The European Investment Bank – through EIB Advisory – and the European Commission offer project development assistance (PDA) to facilitate access for innovative projects for funding from the Innovation Fund and other EU funding schemes, national grants and private financing. Eligible projects for receiving tailored support to increase their financial or technical maturity must demonstrate a high potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Innovation Fund is one of the world’s largest funding programs for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. The fund aims to bring to market industrial solutions that decarbonise Europe and support the transition to climate neutrality while fostering its competitiveness. We will provide around €40 billion of support over 2020-2030 (at carbon price of €75/tCO2).
The European Commission implements the Fund with the assistance of the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).
What we offer
The project development assistance (PDA) is designed to help promoters improve their investment readiness and prepare for Innovation Fund calls for proposals. With our tailored services, promoters can address specific gaps in the technical or financial maturity of their projects:
Due diligence assessment
- Project maturity assessment
- Technical due diligence
- Financial pre-due diligence
Financial services
- Business plan and market analysis
- Financial forecasts, planning and modelling
- Capital structuring, financing roadmap or bankability assessment
Technical services
- Technical studies to support an Innovation Fund application
- Economic analysis
- Concept development support, engineering, procurement and implementation support
How to apply
Sign up for a contact account to send all inquiries directly to our Innovation Fund team. Once signed up, your company can get in touch with us and apply for project development assistance.
When sending your request, you will need to fill the Innovation Fund PDA request form and provide, if available:
- a business plan and initial financial model,
- a feasibility study and related technical studies,
- a contracting strategy or related agreements,
- other supporting studies demonstrating project innovation, greenhouse gas emission savings potential and replicability.
Please note that due to the high volume of applications, we are only able to contact selected candidates. If you haven't received a response within 90 days of submitting your application, please consider that your proposal has not been selected for this round.
Eligibility
Before applying, please make sure your project falls under the scope of the Innovation Fund and fulfils the eligibility criteria:
- Located in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway.
- Innovative with reasonable expectations for successful demonstration or pre-commercialisation.
- Have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Replicable and scalable.
- Able to show good prospects of achieving breakeven financial results within four years from grant preparation.
Sectors include renewable energy, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), innovative low-carbon technologies and processes in energy-intensive industries, energy storage plants, net-zero and low-carbon mobility (maritime, aviation, rail and road transport), and buildings, as defined in Annex I and Annex III to the EU ETS Directive 2003/87.
Project development assistance is given on a first-come, first served basis to selected eligible projects, regardless of whether they have previously applied in concluded calls or intend to apply for another form of Innovation Fund support.
Please note that projects that have applied to a recent Innovation Fund call and are currently being evaluated for or have received a grant support are not eligible. Projects can receive project development assistance from the Innovation Fund only once.
Project promoters have the option to consent for project development assistance consideration on their Innovation Fund application. In this case, the designated service will forward automatically their project documentation to the EIB, if they fulfil the required conditions, after the finalisation of the evaluation for each call for proposals.
Selection and application process
A dedicated EIB advisor will review your application to verify the project’s eligibility and fit with the PDA service offering. The assessment criteria also include indicators for reaching geographical balance to support EU Member States with low effective participation, sectoral balance, and high potential for maturity improvement.
Requests that meet the criteria for PDA are sent to the European Commission for final decision.
Once your project has been selected to receive PDA, we will jointly define the specific scope of services and timeline for delivery.
After finalising the scope of services and timelines, we formalize the engagement with a service agreement.
EIB experts work with you to deliver the agreed services with your full engagement essential for achieving the best results. Depending on the scope of work, we may engage external consultants to support the delivery of the PDA. The service will be provided free of charge to the promoters.
By the numbers
Projects benefitting from the Innovation Fund
We have provided project development assistance to projects in Europe through large and small-scale calls for proposals in 2020-2022.
Country: Latvia
Sector: Refineries
Project promoter: SIA BIOREFIC IRG
SPARK ΟΝΕ is a pioneering renewable methanol project developed by Biorefic IRG in partnership with the leading waste operator in the Baltics. Located at Ventspils Freeport, Latvia, the project will produce 65 000 tonnes of renewable methanol annually, targeting the chemical and maritime sectors.
