Description

HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-10

Expected Outcome

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

• Strengthen joint EU-AU Climate Change and Sustainable Energy collaborative efforts, enhancing the visibility of EU science diplomacy in Africa and supporting Global Gateway Strategy priorities.
• Accelerate the achievement of African countries’ Paris Agreement targets.
• Increase deployment of local or regional renewable energy system solutions for electricity, heat, and fuel needs, contributing to fair trade between Africa and Europe.
• Generate sustainable skills and jobs linked to renewable energy value chains, fostering economic growth in African communities.
• Improve the readiness, reliability, performance, and affordability of local or regional renewable energy systems in Africa.

Scope

Renewable Energy Valleys are decentralized energy systems that address the outlined challenges by enabling local production and consumption, reducing transmission and distribution losses, improving operational flexibility, and decreasing reliance on imported fuels. These benefits lead to higher energy autonomy, more secure supply, and lower, more stable energy costs, while alleviating strain on centralized grids.

The action should focus on either urban or rural contexts in Africa, providing sustainable renewable energy access while generating additional socio-economic benefits such as improved health, economic wealth, skills development, and job creation. Environmental sustainability should be ensured through a Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus approach and circular economy methods.

Proposals are expected to:

• Design, construct, commission, and operate demonstration installations, considering energy demand, consumption, grid stability, and grid reinforcement.
• Develop and implement tailored value chain strategies, identifying suitable manufacturing chains, local material supply, and workforce capacities to support sustainable local economic development. Gender-sensitive approaches and attention to vulnerable groups such as rural communities and women are encouraged.
• Engage African SMEs in value chain development and encourage participation of EU private sector actors aligned with Global Gateway priorities.
• Identify technical, vocational, and educational needs of the workforce and provide training or qualification activities.
• Define market and business strategies that leverage European and international financial instruments for fast and viable commercial deployment.

Social innovation, regulatory environments, and governance considerations for local communities should be incorporated.

Proposals must include a life cycle analysis evaluating environmental, social, and economic impacts from design to operation (cradle-to-grave), adopting circular economy principles. Negative impacts should be addressed with mitigation measures.

Given the African location of demonstration installations, local partners must participate, and balanced involvement of European and African partners will be valued. Projects should contribute to the AU-EU collaborative research on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy, including cooperation with the LEAP-SE project, and align with Global Gateway activities in renewable energy, EU delegations, EU private sector actors, FNSSA, and relevant Horizon Europe Cluster 6 topics.

Lessons learned from prior European Renewable Energy Valleys projects such as REFORMERS and CRETE VALLEY should be considered.

Finally, proposals should demonstrate proven access to land and/or necessary permits for operation, or provide a credible risk management plan for delayed availability.