The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Climate Action has announced the results of the Innovation Fund 2024 call, aimed at investing in net-zero emission technologies and the manufacturing of battery cells for electric vehicles.
The two calls under this year’s programme officially closed on 24 April, gathering a total of 373 project proposals.
As part of the initiative, the Commission will allocate up to €3.4 billion in funding, sourced from the revenues of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), to support the deployment of pioneering clean technologies.
The specific call for battery cell manufacturing received 14 proposals, with applicants requesting a combined total of €1.6 billion in EU funding.
The aim of the call is to stimulate investment, boost demand, and enhance the competitiveness and resilience of the European battery manufacturing sector, while reducing reliance on non-EU suppliers.
The submitted proposals span across eight EU countries, with Germany submitting the highest number, followed by France, Bulgaria, and Poland.
The call also seeks to address supply chain vulnerabilities and strengthen competitiveness in the clean mobility and electricity storage sectors.
In terms of technology, the proposals cover a range of battery chemistries, including lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt (Li-Ion-NMC), solid-state, and lithium iron phosphate (Li-Ion-Iron).
The evaluation process is currently ongoing. After checks for eligibility and admissibility, external experts will assess the proposals based on criteria such as degree of innovation, greenhouse gas emissions reduction potential, carbon footprint of manufacturing, project maturity, replicability, and cost efficiency.
Results are expected to be communicated in the second half of 2025, after which grant agreements will be prepared and signed.
