Large scale operational validation and upscaling of state-of-the-art (Generative) AI tools and models powering a next generation digital energy system

Forthcoming

This is the status published by the official source.

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Expected Outcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:

• Advanced, secure frugal (energy-, resource-, data- and cost-efficient, sustainable) AI tools for real-time grid operations (including protection), market operations (if relevant) and consumer empowerment in distributed energy systems.
• A demonstrated AI development environment integrated with the upgraded digital spine of the energy system and energy-saving consumer applications.
• Scaled-up capabilities for learning at edge nodes and federated systems using agent-based architectures.
• A governance framework and operating model for the Gen(AI)-powered digital spine. Scope:
Building up on previous actions in Horizon Europe (e.g. the digital spine of the energy system in cluster 5 as well as cloud and edge continuum and AI data processing activities in cluster 4) and Digital Europe (Common Reference Framework for energy consumer applications across the EU, Common Energy Data Space), projects are expected to:

• Validate (demo site and operational grid) and scale secure state-of-the-art specialised frugal (energy- and resource-efficient, data- and cost-efficient, locally deployed and sustainable) open-source (Generative-)AI tools and models for real-time grid (and market, if relevant) monitoring, balancing, forecasting and consumer empowerment in a distributed energy system.
• Demonstrate an AI development environment within the enhanced digital spine of the energy system, including its digital twin, which should incorporate the functionality of the Common Reference Framework for energy saving applications.
• Prototype and validate at scale machine learning at the edge node level and federated at swarm level in an agent-based architecture, leveraging new mechanisms for scaling down AI models as well as incremental and reinforcement learning.
• The project's deliverables should be compatible with the principles of the Common European Energy Data Space and consistent with the EU's Apply AI and Competitiveness Compass, ensuring that they promote AI adoption and competitiveness in line with EU policies, as well as the EU Digitalisation of the energy sector initiatives.
• Where relevant and possible, the selected projects are expected to make use of the European AI factories and AI gigafactories.
• The selected projects are expected, where available, to make use of and further develop commonly agreed European standards and to actively collaborate and contribute to the work of established and de facto European standards developing organisations and open-source communities and platforms. Selected projects are expected to contribute to the BRIDGE[1] initiative and actively participate in its activities.
Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL.

[1] https://bridge-smart-grid-storage-systems-digital-projects.ec.europa.eu/

Status

Forthcoming

Deadline

31 March 2027 (time not stated)

Opens

3 December 2026

Published

12 December 2025

Total budget

€20,000,000

Grant range

€10,000,000 – €10,000,000

Country

European Union (EU-wide)

Programme

Horizon Europe (HORIZON)

Funder

European Commission

Official page

Open at the source portal

What applying involves

12 steps, all of them taken from this call's own documents.

Understand the call

• Read the call on the source portal and download its documents
• Write the proposal against the award criteria and thresholds standard for this programme

  are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes — conditions §5a

• Check the grant's legal and financial set-up standard for this programme

  The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5. described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme] Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is … — conditions §6

• Note the opening date — a proposal cannot be submitted before it
• Check the amount you plan to request against the call's range

Check you are eligible

• Confirm your technology readiness level against the range the call states
• Check every partner is established in an eligible country standard for this programme

  described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide — conditions §2

• Meet the call's other eligibility conditions

  In line with the “ restriction on control in innovation actions in critical technology areas ” delineated in General Annex B of the General Annexes, entities established in an eligible country but which are directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to participate in the action. If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make … — conditions §3

• Be able to show financial and operational capacity standard for this programme

  described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes — conditions §4

Prepare the documents

• Prepare Part B of the Application Form standard for this programme

  Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. — conditions

Submit

• Check the submission and evaluation process standard for this programme

  are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual — conditions §5b

• Submit before the closing date shown above

  The source states the closing day but no closing time — check the portal before the last day. — calls.deadline

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