It will leverage modular technologies in advanced gasification and green hydrogen production, using unrecyclable municipal waste and forestry residues as feedstock. Designed for high efficiency and operational resilience, SPARK ΟΝΕ aims to deliver industry-leading cost performance in renewable methanol production.
Country: Sweden
Sector: CO2 Transport and Storage
Project promoter: Växjö Energi AB (VEAS)
The objective of POSCLIMB is to capture, transport, and permanently store up to 200 kt per year of negative emissions by creating a first-of-a-kind bio energy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) inland value chain to contribute to the commitments of the Paris agreement.
POSCLIMB will combine existing and emerging technologies and collaborate with counterparties throughout the value and logistics chain. The logistics chain focuses on minimum emissions by combining train and ship transport from the point source to the storage site.
The negative emissions created will be turned into credits and sold to the open market strengthening the European bio economy.
Country: France
Sector: Refineries
Project promoter: Verso Energy
The OrCHyDé project developed by Verso Energy aims at the creation of a modular and flexible plant for the production of e-methanol in Origny-Sainte-Benoite (France), benefiting from the integrated model developed by Verso Energy from renewable energy to synthetic fuels production.
The project seeks to scale up e-methanol production to an industrial level by improving process efficiency and expanding the range of end products. As a sustainable, low-carbon fuel, e-methanol has the potential to support the maritime or chemical industry's transition toward the European Union’s carbon neutrality goals.
The fully integrated project is expected to produce around 50ktpa e-methanol per year, designed to process approximately 90ktpa of biogenic CO2. OrCHyDé, which stands for Origny Carburant et Hydrogène Décarboné (Origny Decarbonised Fuel and Hydrogen), aims to achieve net absolute GHG emission avoidance of approximately 770kt CO2 compared to regular maritime fuel over a 10-year period. This project has a strong potential of replicability in France and in the European Union.
Country: Norway
Sector: Refineries
Project promoter: Norsk e-Fuel AS
Synrise will be among the first industrial-scale Power-to-Liquid plants, producing sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) and e-Naphtha in Mosjøen, Norway.
Using renewable electricity, green hydrogen and captured CO₂, the project applies an optimised Fischer-Tropsch process with innovative technologies such as an electrically heated e-RWGS reactor and advanced carbon-recycling systems. Therefore, Synrise will significantly reduce lifecycle emissions by replacing fossil fuels with fully renewable alternatives.
This combination enables a high carbon-conversion efficiency and leading e-SAF yields, supporting aviation and chemical industries in meeting EU climate targets and RFNBO requirements. The project acts as a catalyst for Europe’s emerging e-Fuel industry, stimulating demand for green hydrogen and CO₂ capture, strengthening supply chains and supporting the EU’s strategic autonomy in innovative technologies and fossil-free liquid fuel access.
Developed by Norsk e-Fuel and supported by a strong consortium, Synrise will serve as a first-of-its-kind demonstration accelerating the scale-up of e-Fuels across Europe.
Country: Greece
Sector: Chemicals
Project promoter: ProEuropean Trading GmbH
The H2CRETE Valley Project is a large-scale green ammonia project located in Atherinolakos, Crete, Greece. It integrates 100 MW of PEM electrolysis and Haber-Bosch synthesis to produce approximately 77 770 tonnes/year of green ammonia, using renewable electricity and desalinated seawater.
The project aims to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors. It targets domestic and international markets including ports, cement factories, and refuelling stations in Greece, and other EU countries. ProEuropean Trading GmbH, based in Germany, is the project promoter.
The company is developing expertise in green hydrogen infrastructure, turnkey energy solutions and project financing, with H2CRETE as its main project.
Country: Germany
Sector: Hydrogen
Project promoter: RWE GENERATION SE
HyVoerde is an integrated renewable hydrogen project, developed in the context of the transformation of a former coal-fired power plant in Voerde, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, into a green energy hub.
The electrolyser plant with 10-20 MW initial capacity for start of operation in early 2030 shall be connected to a major on-site battery storage, and to a H2 salt cavern storage via the German core hydrogen network. The Voerde site allows for major potential future capacity expansions.
The project aims to avoid significant greenhouse gas emissions by producing green hydrogen for the hydrogen-powered transport sector as well as for industrial use. Adjacent to the electrolyser plant, an on-site H2 filling station for trailers and multi-element gas containers is foreseen.
