Cleantech: Sources of Funding: EU Eco Innovation Fund 2010
In a Communication in October 2009 on Investing in the Development of Low Carbon Technologies, (also known as the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan)), the European Commission stated that cleantech investment in the EU would have to increase from the current €3 bn per year to at least €8 bn per year (an additional €50 bn over the next 10 years). In a series of forthcoming articles we will look at a number of the various funding sources that are currently available or proposed for the near future.
In this article we look at the Call for Proposals 2010 of the recently announced EU Eco Innovation Fund. This invites applications to tap into a €35m pot being made available in 2010.
Background
The EU is intent on seeking to develop a low-carbon economy and to facilitate expansion and growth of cleantech. To do this the EU is in the process of putting in place a very significant and diverse legal and policy framework.
EU Eco Innovation Fund - Call for Proposals 2010
On 26th April 2010, the European Commission announced €35m of funding in 2010 for eco-innovation projects aimed at reducing industry's ecological footprint. This has been made available under the EU's Competitiveness and Innovation Programme. The CIP runs from 2007 to 2013 and has an overall budget of € 3,621 million. It targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The €35m funding will cover 50% of costs in projects connected with eco-innovative products, techniques, services or processes which aim at prevention or reduction of impacts on the environment or which contribute to optimal use of resources. Particular emphasis will be placed on SMEs that have developed a product or a service which they have been unable to bring to the market.
The three main aspects of CIP Eco-Innovation Fund are:
- Benefits to the environment (e.g. to achieve maximum resource efficiency by using less raw material, including water).
- Economic benefits (including wide replication as part of a clear business and exploitation plan).
- Contribution of projects to innovation (innovation as a progressive concept).
Main priority areas
A number of priority areas have been identified.
Materials recycling
This covers a wide range of materials recycling and re-use processes, methods, technologies and approaches, such as for example: automation, sorting, treatment, post-shredder and separation technologies, as well as business innovations relating to recycling and re-use.
Sustainable building products
This covers construction products and related processes that reduce consumption of resources, embedded carbon and production of by-products from wastes.
Food and drink sector
Priority is to be given to those sectors of food and drink with high impacts on the environment (for instance meat and meat products are identified, along with dairy products and production of edible oils).
Greening of procurement
This would envisage the integration of eco-innovative techniques and eco-design principles in supply chains and greening of production.
Eligibility criteria
The call for proposals is open to all financially solvent legal entities in the EU and the EEA. Applicants who receive financial support for the same purpose from other EU financial instruments will not be eligible for funding under this source.
It is expected that the €35m pot will benefit at least 50 projects. Clearly therefore a number of projects will be fairly small in (financial) size. The closing date for applications is 9 September 2010.
Further details on the rules and conditions applicable to the Call for Proposals can be accessed: here
