Call: Measuring, monitoring and controlling the risks of CCS, EGS and unconventional hydrocarbons in the subsurface

1. Excellent Science
2. Industrial Leadership
3. Societal Challenges

• Reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint
• Low-cost, low-carbon electricity supply
• Alternative fuels and mobile energy sources
• A single, smart European electricity grid
• New knowledge and technologies
• Robust decision making and public engagement
• Market uptake of energy and ICT innovation.

Today, our EU energy system is still strongly linked to borderlines between Member States and connections between the electricity, gas and heat networks are still scarce. Creating links between these networks would provide more flexibility, more resilience and allow a larger penetration of variable renewables. This approach is underpinned by the recent Communication 'Energy Union'. 

Specific topics of the calls

• Next generation innovative technologies enabling smart grids, storage and energy system integration with increasing share of renewables: Distribution network
• Demonstration of smart grid, storage and systems integration technologies with increasing share of renewables: Distribution system
• Support to R&I strategy for smart grid and storage
• Demonstration of smart transmission grid, storage and system integration technolgies with increasing share of renewables
• Tools and technologies for coordination and integration of the European energy system
• New knowledge and technologies
• Developing the next generation technolgies of renewable electricity and heating/cooling
• Development of next generation biofuels technolgies
• Increasing the competitiveness of the EU PV manufacturing industry
• Reducing the cost of PV electricity
• Near-to-market solutions for reducing the water consumption of CSP Plants
• Near-to-market solutions for the use of solar heat in industrial processes
• Solutions for reduced maintenance, increased reliability and extended life-time of off-shore wind turbines/farms
• Demonstration of large > 10MW wind turbine
• Scaling up in the ocean energy sector to arrays
• 2nd Generation design tools for ocean energy devices and arrays development and deployment
• Easier to install and more efficient geothermal systems for retrofitting buildings
• EGS in different geological conditions
• Demonstration of the most promising advanced biofuel pathways
• Enabling pre-commercial production of advanced aviation biofuel
• Makret uptake of renewable energy technologies
• International Cooperation with Brazil on advanced lignocellulosic biofuels
• International Cooperation with Mexico on geothermal energy
• International Cooperation with South Korea on new generation high-efficiency capture processes
• Utilisation of captured CO2 as feedstock for the process industry
• Cross-thematic ERA-NET on Applied Geosciences
• Measuring, monitoring and controlling the risks of CCS, EGS, and unconventional hydrocarbons in the subsurface
• Highly flexible and efficient fossil fuel power plants
• CCS in industry, including Bio-CCS
• Geological storage pilots
• Social Sciences and Humanities Support for the Energy Union
• European Platform for energy-related Social Sciences and Humanities research
• European Common Research and Innovation Agendas (ECRIAs) in support of the implementation of the SET Action Plan
• Joint Actions towards the demonstration and validation of innovative energy solutions
• Framework Partnership Agreement supporting Joint Actions towards the demonstration and validation of innovative energy solutions
• Support to the energy stakeholders to contribute to the SET-Plan

Carbon capture and storage (CCS), enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) and unconventional gas development impact on the subsurface. Subsequently, advanced and cost effective monitoring of the containment of underground CO2 and natural gas is vital for the sustainable management of the subsurface and its resources.

Research is needed to better understand and quantify possible (natural and engineered) leakage pathways for natural gas, the rates of leakage into aquifers and escape at surface, the impacts that leakage can have on fresh groundwater resources, soil and biodiversity, and the time frame in which emissions will return to baseline values. In addition, the effective detection and quantification of leakage requires a scientifically robust method for determining natural background concentrations of CO2 and natural gas in the soil and at the surface.

Uniform, unbiased and independent data are needed to improve environmental stewardship in all three aforementioned geo-energy applications.

At least three legal entities. Each of the three must be established in a different EU Member State or Horizon 2020 associated country. All three legal entities must be independent of each other.

Industry participation is strongly encouraged to facilitate access to existing sites and data, and to allow extending the operating period of the research infrastructure beyond the project duration.

Suggested budget: 5-10 million € (This does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.)

EU funding rate: max. 100%.

Electronic application here. 

Link to the National Contact Point Finder.