Renewable Energy Valleys in Africa to increase energy security and energy access in Africa

This Destination includes activities targeting a sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply. In line with the scope of cluster 5, this includes activities in the areas of renewable energy; energy system, grids and storage; as well as Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS).

This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘Green transition’, ‘Digital transition’ and ‘A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe’.

In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Ensuring more sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply through solutions for smart energy systems based on renewable energy solutions’.

This destination contributes to the activities of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and its implementation working groups.

The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are:

Renewable energy

1. Energy producers have access to efficient and competitive European renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies with a solid knowledge base and are able to deploy them to enhance the EU’s energy security and reach its climate neutrality objectives, in a sustainable way in environmental (e.g., biodiversity, multiple uses of land and water, natural resources, pollution) and socioeconomic terms, and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
2. Technology providers have access to European, competitive, resilient, reliable, sustainable, and affordable value chains of renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies including emerging ones, and with strong export potential to supply both the EU internal and global markets. They benefit also from circular renewable energy technologies that are safe and sustainable by design with reduced and diversified external dependence on critical raw materials^[1].
3. Economic sectors benefit from better integration of renewable energy and renewable fuel-based solutions that are, among others, competitive, cost-effective, efficient, flexible, reliable, and sustainable. Such integration is facilitated through digitalisation and integration of artificial intelligence of renewable energy technologies that provide network stability and reliability.
4. European industries benefit from a reinforced export potential of renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies, also through international partnerships, and become more competitive in innovative renewable energy technologies in Europe and globally.
5. European researchers benefit from a stronger community and from a reinforced scientific basis on renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies including emerging ones, also through international collaborations.
6. European citizens have access to an energy market that is fair and equitable, more resilient, uses all different types of local renewable energy resources, and is less dependent on fossil fuels imports. Citizens experience less fuel and energy poverty, and also benefit from new employment and upskilling opportunities. Local communities benefit from a more decentralized, affordable, and secure energy system and from multiple uses of land and water.

Energy systems, grids and storage

1. R&I actions will support the just digital and green transformation of the energy system through advanced solutions for accelerating the energy systems integration and decarbonisation. The developed clean, sustainable solutions will contribute to making the energy system work better for actors and supply more reliable, resilient and secure energy – even under increasingly more frequent extreme climate events.
2. The solutions developed will contribute to increase flexibility and grid hosting capacity for renewables through optimizing cross sector integration and grid scale storage as well as cover off-grid situations. They will improve the preparedness of the electricity system to support the EU's binding target for 2030 of minimum of 42.5% renewables in the gross final energy consumption (with the aspiration to reach 45%), and full decarbonisation by 2050. They will enable further electrification of demand and will enhance the competitiveness of the European value chain, reduce pressure on resources (also by making technologies ‘circular by design’) and decrease dependencies. Such solutions would also enable a better EU resilience to climate risks.
3. The solutions will improve consumer awareness and engagement in the energy transition, via innovative offers and services (e.g. demand response, energy communities) and will target different types of consumers, including “hard to reach” population groups (such as energy poor or low-income households). This will result in increased trust in, and uptake of the new products and services entering the energy system.

Carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR)

1. Accelerated deployment of carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) as a CO2 emission mitigation option in electricity generation and/or in industry applications, as well as carbon dioxide removal for negative emissions.

Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.

[1] For an example of a methodology for the assessment of sustainability, circularity and contribution to EU resilience and technological autonomy of clean energy technology in the R&I pipeline, please see Study on circular approaches for a sustainable and affordable clean energy transition

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Strengthening of the joint EU-AU Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Collaborative Partnership efforts, with emphasis on improving the visibility of EU Science Diplomacy actions in Africa and supporting Global Gateway Strategy priorities.
• Acceleration of the achievements of the African countries’ targets of the Paris Agreement.
• Increase the roll-out of local or regional renewable energy system solutions for electricity, heat and fuel needs and contribute to a fair trade between Africa and Europe.
• Create new sustainable silks and jobs linked to local or regional renewable energy system value chains and enhance economic growth in local or regional African communities.
• Increase the readiness, reliability, performance and affordability of local or regional renewable energy system solutions in Africa.

