RISEnergy selects 33 transnational research projects advancing the future of sustainable energy

The evaluation of the first RISEnergy Transnational Access Call has concluded with 33 proposals selected out of 72 applications, reflecting both the high quality and competitiveness of the submissions. The selected projects will benefit from fully funded access to leading European research infrastructures (RIs), enabling experimental work in key areas of the clean energy transition. 

Researchers from 16 countries, including several from Europe, but also from Mexico, India, and the United Arab Emirates, will gain access to the project’s state-of-the-art facilities, underlining RISEnergy’s role as a truly international platform for advancing clean energy research. Funded users represent a broad range of institutions: 16 universities, nine small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), seven research organisations, and one private limited company. 

Most proposals, 27 out of 33, are interdisciplinary, combining expertise across multiple energy domains. Materials for energy, Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), energy storage, and hydrogen emerged as the most common research areas addressed in the selected applications. These priorities were closely followed by projects focusing on ocean energy, underlining the strategic relevance of integrating multiple low-carbon technologies. With nearly all selected projects being interdisciplinary and many spanning multiple technological streams, the call confirms RISEnergy’s role as a platform for research that aligns with the systemic nature of the energy transition. 

Access will take place across a geographically and technologically diverse set of RIs, located in 13 countries. Several infrastructures will host multiple projects, with France, Italy, and Germany standing out as the countries with the highest number of approved access requests. Among them, CNRS-PROMES-MSSF emerged as the most in-demand facility in this first RISEnergy Transnational Call.  Based in southern France, CNRS-PROMES is a joint research unit of the CNRS and the University of Perpignan. It operates 11 high-concentration solar furnaces. These unique experimental conditions support research at high temperatures and/or high flux from fundamental research to industrial developments.   

“We are enthusiastic about starting to support a first round of ambitious projects tackling today’s most pressing energy challenges through access to world-class infrastructures.” Olga Suminńska-Ebersoldt, coordinator of RISEnergy’s WP2 and leading Transnational Access activities.  

What happens next 

Some research visits have already begun, while others are scheduled over the coming months. RISEnergy is currently supporting the selected users with the next phase, including: 

• Providing model agreements for transnational access (TA) 

• Facilitating communication between users and RI providers 

• Clarifying logistical and technical aspects of access preparation 

In the next months, RISEnergy will report on early results from these projects and share insights from the research infrastructures and the researchers making use of them. Updates will also include user experiences and highlights from the research underway.  

Stay tuned for these stories and for news on upcoming calls!  

First RISEnergy TA call: Overview of selected applicants  

Learn more about the RISEnergy Project by subscribing to our newsletter.