Achieved 80% success rate in the last Horizon Europe batteries call

Energy storage is vital for Europe. Batteries are a key element in the transition to a carbon-free economy by facilitating the integration of renewable energy (photovoltaic and wind) into the grid and enabling the electrification of transport. At Zabala Innovation, we have been developing a strong position in this field for years, which has taken off and has positioned us as leaders in 2022 after the results obtained in the latest Horizon Europe calls.

Specifically, the latest Horizon Europe Battery call closed on 6 September this year, and for Zabala Innovation it has been a definitive boost: with a success rate of 80% in the projects approved, we have surpassed the last results obtained in January, which already placed us in a leading position. On this occasion, of the five projects presented, four have been financed and the fifth is on the waiting list, which also endorses the high quality of the proposal. The aid raised would amount to 23 million, which would represent 17% of the total amount of the call (and 38% of the money available in the Topics in question).

The call has a budget of 138 million euros and batteries play a leading role. This is destination 2 (Cross-sectoral solutions for climate transition) of cluster 5 (Climate, energy, and mobility) of pillar 2 (Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness) of this programme.

But the leadership in batteries was already demonstrated by the results obtained in the first Horizon Europe call in this field. It was a call dedicated to building a competitive and sustainable value chain in the battery sector, and five of the seven projects submitted were funded, representing a success rate of 71%.

This was a real milestone for Zabala Innovation’s Energy knowledge area. These results confirmed the positioning of the consultancy firm in the European market as a whole, as two of the projects financed were managed in Spain, another two in France, and one in Brussels. The aid obtained in these projects amounted to approximately 33 million euros, equivalent to 14% of the total funds allocated to the call for proposals.

Our major battery projects

Zabala Innovation is one of the main actors in the sector, playing a relevant role as a partner in charge of management, communication, and dissemination, and/or support to the coordinator, in the following projects:

• The SEATBELT project (HORIZON EUROPE), aims to develop a new generation of efficient and safe battery materials that meet European criteria for decarbonisation, sustainability, affordability, and self-sufficiency in production.
• The HELENA project (HORIZON EUROPE), which will develop novel solid-state battery cells with high energy efficiency and power density (generation 4b batteries) for application in electric vehicles and, especially, in aircraft.
• The CIRCUSOL project (H2020) to promote the solar energy sector as a leading model in the circular economy through a business model based on Product-Service Systems (PSS).
• The NAIMA project (H2020) will demonstrate that two new generations of highly competitive and safe Na-ion cells, developed and tested during the project, are a robust and cost-effective alternative.
• The LiPLANET project (H2020) is to create a European innovation and production ecosystem. It aims to build a more competitive lithium battery manufacturing ecosystem and scale up lithium battery production towards an industrial scale by bringing together the most relevant European lithium battery pilot lines and key stakeholders in the battery sector.

Zabala Innovation in Batteries Europe

But Zabala Innovation’s success in the field of batteries is not only due to the presentation and subsequent management of projects in this area, as has been demonstrated by the results of the latest calls for proposals. We are also part of the Batteries Europe platform, the project that manages the European Technology Platform for Batteries (ETIP Batteries).

Batteries Europe was born in the framework of Horizon Europe, to promote the collaboration of similar initiatives of the European Union to strengthen the European battery industry. Zabala Innovation participates as the leader of the organisational support of the platform and its bodies, as well as the support to the coordinator: Batteries Europe Secretariat (BEST), managed by EIT InnoEnergy. Thus, our task is to provide administrative and logistical support in the operational activities of the ETIP governance, which includes: six thematic working groups, the board of directors, the cross-cutting working groups, and the group of national and regional coordinators.

Upcoming opportunities in the field of batteries

The new calls published on 6 December will further develop the battery theme by fostering a leading European battery research and innovation ecosystem along the value chain based on sustainable pathways. It also includes improving technological performance to increase the attractiveness of user applications (in particular in terms of safety, cost, user convenience, fast charging, and environmental footprint), while supporting the creation of a competitive, circular, and sustainable European battery manufacturing value chain.

The main impacts that will be generated by the themes addressing the battery value chain under this target will be:

• Increased global competitiveness of the European battery ecosystem through generated knowledge and cutting-edge technologies in battery materials, cell design, manufacturing, and recycling.
• Significant contribution to the policy needs of the European Green Deal through new solutions for circularity and battery recycling.
• Accelerated growth of an innovative, competitive, and sustainable battery manufacturing industry in Europe.
• Development of sustainable and safe technologies and systems for the decarbonisation of transport and stationary applications.
• Contributing to Europe’s strategic independence through research into alternative battery chemistries using non-critical raw materials and efficient recycling technologies.
• Increasing synergies with other partnerships and initiatives.

These topics will have two closing dates in 2023 (18 April and 5 September) and two closing dates in 2024 (18 April and 5 September) and will have more than 280 million euros at their disposal, part of which will be reinforced by Next Generation EU funds.