A fundamental transformation of our energy systems towards a sustainable, low carbon and climate-friendly economy that is designed to last is required to meet the obligations of the Paris agreement. Achieving a largely decarbonised energy system by 2050 will require the integration of many new energy solutions and ‘first of a kind’ technologies.

To exploit the full potential of renewable energy sources, new, holistic solutions for energy storage are critical. As renewable energy sources are inherently variable, storage of surplus energy to provide peak load supply security is crucial. A large surplus of energy is also necessary for inter-seasonal energy storage.

The JPP ERA-Net SES and Mission Innovation initiatives are therefor launching a call for proposals on RDD projects developing energy storage solutions to meet the requirements of the sustainable energy system. Please, find the full call text and further information on the JPP ERA-Net SES webpage.

Nordic Energy Research may support research within public and private entities such as:

– Universities and research institutes (100% funding intensity)
– Companies (50% funding intensity, subject to state aid rules)
– Municipalities (100% funding intensity, special rules may apply)

Nordic Energy Research may offer support to Nordic and Baltic project partners if there are a minimum of two Nordic and/or Baltic partners from two different Nordic and/or Baltic countries involved in a project.  As national funding agencies of Denmark, Finland and Sweden are already involved in the call on a national basis, Nordic Energy Research will prioritise to fund project partners from Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in order to expand Nordic involvement and transnational collaboration in the Nordic and Baltic region. However, remaining funds may also be issued to project partners from Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

Each project involving minimum two Nordic and/or Baltic partners may apply for up till €200 000 in support from Nordic Energy Research. Eligible costs that may be covered for a project partner may be personnel costs, travel costs, consultancy, material costs, laboratory costs, equipment costs, patent and/or indirect costs (only academia).

Timing and deadlines of the Joint Call 2019

Call Opening: 18 September 2019

Launch and matchmaking events: Events fall 2019

Compulsory advisory period: 18 September 2019 – 22 January 2020

Compulsory registration of interest deadline: 12 November 2019, 14:00 CET

Proposal submission deadline:  22 January 2020, 14:00 CET

National/regional eligibility and evaluation period:  January – April 2020

Selection period:  April – May 2020

Deadline funding decision feedback: 5 May 2020

Expected project start: Before 15 December 2020

State aid rules/De Minimis Aid obligations
Companies applying for funds from NER are required to abide by state aid rules. All grants from NER must comply with the aid rules of the European Union and the Agreement on the European Economic Area (The EEA Agreement). However, organisations under The Nordic Council of Ministers were given new guidelines for State Aid as of 2019, and these applies a.o. for NER.

The support offered is being granted in compliance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 1407/2013 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid, published in the Official Journal of the European Union L 352 from 24.12.2013.

Grants from NER for the Joint Call 2019 comes from the five Nordic governments and a Nordic undertaking is allowed to receive up to € 200,000 of de minimis aid from each of the Nordic Countries. Consequently, a Nordic company can receive up to 1,000,000 EUR over a rolling period of three fiscal years from NER under the de minimis regulation, given that the company has received no grants as De Minimis Aid prior to this grant.

Gender balance and gender perspectives
Gender awareness improves the quality of Nordic research and research collaboration. Both gender balance among researchers and gender perspectives on research topics increase the quality of research and of policy decisions with implications for the society. Gender balance aims at a balance between men and women. Gender perspectives on research topics aim at exposing gender-based differences because they often impact the research results significantly. As such, Nordic Energy Research will aim to support research proposals where a gender balance of minimum of 40%/60% is implemented, both among project participants and managers/team leaders, and that address gender perspectives as part of the proposed research activities. For more information, please also find Nordic Energy Research’s gender policy here.