The European Commission, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, has launched a call for proposals in order to award grants to projects selected in the annex of the draft Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a programme to aid economic recovery by granting Community financial assistance to projects in the field of energy (EEPR).

The European Energy Programme for Recovery is a unique opportunity to respond to the key energy challenges facing Europe today. It will help the EU to strengthen its energy market in terms of security of supply, competitiveness, innovation and the development of renewable energy. At the same time, it is an important stimulus for the European economy in this very difficult period.

Official text of EEPR regulation is expected to be available in July 2009.

Gas and Electricity Infrastructure (interconnections) projects -  TREN/C1 – EEPR – Infrastructures

The Community shall promote gas and electricity infrastructure projects having the highest Community added value and contributing to the following objectives:

• Security and diversification of sources of energy, routes and supplies.
• Optimisation of the capacity of the energy network and the integration of the internal energy market, in particular concerning cross-border section.
• Development of the network to strengthen economic and social cohesion by reducing the isolation of the less-favoured and island regions of the Community.
• Connection and integration of renewable energy resources.
• Safety, reliability and interoperability of interconnected energy networks, including enabling multidirectional gas flows.

Offshore Wind Energy (OWE) projects - TREN/D2 – EEPR – offshore wind

Financial assistance to OWE will, as a priority, be directed towards the innovation component of large scale projects with cross-border significance, which are built on well-established concepts to supply clean, reliable, indigenous electricity to meet future demand. They should be capable of being accelerated by a financial stimulus and should be in a position to progress substantially with development in 2009/2010.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects - TREN/C3 – EEPR – CCS

All projects are expected to join the network of CCS demonstration projects which will be set up by the European Commission and share experience and non-proprietary knowledge obtained through the demonstration through this network. The large-scale, fossil fuel-powered plants, projects to be funded are expected to be the first in Europe equipped with CCS elements with CO2 capture overing at least 250 MW of installed capacity. Work should include the completion of a detailed engineering study (FEED study), as well as the construction/installation of the CCS equipment and CO2 infrastructure. It can also include a test phase of the CCS technologies at smaller scale pilot installations, as well as CO2 test injections in potential storage sites within an integrated project to build the large scale demonstration plant. The concept could either cover a newly built plant or the retrofitting of an existing plant with CCS.

The Community provisional funding available for the call for proposals is:

• 3.980,00 Million EUR (Global Budget)
• 2.365,00 Million EUR (Partial budget for area 1)
• 565,00 Million EUR (Partial budget for area 2)
• 1.050,00 Million EUR (Partial budget for area 3)

• 15 July 2009 - 16 years ago (Deadline for the presentation of proposals)

• Call for proposals economic recovery in the field of energy (Legal base)

Opened to the following bodies or institutes with legal status established in the covered areas:

• Public authorities (all)

Bodies or institutes must have their registered legal seat in one of the countries taking part in the Programme which are:

• European Union (EU)
• European Economic Area (EEA)
• Candidate Countries

Secretariat-General

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