H2020 backs energy efficiency with multimillion euro funding

The European Commission has announced the details of eight new energy efficiency projects that have won €18m in funding from Horizon 2020.

The announcement comes as part of further results from the 2014 Energy Efficiency Call of the R&I framework programme. The money will benefit 26 countries due to the international collaborative nature of the projects.

According to the EU institution, the projects aim to ‘facilitate the implementation of nearly-zero energy buildings; enhancing public capacity for a sustainable energy uptake; strengthening  green procurement; developing innovative construction methods for energy-efficient buildings; and deploying a new generation of intelligent district heating and cooling networks.’

The projects have between six and 16 partners and involve organisations in four or more different countries. Three projects are co-ordinated in Spain, followed by two in Italy and one each in the EU member states of the United Kingdom, Bulgaria and Greece.

Over 450 research proposals on sustainable energy were submitted to the 2014 Energy Efficiency Call, with 103 bids deemed to meet the evaluation thresholds by independent experts. The projects that are receiving funding are now being overseen by the Commission’s Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.