownership transfer or exclusive licensing under the specific Annex 5 provision.
- Other condition
- Where the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or related timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS; other data/services may additionally be used.
- Other condition
- Demonstrate hydropower technology solutions for efficient, forward-looking refurbishment of existing plants. Solutions must be socioeconomically and environmentally sustainable, including biodiversity, and provide an assessment. The topic lists turbine/generator design, models and simulation, digitalisation/AI for controls and flexibility, operating strategies, materials and infrastructure resilience, low-GHG concrete, automated maintenance, O&M/LCoE, water-use resilience, climate-risk forecasting, biodiversity/fish migration, flow/sediment dynamics and structural safety.
- Technology readiness level at end, maximumExpected end-of-project target upper endpoint, not a hard maximum
- 7 TRL level
Work Programme wording is “expected to achieve”; activities may start at any TRL. This is an expected target range, not a prohibited higher result.
- Technology readiness level at end, minimumExpected end-of-project target lower endpoint, not a mandatory minimum at project end
- 6 TRL level
Work Programme wording is “expected to achieve”; activities may start at any TRL. The endpoints are not hard grant eligibility thresholds.
Amounts and costs
- Indicative budget
- €17,000,000
Topic budget as stated in the portal's budget table. Lump-sum and per-project limits are in the call conditions.
- Eligible cost limit
- 25 percent flat rate of eligible direct costs, subject to the base exclusions in conditions
Horizon Europe General Annex G describes a 25% indirect-cost flat rate on eligible direct costs, excluding eligible direct subcontracting costs, financial support to third parties, and any unit costs or lump sums that include indirect costs. For HORIZON-AG actual-cost grants this is a cost-calculation rule, not a grant-rate increase. For HORIZON-AG-LS it informs the underlying eligible-cost estimate only; it is not an additional payment on top of the fixed lump sum. The topic indicative allocation and per-project contribution are distinct from this cost rate.
- Funding intensity, maximum
- 70 percent of eligible costs (general Innovation Action maximum for non-profit status not established)
The exact Work Programme labels this topic an Innovation Action. General Annex G sets a 70% maximum for legal entities other than non-profit entities; the separate nonprofit maximum is represented in its own typed fact. This is an action-type maximum, not a guarantee or the topic-level indicative EU contribution; the final rate is fixed in the grant agreement. For the lump-sum topics, the rate is already applied in the lump-sum methodology and is not an extra multiplier.
- Funding intensity, maximum
- 100 percent of eligible costs (up to; nonprofit legal entities only)
Only for a non-profit legal entity, the general Innovation Action maximum may be up to 100%; this is not automatic or a salary entitlement, and final funding parameters are fixed in the grant agreement. For the lump-sum topics, the percentage is embedded in the lump-sum amount methodology and is not an extra multiplier.
- Expected contribution per projectCommission-estimated EU contribution per project for this exact topic
- €8,500,000
The Work Programme says this amount would allow outcomes to be addressed appropriately but expressly does not preclude proposals requesting other amounts. It is not a minimum, maximum or award promise.
- Topic allocationExact Work Programme topic allocation, not per-project funding
- €17,000,000
The call table marks the budget indicative and subject to availability of Union appropriations; it is not a guaranteed grant or per-beneficiary amount.
Personnel and services
Other role
Staff cost the grant can fund
These are underlying personnel-cost estimate categories only where eligible in the applicable lump-sum methodology; they do not mean separate actual-payroll reimbursement. The source does not establish vacancies, salary amounts, headcount, or hiring decisions. MGA A.2/A.3 requires assignment to the action, employee-like working conditions, result ownership by the beneficiary unless otherwise agreed, and a rate based on actual incurred costs not significantly different from similar employee tasks.
Other role
Staff cost the grant can fund
These are underlying personnel-cost estimate categories only where eligible in the applicable lump-sum methodology; they do not mean separate actual-payroll reimbursement. The source does not establish vacancies, salary amounts, headcount, or hiring decisions. MGA A.1 covers personnel working for the beneficiary under an employment contract or equivalent appointing act and assigned to the action; salary components follow Article 6.2 A.1.
Other role
Staff cost the grant can fund
These are underlying personnel-cost estimate categories only where eligible in the applicable lump-sum methodology; they do not mean separate actual-payroll reimbursement. The source does not establish vacancies, salary amounts, headcount, or hiring decisions. Only SME owners not receiving a salary or natural-person beneficiaries not receiving a salary are covered; declared as Annex 2a unit costs, subject to general eligibility conditions.
Source documents
Call facts
- Opens
- 4 Aug 2027
- Deadline model
- Single-stage
- Programme
- Horizon Europe · 2021 - 2027
- Call
- HORIZON-CL5-2027-07 · 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.