Enviro News Asia, Brussels — The European Commission has announced an investment of €2.9 billion to support 61 cutting-edge net-zero technology projects across Europe. The funding comes from the Innovation Fund, which utilizes revenues generated by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).
The initiative, coordinated by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), aims to strengthen Europe’s technological leadership and accelerate the deployment of innovative decarbonisation solutions. A total of 61 project developers from 18 EU member states will receive the grants, covering 19 industrial sectors including renewable energy, energy storage, clean mobility, industrial carbon management, and cleantech manufacturing.
Announced in November 2025, this program follows the first call for proposals for net-zero technologies (IF24 Call) launched in December 2024. The grant agreement preparation phase will now begin, during which the Commission and project promoters will finalize funding contracts — confirming budgets, schedules, technical deliverables, and legal obligations. These agreements are expected to be concluded in the first half of 2026.
The projects collectively have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 221 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent over their first decade of operation — comparable to the annual emissions of 9.9 million European cars. This significant reduction directly supports the EU’s long-term goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
The Innovation Fund, with estimated revenues of €40 billion from the EU ETS, serves as one of the world’s largest funding programs for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. The call for proposals attracted 359 applications, requesting over €21.7 billion in total support — more than nine times the available budget. This overwhelming response reflects the strong maturity and commitment of Europe’s net-zero technology sector in line with the Clean Industrial Deal.
All selected projects were evaluated by independent experts based on their potential to reduce emissions, degree of innovation, project maturity, scalability, and cost efficiency. Through this funding, the European Commission aims to ensure that Europe remains at the forefront of global clean technology innovation, advancing both economic growth and environmental sustainability. (*)
