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European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency

Clean Energy Transition

LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme

Building on the success of the Intelligent Energy Europe (2003-2013) and Horizon 2020 Energy Efficiency (2014-2020) programmes, the LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme continues to support the delivery of EU policies in the field of sustainable energy, in particular, the European Green Deal, the Energy Union (2030 energy and climate targets) and the European Union’s 2050 long-term decarbonisation strategy.

The LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme has a budget of nearly EUR 1 billion over the period of 2021-2027 and aims at facilitating the transition towards an energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and -resilient economy by funding coordination and support actions (Other Action Grants) across Europe. These are actions of high EU added-value, which are targeted at breaking market barriers that hamper the socio-economic transition to sustainable energy, and typically engage multiple small and medium-sized stakeholders, multiple actors including local and regional public authorities and non-profit organisations, as well as consumers.

Projects are co-financed under the LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme in the following five areas of intervention:

  • Building a national, regional and local policy framework supporting the clean energy transition; 
  • Accelerating technology roll-out, digitalisation, new services and business models and enhancement of the related professional skills on the market; 
  • Attracting private finance for sustainable energy; 
  • Supporting the development of local and regional investment projects;
  • Involving and empowering citizens in the clean energy transition.

Call for proposals

All LIFE calls for proposals, including LIFE Clean energy transition, are published on CINEA's website as well as the European Commission’s Funding & Tenders portal.

    Proposals can only be submitted electronically through the Funding & Tenders portal.

    Information including the legislation and rules for participation, templates for proposals, evaluations, and project reporting can be accessed on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

    Support for applicants

    Guidance on the application process, evaluation and grant signature, grant management, and working as an expert are available on the Funding & Tender portal.

    On 1 June 2023, CINEA organised a special information session on the call for LIFE 2023 Clean energy transition.

    Plenary presentations: 

    Clean Energy Transition 2023 Info Day and Plenary videos:

    The videos and presentations for the 13 funding topics are available via the topic links under the call for proposals section above.

    Evaluations and experts

    Project proposals submitted under LIFE calls are evaluated and scored against selection and award criteria.

    CINEA appoints external experts to assist in the evaluation of grant applications, projects and tenders.

    If you are interested, please register in the European Commission's database of independent experts.

    Initiatives

    LIFE Clean Energy Transition supports a number of initiatives to promote the uptake of energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions:

    H2020 Energy Efficiency

    Horizon 2020 was the EU's funding programme for research and innovation from 2014 to 2020.

    Horizon 2020 Energy Efficiency provided support for innovation through: research and demonstration of more energy-efficient technologies and solutions; and market uptake measures to remove market and governance barriers by addressing financing, regulations and the improvement of skills and knowledge.

    There are still more than 200 H2020 Energy Efficiency projects ongoing in the areas of: consumers; buildings; public authorities and policy support; industry, products and services; heating and cooling; and innovative financing.