HyVoerde comprises multiple technical, commercial and system innovations aiming mostly at efficiency and H2 supply chain improvements. This includes optimisation of electricity management and structured green hydrogen supply profiles via the "dual storage strategy," enabling the electrolyser to be operated predictively, flexibly and in an economically optimal way throughout its entire life cycle.
The approved land use plan and the good progress in electrical grid connection contribute to advanced maturity. Due to the mature project development, a so-called "EU step seal" was awarded to HyVoerde in 2024.
Country: Norway
Sector: Chemicals
Project promoter: CARBON RECYCLING INTERNATIONAL (CRI)
The Finnfjord e-methanol project (FINNEM) aims to develop a first-of-its-kind commercial scale e-methanol production facility at Finnfjord's ferrosilicon production site in northern Norway.
The production process is based on CRI's proprietary Emissions-to-Liquids (ETL) technology, in which inevitable CO2 industrial emissions are captured, purified and reacted with hydrogen produced through water electrolysis, to generate methanol.
Country: Greece
Sector: Iron and steel
Project promoter: HELLENIC HALΥVOURGIA SA
RETROFIT project aims to implement a low-carbon steel manufacturing route by optimising upstream and downstream steel processes in an integrated mini mill plant in Velestino, operated by Hellenic Halyvourgia.
Country: Italy
Sector: Non-ferrous metals
Project promoter: 9-Tech
The volume of end-of-life solar panels is rapidly increasing and will reach 78 M tonnes by 2050 with €15 billion in recoverable raw materials. Today, the only commercial recycling solution is shredding, which recovers less than 60% of the potential value contained in solar panels, fails to recover silicon and silver and cannot effectively treat bifacial modules.
9PV aims to scale up and bring to the market an advanced technology for recycling end-of-life silicon photovoltaic (PV) panels. The fully automated system combines AI-guided module recognition and dismantling, an energy efficient continuous furnace and sieving systems for thermo-mechanical processing, and an ultrasound-based silver and silicon recovery step that uses a mild acid wash instead of harsh chemicals.
This closed-loop process enables the recovery of glass, aluminium, copper, silicon, silver and residual energy, allowing these materials to be reused without new extraction and purification, thereby reducing CO₂ emissions and improving the overall sustainability of PV technology.
Country: Greece
Sector: Wind energy
Project promoter: ITSAS WIND S.L.
The GEROA project is an ambitious floating offshore wind energy initiative aimed at addressing the limitations of existing technologies, which are only effective and economically viable in shallow coastal waters. GEROA seeks to overcome these constraints by demonstrating a floating wind farm within the Greek maritime zone, in a location situated between the coast of Alexandroupolis and the island of Samothrace.
Building on the innovative SATH (Swinging Around Twin Hull) floating platform technology, GEROA will demonstrate a pre-commercial floating wind farm integrating three to five units, each with a rated capacity between 10 to 15 MW turbines (45 - 50 MW total capacity). The project aims to validate the technical, environmental and economic feasibility of deploying large-scale floating offshore wind farms in deep waters.
GERDA represents a key step towards the industrialisation and commercialisation of floating wind in Europe, advancing a scalable solution to access deeper offshore wind resources while minimizing environmental impact and lifecycle costs. By leveraging concrete-based floating structures with a Single Point Mooring (SPM) system, the project introduces a durable, cost-effective and easily replicable alternative. In addition to contributing to the EU's Green Deal and Net-Zero by 2050 objectives, GERDA supports regional development by fostering a robust European supply chain, promoting local industrial participation and generating high-quality employment. The knowledge gained through this project will be instrumental for future multi-GW deployments of floating wind farms across Europe and beyond.
Country: Germany
Sector: Geothermal energy
Project promoter: ZeroGeo Energy GmbH
Project SÜD aims to utilise electrical reservoir stimulation (ERS) technology in a sedimentary basin and produce electricity via organic ranking cycle (ORC) technology. ERS is applied by deploying downhole electrodes, anode and cathode, in separate wells.
This stimulation is used to enhance natural permeability and achieve higher flow rates. The pilot project will be the first implementation of ERS technology for geothermal projects in Europe and the first use of ERS outside of field tests in the USA and Oman.
