HORIZON-CL5-2026-09-D2-01

Producing battery-grade materials for electrodes through sustainable processing and refining of raw materials or developing bio-based materials (BATT4EU Partnership)

Status
open for submission
Programme
Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
Action type
HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Opens
5 May 2026
Deadline
15 Sep 2026
Fetched
15 Jul 2026, 07:18 UTC
Plain-language summary

Develop sustainable battery-grade electrode materials via eco-friendly refining or bio-based materials for next-gen batteries under BATT4EU Partnership.

This call seeks projects to produce battery-grade materials for electrodes using sustainable processing or bio-based raw materials. It aims to reduce EU dependency on imported materials and establish European value chains. Projects should target next-generation battery chemistries and demonstrate environmental and economic viability.

Likely relevant for

  • Battery materials researchers
  • Sustainable materials developers
  • Electrode manufacturing companies
  • Bio-based materials innovators
  • Environmental technology developers

Project signals

Focus on sodium-ion or advanced lithium-ion batteriesTRL 4-5 development stageAlignment with Safe and Sustainable by Design principlesContribution to European battery value chains

What it funds

  • Development of innovative, environmentally friendly refining technologies for battery-grade metals and materials
  • Processes reducing carbon footprint, emissions, energy use, and chemical inputs
  • Production of synthetic graphite or alternative carbon materials from bio-based European feedstocks
  • Characterization and validation of electrode materials in sodium-ion and lithium-ion cells
  • Pilot-scale production pathways with techno-economic and LCA/LCC assessments

Expected outcomes

  • Reduced EU dependency on imported battery-grade raw materials
  • Established European value chains for next-generation battery materials
  • Technological leadership and strategic autonomy in battery materials
  • Validated economic viability and environmental sustainability of processes
  • Achievement of TRL 4-5 by project end

Who can apply / participate

  • Research organisations
  • Industry participants
  • SMEs
  • Universities
  • Consortia including multiple legal entities
  • Consortia must meet Horizon Europe general eligibility rules
  • Balanced portfolio encouraged covering both refining and bio-based materials
  • Participants from eligible EU and associated countries
  • Legal entities established in China are not eligible
  • Must comply with Horizon Europe admissibility and eligibility criteria
  • Use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS data if applicable
  • Exact consortium size and composition requirements
  • Specific funding rates and co-financing rules

Must check before shortlisting

  • Eligibility of participant countries especially regarding China restrictions
  • Specific consortium composition rules
  • Budget and funding rate details

Money

Total indicative budget around €28.3 million for 2026 with expected grants of approximately €7.1 million each for up to 4 projects.

  • Total budget for 2026 — 28300000EUR
    Indicative budget for this topic in 2026
  • Minimum and maximum contribution per grant — 7100000EUR
    Expected funding per project

Application notes

  • Single-stage submission model.
  • Proposal page limits and layout as per Horizon Europe General Annexes
  • Eligibility and admissibility conditions per Horizon Europe rules
  • Use of Copernicus and Galileo/EGNOS data if applicable
  • Evaluation criteria include balanced portfolio covering both technology categories
  • Prepare proposal following Horizon Europe application form templates
  • Submit via Funding & Tenders Portal by deadline
  • Ensure compliance with lump sum grant conditions
  • Legal entities established in China are not eligible
  • Projects must report results to Batt4EU Partnership
  • Projects expected to reach TRL 4-5 by end

Derived from official EU Funding portal source · updated 22 Jun 2026, 15:22 UTC. Use this as a shortlisting aid; the official call text remains authoritative.

Related calls

These funding calls are closely related and may be worth considering as part of the same funding landscape.

Official source text

Fine print from the EU source record. Expand when you need the original wording.

Topic description

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all following points: Significantly reduced EU dependency on imported battery-grade raw materials, specifically emerging technologies and carbon-based electrode materials. Established European value chains for next-generation battery materials, enhancing the EU's technological leadership and strategic autonomy. Scope: Proposals under this topic are expected to address all aspects for one of the following categories: 1. Sustainable Processing and Refining of next generation batteries-grade Material, delivering all of the following: Development and validation of innovative, environmentally friendly refining technologies for producing battery-grade metals and materials suitable for next-generation battery chemistries. This covers raw and advanced electrode materials for the components of sodium-ion batteries or beyond generation 3 [1] lithium-ion batteries Development of processes achieving significant reductions in carbon and ecological footprint, emissions of pollutants, energy usage, and chemical inputs. The selected processes should not negatively impact any of the aspects above or cause significant harm. Validation of economic viability, environmental sustainability, and technological robustness of the proposed refining and processing solutions. OR: 2. Utilising Bio-based Raw Materials for Battery Electrode Materials delivering on all of the following: Development of synthetic graphite and/or alternative carbonous materials for battery components derived from bio-based European feedstocks (e.g., biomass, agricultural and forestry residues, lignocellulosic materials). Inactive components such as binders may also be included. Comprehensive characterization and validation of developed electrode materials in sodium-ion and lithium-ion battery cells, demonstrating comparable or superior performance to conventional graphite electrodes, specifically targeting cycle stability, energy density, and charge/discharge rates. Demonstration of credible pathways for pilot-scale production pathways for bio-based electrode materials including a clear techno-economic analysis and LCA/LCC impact assessment. The Commission initiative for Safe and Sustainable by Design [2] (SSbD) sets a framework for assessing the safety and sustainability of chemicals and materials which should be considered as a reference for project proposals. This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on the results to the European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs. null Activities are expected to achieve TRL 4-5 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL. [1] https://bepassociation.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BATT4EU_reportA4_SRIA_V15_September.pdf [2] https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/research-area/industrial-research-and-innovation/key-enabling-technologies/chemicals-and-advanced-materials_en

Destination

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 “Facilitating a clean and sustainable transition of the energy and transport sectors towards climate neutrality through cross-cutting solutions ”. The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are: Batteries Increased competitiveness and strategic autonomy of a complete EU value chain while maximizing sustainability. Reducing dependency on raw materials and upscaling processing capacity, also for recycled materials. Creating an integrated European battery sector for next generation batteries , from design to manufacturing and all the way to end of life, reducing environmental impact. Improving energy storage technologies to enhance the resilience of EU’s energy system, facilitating integration of renewable energy sources. Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.

Conditions and documents

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

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).

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

In order to ensure a balanced portfolio of activities covering both categories of materials, grants will be awarded not only in order of ranking but at least also to one proposal dealing with the technology that has not been covered by the proposal selected first, provided they attain all thresholds (and subject to available budget). This condition to ensure a balanced portfolio will also be considered to be met if one project addressing both aspects is funded.

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

The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.

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 information

Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant. Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe. Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management. Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’). Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding. IT Helpdesk – contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc. European IPR Helpdesk assists you on intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers. Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.

Raw budget overview
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