Naval hybrid propulsion and power systems
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See in 5 min if you're eligible for Naval hybrid propulsion and power systems offering max €20.0M funding💰 Funding Details
Funding description – EDF-2025-LS-RA-SI-ENERENV-NH2PS-STEP
What is financed
* Scope: Naval hybrid propulsion & DC power systems tailored for defence – TRL ≈ 3 → 5.
* Eligible activities (must cover all in bold):
* Studies (c) – techno-economic, LCA, logistics, safety, grid-fault simulations, alternative fuels, etc.
* Design (d) – digital twins, MW-scale DC architectures, SiC converters, dual-fuel engines, LV/HV switch-gear, test-beds.
* System prototyping, testing, qualification, certification, life-cycle-efficiency (e-i) – hardware-in-the-loop, dislocated test facilities, shock tests, cyber-security tests.
* Optional knowledge-generation & integration tasks (a, b).
* Cost items allowed: personnel, subcontracting, prototypes, test-site leasing, consumables, IPR, dissemination, security measures.
* Security-sensitive costs (e.g. classified computing, secure facilities) are eligible if duly justified.
* Non-eligible: infrastructure unrelated to the project’s defence objectives, VAT that is recoverable, activities performed outside the EU unless unavoidable & authorised.
Funding rate & mechanism
* Action type: Research Action (RA) lump-sum grant under EDF.
* EU contribution: up to €20 million per grant, paid as lump-sum instalments linked to work-package milestones.
* Funding rate: up to 100 % of the accepted lump-sum (all beneficiaries receive the same rate).
* Co-funding is welcome but not required; cost over-runs are borne by the consortium.
Lump-sum specifics
1. Proposers build a detailed cost-calculation internally.
2. The Commission converts it into a single fixed grant amount per work package; no ex-post financial reporting – only achievement of milestones/deliverables is checked.
3. Re-allocation across cost categories is allowed as long as the agreed technical outputs are delivered.
Who can apply
* Consortium ≥ 3 independent entities from ≥ 3 EU Member States.
* All entities must be established in the EU and not controlled by a non-EU country or entity (Art. 9 §2 EDF Regulation) unless a security exemption is requested & accepted.
* Participants holding classified information/facilities need the relevant Personnel & Facility Security Clearances (PSC/FSC).
* Public bodies, mid-caps, SMEs and RTOs are all eligible; SME participation is strongly encouraged.
Key call details
* Call identifier: EDF-2025-LS-RA-SI-ENERENV-NH2PS-STEP
* Opening: 18 Feb 2025
* Deadline: 16 Oct 2025, 17:00 (Brussels) – single-stage submission.
* Evaluation criteria:
1. Excellence & innovation (40 %)
2. Impact incl. EDTIB competitiveness, spin-in, SMEs, green objectives, dissemination (30 %)
3. Quality & efficiency of implementation, work-plan credibility, lump-sum logic (30 %)
* Expected grant signature: Q2 2026.
Compliance checkpoints
* Synergies with Horizon Europe, Clean Energy Transition, national programmes must be stated.
* STEP label: highlight contribution to clean-tech security of supply.
* Gender & ethics: mandatory ethics self-assessment; gender balance encouraged.
For full legal conditions consult the Call Document sections 5–10 and EDF Regulation (EU) 2021/697.
📊 At a Glance
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🇪🇺 Strategic Advantages
EU-Wide Advantages & Opportunities for "Naval Hybrid Propulsion and Power Systems" (EDF-2025-LS-RA-SI-ENERENV-NH2PS-STEP)
1. Why Compete at EU Level?
The European Defence Fund (EDF) is the only programme that simultaneously finances defence R&D, obliges cross-border teaming and guarantees preference for EU industry. For naval hybrid propulsion, this unlocks technology, market and policy advantages that no single Member State (MS) can achieve alone.
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2. Single Market Access
• Direct entry to a €250 bn naval & maritime market spanning 22 coastal MS plus affiliated NATO partners.
• Fleet homogenisation trend: 6 navies (FR, IT, DE, ES, NL, SE) are planning >50 new frigates/corvettes in 2028-2045, all specifying greener propulsion. Early EDF participation positions suppliers on their vendor lists.
• Civil–military spin-in opportunity: Develop once, certify twice—civil IMO Tier III & NATO STANAG 4603—serving 450 m consumers via dual-use ferries, offshore support vessels, green ports.
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3. Cross-Border Collaboration & Industrial Base Consolidation
• Consortium rule (<3 entities from ≥3 MS) forces teaming of OEMs, shipyards, component SMEs, digital twin providers and test facilities, reducing duplication of national programmes.
• Shared testbeds (e.g. NL MARIN, DE WTD 71, IT CETENA) avoid €80-100 m duplication costs per country.
• Pan-EU supply-chain resilience: mapping critical raw materials (e.g. SiC wafers, Li-ion cells) aids EDAP strategic autonomy plan and de-risks US/Asia dependencies.
