Horizon Europe Cluster 5 Work Plan Features 
6 Key Destinations  

The Cluster 5 is an integral part of Horizon Europe, adhering to its framework for types of actions (IA, RIA and CSA), funding mechanisms, and eligibility requirements. Innovation Actions (IAs) focus on prototyping, demonstrating and validating new products or services at TRL 5-8, with 70% funding (100% for non-profits); Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) support R&D for new technologies at TRL 3-6, with 100% funding. Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs) facilitate collaboration and capacity-building, also funded at 100%, with no specific TRL target.

These types of projects are collaborative and require the establishment of a consortium. The consortium must be cross-border, involving a minimum of 3 independent partners from 3 distinct countries, with at least one being a full member of the EU.

Destination 1: Climate sciences and responses for the transformation towards climate neutrality, 

Destination 1 focuses on advancing climate science to support effective and equitable policy-making. The calls cover improved climate simulations and Earth System Models to better understand long-term change, as well as modelling mitigation pathways for F-gases. Other priorities include forecasting extreme and slow-onset climate events, assessing the effectiveness and limits of adaptation strategies, and promoting fairness and inclusion in climate policy through a dedicated Societal Readiness Pilot.

Deadline: 24 September 2025 with a budget of €101.50 million.

Destination 2: Cross-sectoral solutions for climate transition 

Destination 2 supports cross-sectoral innovation to drive the climate transition, with a strong focus on energy storage and raw material resilience. A key technology area is battery innovation: the Batt4EU Partnership supports cost-effective, long-duration stationary storage solutions, along with sustainable processing of raw materials for Li-ion batteries, aiming to localize supply chains and improve recyclability. A call addresses supply security of grid and storage technologies, focusing on rare and essential elements across multiple sectors. The Destination also opens up to global cooperation through a coordinated call with India on waste-to-renewable hydrogen pathways, targeting circular hydrogen production models.

Deadline: 2 September 2025 with a budget of €181.00 million.

Destination 3: Sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply 

The calls under Destination 3 reflect a strong push toward decarbonising and decentralising Europe’s energy system through diversification of sources, grid adaptability, and circular carbon integration. One central area is the advancement of renewable energy, including innovative geothermal resource development. Complementing this is a Societal Readiness Pilot for hydropower, which targets dual goals: 1: Increasing hydropower system flexibility
2. Enhancing biodiversity through adaptive water management.

Wind energy innovation is addressed through improved manufacturing techniques that reduce cost, enhance automation, and increase recyclability of components. In photovoltaics, two calls under the EUPI-PV Partnership seek breakthroughs in both silicon growth technologies and inverter systems, emphasizing flexibility, efficiency, and integration capacity. Systemic integration of these renewables is promoted through calls on control and operation tools for RES-based energy systems and a cross-regional market model for long-duration storage, both essential for real-time balancing and strengthening resilience against variability.

Carbon management is also addressed, with a call on CO₂-stream impurities addressing risks in transport and storage infrastructure, and a call on using captured CO₂ to substitute fossil hydrocarbons in industrial production, fostering industrial symbiosis and closed-carbon loops.

Deadline: 2 September 2025 with a budget of €173.00 million.

Destination 4: Efficient, sustainable and inclusive energy use 

Destination 4 focuses on improving energy efficiency in buildings and industry to support a climate-neutral built environment. Key priorities include robotic renovation, smart buildings for energy flexibility, low-carbon construction materials, and the development of Positive Energy Districts. It also promotes the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries through renewable integration. Many of the calls are supported by the Built4People partnership, which emphasizes circularity, reduced embodied carbon, and large-scale renovation.

Deadline: 17 February 2026 with a budget of €84.00 million

Destination 5: Clean and competitive solutions for all transport modes 

Destination 5’s 2025 calls offer a comprehensive portfolio of actions targeting decarbonisation, digitalisation, and durability across road, aviation, and maritime transport, with a particular focus on user-centric, safe, and scalable technologies.

For road mobility, the 2ZERO Partnership supports a range of integrated innovations, incl. bidirectional wireless charging systems enabling smart grid interaction, cybersecure e-mobility ecosystems to protect connected infrastructure, and safe post-crash management of BEVs to address thermal runaway and emergency response. Simultaneously, efficiency and lifetime of BEVs are tackled through calls on weather-resilient range optimization, long-haul logistics strategies, and extended service life solutions, aiming to reduce lifecycle costs and support mass adoption. In aviation, a targeted call advances autonomous cockpit technologies to enhance flight safety and reduce pilot workload, aligning with SESAR and Clean Aviation goals. The aerodynamic performance and validation infrastructure is reinforced through the development of next-generation wind tunnel testing capabilities.

On the waterborne front, ZEWT Partnership calls drive modular and retrofittable green technologies: From demonstration of battery storage in vessels to AI-driven energy management systems for real-time emission reduction. Additional priorities include safe conversion of low- and zero-carbon fuels, onboard renewable integration through wind-assisted propulsion, and onshore power supply solutions for cleaner port operations. A cross-cutting call on intelligent retrofit tools supports flexible adaptation of fleets to diverse regulatory and operational scenarios.

Deadline: 4 September 2025 with a budget of €146.60 million.

Destination 6: Safe, resilient transport and smart mobility services for passengers and goods 

Destination 6 focuses on enhancing the safety, resilience, and intelligence of future mobility systems. Key calls include Societal Readiness Pilots on remote operation of driverless transport and smart air mobility services using drones and eVTOLs. Another priority is improving human-technology interaction in vehicles through adaptive interfaces that support safe and intuitive automation.

Deadline: 4 September 2025 with a budget of €34.50 million.

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