Belgiumec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/funding-climate-action/innovation-fund_en
Its role Investor / Financier
The European Innovation Fund is a European Union financing program that supports the demonstration and early deployment of innovative low‑carbon technologies across the EU and EEA. Funded by revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System and implemented by the European Commission (via CINEA), it provides grants and other support mechanisms to accelerate industrial decarbonisation and the scale‑up of climate solutions.
The fund targets energy‑intensive sectors—including chemicals, cement, steel, and refining—as well as renewable energy and energy storage. Priority areas include carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), renewable hydrogen, electrification of process heat, and advanced renewable and efficiency technologies. Support is awarded through competitive calls and auctions for both large‑ and small‑scale projects, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, bridge cost gaps versus fossil options, and improve the competitiveness of clean industrial production in Europe.
chemXplore tracks 6 projects involving European Innovation Fund, of which 6 are active.
Closest to start-up first.
1 active project carries no start-up date yet. The dates themselves, per project, are for subscribers.
€1bn Europe-wide auction for industrial process-heat decarbonisation; bidding opens early Dec 2026. Supports electrification, renewable heat and SMRs with a fixed premium per tCO2.
Hybrid furnace to cut CO₂ from flat glass production; construction starts Jan 2027, production H2 2027; co-funded by the EU ETS Innovation Fund.
Moves into Front-End Engineering Design to refine plant design, reduce technical and execution risks, and prepare an engineering package for a Final Investment Decision.
Warns China is dumping excess chemical capacity into Europe, calls for faster trade safeguards and ETS Investment Booster support for Project ONE (€5bn) low‑carbon ethylene.
EU aims for 50 Mtpa geological CO₂ storage by 2030; stakeholders call for investment in transport and storage, faster permitting, market demand and cross‑border cooperation.
EIB will provide technical and financial advice via the EU Innovation Fund to advance a plant producing low‑carbon battery graphite in A Coruña.
Mobilises up to €1.5bn from ETS revenues as interest‑free loans to scale EV battery cell production in the EEA; call opens Q3 2026.
Grant deal formalises funding for Alpha One, enabling engineering, contracting and FID prep. At Evonik Antwerp: 120,000 t/yr iron fuel → 244 GWh/yr low‑carbon heat; ~682 kt CO₂ avoided in 10 yr.
What each is building and closing, and the pipelines and grids between them, on one map.
The 6 sharing the most projects, of 17.
