What is funded?

Funding is provided for projects in the field of energy-intensive industries that aim to reduce process-related greenhouse gas emissions as far as possible and permanently. The funding is provided as a non-repayable direct grant within the framework of project funding. Process-related greenhouse gas emissions within the meaning of the Directive are greenhouse gas emissions that do not originate from the use of fossil fuels and raw materials for energy generation, but are caused by the use of these substances in the production process due to technology or processes. According to the current state of the art, they cannot be avoided or can only be avoided with difficulty and can only be avoided or reduced by fundamental changes in the production process.

The funding covers industrial research and experimental development, testing in test and pilot plants and investments in plants on an industrial scale.

This includes measures as well as their success control with the following focus:

• Low-greenhouse gas/carbon-neutral manufacturing processes within the respective industry, which previously reduce energy-intensive and process-related emissions

replace manufacturing processes,

• Innovative and highly efficient methods for switching from fossil fuels to electricity-based processes,
• Integrated production processes and innovative process combinations,
• The research, development and testing of alternatives to products that are used in their

manufacturing cause process-related emissions,

• low-greenhouse gas or greenhouse gas neutral production processes for these alternative products and investments in facilities that enable the application of these manufacturing processes on an industrial scale;
• bridging technologies that represent a substantial step on the way to largely greenhouse gas-neutral production processes and provide a long-term perspective for the complete conversion to the use of renewable energies and raw materials,
• CO2 capture projects that aim to use or convert CO2 as permanently as possible in the sense of a circular economy (CCU) are also eligible for funding for hard-to-avoid CO2 emissions in individual cases (e.g. in the cement and lime industry).

Projects are excluded from funding  :

• for basic research (up to and including TRL 3),
• with a focus on energy and resource efficiency or on construction techniques in lightweight construction, and
• for CO2 storage (CCS) or for CO2 capture with the aim of CO2 storage.

Who is eligible to apply?

Commercial companies and consortia in sectors that participate in the European Emissions Trading Scheme (except energy suppliers) and cause process-related greenhouse gas emissions are eligible to apply. In addition, the applicant company must have a permanent establishment/branch in Germany and implement the project in Germany.

Colleges, universities and other research institutions can be involved as project partners on behalf of an eligible company.

Application process

See attached document (available only in German Language) or the website of the funding authority for details or contact us with your questions.

The funding programm is open for submission at any time. The programme is currently active for the time period until 30/06/2024. We will update the information here in case of prolongation of the programme.