CFPs: Developing and Embedding Upcycling Technologies into Viable Business

Scope

• Proposals are expected to address all of the following:
  • Develop processes for the upcycling of end-of-life materials in an integrated way, including the development of better novel separation, sorting and processing technologies as well as digitalisation and automation of the processes as necessary;
  • Integration of technologies and logistics systems into business models of circular schemes;
  • Focus on processes and secondary raw materials which offer the highest additional upcycling potential and accordingly develop novel upcycling technologies and processes including purification technologies;
  • Identify the likely impacts of the upcycling solutions with respect to economic and job creation potential, as well as environmental footprint referring to the full set of planetary boundaries including freshwater intake aspects;
  • Where relevant, minimise the presence of substances of concern to mitigate the impacts of multiple recycling loops as well as the accumulation of additives and trace materials in secondary resource streams;
  • Consider advanced monitoring and sensing along the value chains and improved data completeness, accuracy and interoperability between the process and recycling companies. In this context, digital tools, such as a Digital Product Passport for tracking and tracing of materials throughout the lifecycle of a product should be applied and data sharing should be addressed.
• Proposals should include techno-economic and life-cycle assessment of the overall process (including of the carbon footprint) and demonstrate the economic viability of the approach. This can be combined with an analysis of the effect of regulatory changes and demand side stimulation measures.
• Projects are encouraged to integrate existing Hubs4Circularity as nodes in the value chains. Proposals should actively pursue the involvement of all actors in the value chain from the process industry to designers, operators, formulators, recyclers, public authorities, and standardisation actors.
• Additionally, a strategy for skills development should be presented associating social partners where relevant. Particular attention should be given to the cooperation with existing initiatives having developed education- and skills activities and outcomes in this area.
• Proposals submitted under this topic should include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination, underlining how the proposal will serve the purpose to boost industrial decarbonisation technologies supply chain in Europe.

Funding Information

• Budget (EUR) – Year 2025: 48 000 000
• Contributions: 8000000 to 12000000

Expected Outcomes

• Energy Intensive industries will benefit from the following outcomes:
  • Prove the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of the upcycling of end-of-life waste materials by process industries in integrated circular schemes – including for supplying the value chains of net zero technologies and components;
  • Enable doubling the ratio of secondary raw materials upcycled leading to a significant increase in resource, including energy efficiency and improved carbon lifecycle across the value chain compared to present levels;
  • Increase the competitiveness of the European process industry, including by providing new business opportunities and revenue flows for recycling companies benefiting particularly SMEs – including for supplying the value chains of net zero technologies and components;
  • Foster the use of digital tools as well as the data sharing, and FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability) digital assets principles.
  • As appropriate in one or more projects, contribute to the reconstruction, recovery, circularity and upgrading of industries of Ukraine.

Eligibility Criteria

• Entities eligible to participate:
  • Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from nonassociated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call/topic.
  • A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
• To become a beneficiary, legal entities must be eligible for funding.
• To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
  • the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions:
    • Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
  • the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States:
    • Aruba (NL), Bonaire (NL), Curação (NL), French Polynesia (FR), French Southern and Antarctic Territories (FR), Greenland (DK), New Caledonia (FR), Saba (NL), Saint Barthélemy (FR), Sint Eustatius (NL), Sint Maarten (NL), St. Pierre and Miquelon (FR), Wallis and Futuna Islands (FR).
  • countries associated to Horizon Europe;
    • Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

For more information, visit EC.