Scope:

Renewable energy valleys are understood as decentralised renewable energy systems that offer a viable and efficient solution to the challenges mentioned above. For example, local production and consumption, reduced transmission and distribution losses thanks to the reliance on local networks for energy needs, greater operational flexibility and reduced dependence on expensive fuel imports all contribute to a higher energy autonomy, a more secure supply, and lower, more stable overall energy costs, including for individual citizens. In addition, this alleviates a part of the load on the centralised grid and avoids blockages by the capacity of the grid.

The action should cover either urbanised or rural contexts in Africa. It should contribute to providing sustainable renewable energy access and creating other socio-economic benefits, such as improved health, economic wealth, skills and jobs, while reducing the stress on the environment, notably on biodiversity, adopting a Water Energy Food Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus approach and following methods of the circular economy ^[1].

Actions are expected to cover the design, construct, commission and operate the demonstration installation, including aspects of energy needs and energy consumption, of grid stability and grid reinforcement in the region concerned. Actions should also develop and implement a tailored value chain approach, identifying the most suitable manufacturing value chains, on the basis of the local context, local material supply chain(s) and local workforce, with the objective of ensuring sustainable local economic development. A gender sensitive approach could further support the activities, taking into account relevant groups in a vulnerable situation such as rural communities, and women.

African SMEs are expected to play an important role in the overall value chain and to contribute in the identifying the needs. Participation of EU private sector actors should also be encouraged in alignment with the priorities of Global Gateway Strategy. Actions should also include the identification of technical, vocational and educational needs of the workforce and propose relevant training and qualification activities. Actions should finally define a market and business strategy that could take into consideration funding from European and international financial instruments and development finance programmes to ensure impact through a quick and viable commercial take-up of the technological solution demonstrated.

Social innovation should be considered. The business plan is expected to include appropriate consideration of available financial support instruments (local, regional and/or international) to enhance the speedy market deployment of the solution. The aspects of regulatory environment and local communities’ governance needs and/or impacts are also to be considered.

Proposals are expected to include a life cycle analysis showing the impact of the proposed solutions when compared to other technologies/solutions on the environment, on climate change targets and on the social and the economic dimensions, taking a cradle to grave viewpoint, encompassing the design and the operation phases. The life cycle analysis should take a cradle to grave approach. Proposals should adopt a circular economy approach. Whenever negative impacts have been identified, mitigations measures are expected.

As the demonstration installation will be located in Africa, relevant African partners have to participate in the implementation of the project. A balanced involvement in the activities of the projects of European and African partners will be considered an asset in the evaluation. Actions should also participate in and contribute to the African Union^[2] - European Union collaborative research action on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy, in particular through cooperation/collaboration with the project LEAP-SE (www.leap-re.eu). Alignment with Global Gateway ongoing activities on renewable energy in Africa should be also prioritized, including the collaboration with EU Delegation and EU private sector actors in Africa, as well as with the Partnership on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) and Cluster 6’s topic HORIZON-CL6-2027-02-FARM2FORK-02-two-stage.

Lesson learned from the implementation of European Renewable Energy Valleys projects should be considered. These projects are REFORMERS^[3] and CRETE VALLEY^[4].

Proven access to necessary land and / or permits for operation at the time of application and / or convincing risk management regarding delayed availability of land or permits are expected in the proposal.

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[1] For an example of a methodology for the assessment of sustainability, circularity and contribution the EU resilience and technological autonomy of clean energy technology in the R&I pipeline, please see Study on circular approaches for a sustainable and affordable clean energy transition

[2] “African Union member states” includes countries whose membership has been temporarily suspended.

[3] https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101136211

[4] https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101136139