News

Call for novel expert evaluators – up to EUR 10 bn European Innovation Fund

Call for novel expert evaluators – up to EUR 10 bn European Innovation Fund EU flags (source: flickr/ mihisdesign, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 4 Mar 2020

INEA/ European Commission have issued a call for expert evaluators for the grant component of the EUR 10bn Innovation Fund targeted to help Europe reach its climate neutral target. Experts are sought for all aspects of renewable energy, including geothermal energy.

The Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) of the European Commission has announced that as of mid-2020, INEA is expected to be entrusted with the implementation of the grant component of the Innovation Fund.

The Innovation Fund, which is the successor of the NER 300 programme, has the objective of supporting innovative low-carbon technologies across all Member States in taking off and reaching the market. It will finance projects in energy-intensive industries, innovative renewables, energy storage and carbon capture, use, and storage.

The Innovation Fund, which for the period 2020 to 2030 may amount to about EUR10 billion (USD 11.2 bn) depending on the carbon price, will focus on highly innovative technologies and big flagship projects with European value added which can bring on significant emission reductions.

The Innovation Fund will be a key funding instrument for delivering on the EU’s commitments made under the Paris Agreement and achieving the European Commission’s strategic vision of a climate neutral Europe by 2050.  Its importance is also recognised in the European Green Deal communication and the European Sustainable Investment Plan.

The European Commission now aims to launch the first call for project proposals in summer 2020, followed by regular calls until 2030. As a result, DG CLIMA and INEA are now launching a call for expert evaluators to register this March via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal expert database for assignments in connection with the Innovation Fund.

In particular, experts should have a background in one or more of these areas: Renewable energy: wind, solar (PV / CSP), geothermal, bioenergy, ocean etc.; Carbon capture, utilisation and storage; Industries covered under the Emission Trading System, such as but not limited to: Ferrous and non-ferrous metals, Chemicals, Cement, concrete, lime and gypsum, Refineries, Paper, Glass and ceramics; Hydrogen; Energy Storage and cross-sectoral and industrial symbiosis projects.

Potential evaluators can now register via the European Commission’s expert database.

Experts who are already registered in the Funding and Tenders Portal expert database are invited to update their area of expertise and refer to the Innovation Fund: https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/experts/web/idashboard.

The selection will be made from the database, based on professional and technical capacity and absence of conflict of interest.  Language skills, geographical balance, business-sector balance and gender balance will also be considered.  Female applications are encouraged!

When registering, the experts responding to this call are invited to refer to the “Innovation Fund” in the list of pre-established keywords and to tick the box “other programme” so that their name appears in relation with the Innovation Fund.

Indicative effort required: 2-3 weeks per year (flexible working time, dependent on number of projects).

Early application before 31 March is encouraged since the first experts will have to be selected in June 2020 to start working in the second semester of 2020. A copy of the applicant’s CV should be sent to INEA-innovationfunds@ec.europa.eu

You can find hereafter links providing further information:

Source: Announcement by email