Country: Spain
Sector: Use of renewable energy outside Annex I
Project promoter: ENSÖ ESC S.L.
The B1O4O02 project consists of a large-scale commercial BECCU (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture) plant based on the innovative integration of (1) a cogeneration sustainable biomass power plant and (2) an advanced amine solvent post-combustion technology with a new advanced solvent and lower energy consumption compared to first generation amines processes.
The project, which will be located in Torrelavega (Cantabria, Spain), aims to produce bioheat, bioelectricity, and 100% biogenic CO2 as a by-product. Bioenergy will be produced (112 MWt of bioheat and 15.84 MWe of bioelectricity power), which will be supplied to the internal process units of a chemical plant using process integration strategies, and for self-consumption within the BECCU plant. BIO4CO2 project will boost the development of new CO2 value chains via a circular economy, at the same time, it will facilitate new business models in which biogenic captured CO2 can be reused in the chemical (e-fuels manufacturing) or food industry.
Country: Spain
Sector: Wind energy
Project promoter: Marine Power Systems Ltd
PelaFlex is the only deep-water offshore wind platform that is optimised across the entire value chain: installed performance, manufacturing, assembly, transportation, installation, wind turbine generator (WTG) integration and maintenance resulting in the most optimal overall approach to deep-water wind.
PelaFlex is stable, lightweight and manufacturable. With minimal motions, it maximises energy capture and wind turbine compatibility.
- Structurally efficient by design – keeping the weight down without compromising strength, stability and performance.
- Designed for local manufacturing – and maximum use of the existing supply chain.
- Builds on proven offshore execution models – simplifying port-side operations and supporting rapid industrial scale deployment.
- High stability with negligible tilt in operation – boosting energy yield and reducing the need for turbine and tower adaptations.
- Minimal environmental footprint – reducing the impact on marine life and the seabed. This pilot project will deploy the PelaFlex GS deep-water platform with turbine in the offshore open sea environment, feed electricity into the grid and achieve project certification.
Country: France
Sector: Hydro/Ocean energy
Project promoter: HelioRec SAS
SunHarbor Brest is a first-of-its-kind floating solar project at the port of Brest, deploying HelioRec's patented W300Á system – a marine-engineered solution designed for nearshore environments.
Supported by the European Investment Bank, this demonstration project showcases advanced features like a hydro-lock ballast and shock-absorbing mechanism, ensuring resilience in waves up to 4 m and winds of 200 km/h.
Unlike conventional floating photoinitiators (PIs), the W300Á thrives in harsh maritime conditions, unlocking clean energy potential in ports and coastal zones. With its eco-design, multifunctionality and cost parity with rooftop solar, the system redefines renewable energy deployment on underutilised water surfaces.
Developed by French startup HelioRec in partnership with the port of Brest, SunHarbor Brest sets a new benchmark for scalable, sustainable power in Europe's coastal infrastructure.
Country: Norway
Sector: Wind energy
Project promoter: WIND CATCHING SYSTEMS AS
Wind Catching Systems (WCS) is a technology developer pioneering next generation floating offshore wind solutions that aims to deliver materially lower levelised cost of energy. Its patented multi-turbine architecture is designed to unlock industrial-scale floating wind at economics approaching today’s bottom-fixed benchmarks, supporting broader market adoption and accelerating the energy transition.
The Wind Catching Demo (WCD), located near the Vestavind D site on Norway’s west coast, will deliver the first full-scale validation of WCS’s technology. The project will design, install and operate a single 40 MW multi-turbine floating structure, testing core components including turbines, turbine handling system, fabrication and installation methodology and operations under real offshore conditions. This full-scale demonstration is a critical step toward commercialisation, enabling certification, cost verification and preparation for future deployments.
With a full commercial operational lifetime, WCD will showcase substantial gains in footprint efficiency, operations cost and lifetime performance, establishing the Windcatcher concept as a competitive solution for deep-water floating wind markets. By validating the technology at scale, the project positions WCS to accelerate the adoption of cost-efficient, high-yield floating wind and contribute to the global energy transition.