• Workshare balance: EDF grant contracts recognise in-kind contributions, enabling smaller navies (BG, PT, RO) to host sub-system trials without large cash outlay.
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4. Alignment with Key EU Policies
1. European Green Deal & Fit-for-55: demonstrable GHG savings (>30 %) unlocks future ETS exemptions for military fleets.
2. Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP): Call is explicitly tagged; later access to Sovereignty Seal & InvestEU guarantees.
3. Digital Europe & Chips Act: On-board AI controllers and SiC converters qualify for additional RRF / IPCEI on Micro-electronics match-funding.
4. Action Plan on Military Mobility 2.0: Hybrid propulsion improves silent, low-emission harbour manoeuvring—an asset for dual-use ports.
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5. Regulatory Harmonisation & Standardisation Benefits
• EURODEF standardisation roadmap: Project can draft EU-wide LV/HV DC-grid standards, giving consortium first-mover IPR.
• Single approval pathway through European Military Airworthiness Authority (EMAR) analogues for naval, reducing multi-national certification costs by up to 40 %.
• Common safety code for low-flash-point fuels will fast-track future exports to European navies under the EDIDP Equipment Directive.
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6. Innovation Ecosystem Leverage
• Access to 2 000+ Horizon Europe maritime projects (BATTERY2030+, SPINMATE, FLEXSHIP) for immediate spin-in of TRL 5-6 components.
• EIT Manufacturing & EIT InnoEnergy nodes offer incubation vouchers for start-ups (e.g. super-capacitor, SiC gate drivers) joining the EDF consortium.
• European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) provides shared data space for digital twins & PHIL simulations, accelerating iterative design loops.
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7. Funding Synergies & Blending Potential
| Instrument | Complementarity | Indicative Leverage |
|------------|-----------------|---------------------|
| Horizon Europe Cluster 5 (Climate, Energy) | Civil fuel-cell R&D and methanol engines | +25 % co-funding on TRL 4-6 tasks |
| Connecting Europe Facility (CEF-Transport) | Shore-power & HVDC port interfaces | Grants for shore demo sites |
| InvestEU & EIB Green Shipping Guarantee | Scale-up loans for serial production lines of SiC converters | Up to €150 m |
| Recovery & Resilience Facility National Plans | CapEx for dual-use test halls & cyber ranges | 20-40 % subsidies |
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8. Scale & Impact at EU Level
• Fleet commonality lowers unit cost: A 20-ship EU production series can cut propulsion CAPEX by ~18 % vs isolated orders (learning-curve effect 0.85).
• Inter-operability: Shared DC architecture eases plug-and-play weapons/ sensors under PESCO projects (e.g. TWISTER, EUROMALE).
• Export multiplier: EU-badged green warships fit NATO decarbonisation goals, opening CAN/AUS/NOR markets.
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9. Strategic Autonomy & Security of Supply
• EU-sourced SiC substrate via ST-Micro (FR/IT) & Semikron-Danfoss (DE/DK) reduces Asian choke-points.
• Battery value chain aligns with European Battery Alliance; possible joint procurement of LFP/LTO chemistries for safety at sea.
• Standardised fuel logistics (e-SAF / e-Methanol) under Energy Taxation Directive update simplifies joint operations & replenishment at sea.
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10. Actor-Specific Opportunities
• Primes / Shipyards: Secure design-authority role for next-gen frigates; influence future NATO STANAGs.
• SMEs: Niche components (AI control boards, solid-state breakers) become EDF grant-funded demonstrators with guaranteed IP ownership (Article 20 EDF Regulation).
• Research Centres & Universities: Long-term funding stream and doctoral placements via MSCA-Defence strand.
• Test Facilities: Monetise idle capacity; EDF allows cost-based in-kind contributions.
• Start-ups: Fast-track security clearance through consortium sponsorship.
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11. Action Checklist to Maximise EU-Wide Advantages
1. Form minimum 7-10 partners / ≥5 MS to score high on "geographical balance".
2. Map Horizon Europe, CEF & IPCEI projects for each work package; show direct re-use of data & prototypes.
3. Allocate ≥10 % budget to standardisation & dissemination (critical for impact criterion).
4. Include at least one landlocked MS (e.g. CZ, HU) via power electronics or cyber tasks to strengthen political support.
5. Prepare Joint Industrial Plan detailing future serial production in at least three shipyards to satisfy "future EU demand" scoring.
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12. Key Take-Away
Applying to this EDF call at EU scale is not merely about higher grant amounts—it is a strategic move to shape the common technical, regulatory and industrial landscape of tomorrow’s green, resilient European naval fleet. Consortia that demonstrate tangible EU-wide spill-overs, standardisation leadership and funding synergies will score highest and secure a first-mover advantage in a market that is set to accelerate through 2050.
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