The European Commission has approved funding of €3.4 billion for 77 net-zero technology projects across 23 countries within the European Economic Area, as part of the EU’s Innovation Fund. These initiatives encompass various sectors including energy-intensive industries, renewable energy, innovative energy storage, and net-zero mobility, among others. The projects are categorized into five key areas: general decarbonization for projects of varying scales, clean-tech manufacturing, and pilot programs.
Among the selected projects, 12 large-scale initiatives have requested approximately €1.58 billion, focusing on advanced decarbonized fuels, industrial carbon management, and critical raw materials. Notably, a green ammonia-fueled fleet project aims to deploy medium gas carriers equipped with tri-fueled propulsion systems for transcontinental transport. Additionally, the RIPPLE project plans to retrofit very large ammonia carriers with dual fuel engines, facilitating cleaner ammonia transportation.
The medium-scale category includes 17 projects seeking around €458 million, targeting sectors like chemicals, maritime, and hydrogen. Furthermore, 20 small-scale projects have been selected, requesting about €124 million, which cover areas such as critical raw material recycling and advanced alternative fuels. The Commission anticipates that these initiatives could collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 290 million tonnes over their first decade of operation.
Project promoters are now preparing for grant agreements with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, where they will finalize funding contracts and other essential details. The results of this agreement process are expected to be announced in early 2027, while the next round of Innovation Fund calls is set to launch in December 2026.