Country: France
Sector: Manufacturing of components for renewable energy
Project promoter: Liebherr-Components Colmar SAS
The ADAPT project will establish a new manufacturing line at Liebherr Components Colmar SAS in Colmar, France, to produce and test a high-power (> 2 MW), dual-fuel power generator for off-grid applications. Designed to operate on renewable ammonia and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), the generator offers a cleaner, dispatchable alternative to diesel-based systems. It targets sectors such as mining, where energy demand is high and grid access is limited, and aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Liebherr Components Colmar SAS is a subsidiary of the Liebherr Group, specialising in large combustion generators for mining and industrial use.
Country: Spain
Sector: Manufacturing of components for energy storage
Project promoter: Micro Electrochemical Technologies S.L.
Micro Electrochemical Technologies S.L. (B5tec) is a small-sized company focused on energy storage solutions leveraging microtechnology and organic chemistry for improved performance, cost and reliability. Its portfolio includes a microflow battery with associated components, a microfuel cell for photovoltaics, and REDCAP (Redox Capacitor), the closest product to market. Following the REDCAP laboratory scale proof of concept in 2021, B5tec acquired a pilot plant in late 2022 to begin industrialisation and validation under real conditions. REDCAP is a novel approach consisting of a metal-free hybrid supercapacitor, able to bring high power and energy density, together and with a long-life cycle.
Country: Poland
Sector: Manufacturing of components for energy storage
Project promoter: ADM 14 Sp. z o. O.
The GigaWatt Cells project aims to establish industrial-scale production of advanced TNMC811 lithium-ion battery cells designed for heavy-duty and selected dual-use applications. The project is developed through research and development (R&D) by Tangram Battery sp. z o.o. and Coracina Enterprises Ltd, with Tangram responsible for engineering, factory integration and technology deployment, and Coracina contributing the intellectual property and scale-up expertise required for industrialisation of the TNMC811 technology.
The technology offers high energy density, long cycle life, stable internal resistance and fast-charging capability. The project will be implemented by ADM14 sp. z o.o., a special-purpose vehicle wholly owned by DC24 ASI sp. z o.o., which will develop a dedicated production facility in south-eastern Poland with an initial capacity of approximately 0.5 GWh per year. Together, ADM14, Tangram and Coracina provide complementary expertise across technology development, engineering, scale-up and financing.
Country: France
Sector: Manufacturing of components for energy storage
Project promoter: SAS CARBON
CARBON, via the development of its vertically integrated 5 GW Gigafactory for ingots, wafers, cells and modules, has the ambition to:
- participate to the decarbonisation goals, reducing drastically the CO2 emissions of photovoltaic (PV) modules production,
- improve the sustainability of PV modules production through local, responsible and innovative manufacturing,
- contribute to reshore the PV industry in Europe, building a resilient solar PV value chain and bringing net-zero emission industry to Europe,
- increase the energy sovereignty of Europe.
The factory is expected to be operational at the end of 2028 and reach its full capacity of 5.1 GW in 2029, with a cumulative emissions avoidance of around 22 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent during its ten years of operation.
The project will integrate innovative technologies at all stages of the value chain, combined with sustainability and circular economy measures. The high-efficiency cell production process which lies at the core of the project is based on the latest TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) and BC (Back-Contact) cell technologies and is the result of decades of research and development efforts at SC Konstanz, CEA Liten at INES and CARBON's shareholders ECM Greentech and Semco Smartech.
The gigafactory will be located in Fos-sur-Mer, in the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur on a surface of over 45 hectares. The selected area is in immediate proximity to the port of Marseille Fos, the largest industrial port in France, and occupies a privileged geostrategic location at the crossroads of the sea routes, with very good connection to all major harbours in the world and with excellent infrastructures to handle all types of traffic, through road, rail, river and sea. High industrialised area, with a skilled workforce available.
The CARBON gigafactory, unique in Europe, was granted the construction permit and the environmental authorisation encompassing the three main factories (production of ingot and wafer; transformation of cells into wafer in clean rooms; highly automatic module assembly). The supply of water and renewable electricity in the required volumes is also ensured.
Finally, CARBON benefits from the strong commitment of the local and national key stakeholders with the mobilisation of an employment task force, to provide the required talents and workforce. CARBON is integrated in an exceptional industrial environment, an ecosystem turned towards innovation, and participates to the strategic development activities in the region.
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