Maelezo

General Information on the call

Sustainable Energy (SE) development is essential for Africa and Europe’s green energy transition in order to tackle the global challenge of climate change. Providing reliable and clean energy access to millions of people worldwide is necessary. To this end, the Long-Term Joint EU-AU Research and Innovation Partnership on Sustainable Energy (LEAP-SE) program co-funded by the European Commission (EC) under Horizon Europe aims at developing a long-term partnership between Europe and Africa on Research and Innovation (R&I) on sustainable energy. This partnership is set within the framework of the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy (CCSE) partnership of the AU-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation.

LEAP-SE is a six-year program conducted by a consortium of about 22 partners from European and African countries. The program’s budget is around 30 million €, including 10 million € from the EC. This partnership is based on the achievements of previous programs, such as the LEAP-RE program.

LEAP-SE consortium members are launching in 2025 the first edition of a transnational joint Call for proposals co-funded by European and African national/regional research funding agencies (members of LEAP-SE consortium), with additional EC contribution (a second call is planned for 2026). The selected projects will focus on achieving goals of mutual benefit based on a balanced and cooperative approach. Particular attention will be given to strengthening the impact of R&I-supported activities for the well-being of society in Europe and Africa.

The total indicative budget for this 2025 call is around 10 million €, provided by funding organizations + 3.5 million € from the EC’s contribution.

Each project consortium that applies for funding must consist of at least two independent legal entities from two different European Union Member States or Horizon Europe-associated countries and another two independent legal entities from two countries in the African Union.

Each consortium must include at least one partner from the institutional research sector (academic, public research centre, non-profit organisation, etc.) and one partner from a commercial company coming from participating countries.

Detailed eligibility criteria are available in section 7 of the Call text.

The range of activities recommended for collaboration under LEAP-SE will focus on 7 identified multi-annual roadmaps presented in the Call and also on the LEAP-RE thematic priorities:

• Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources and integration of RES in sustainable energy scenarios;
• End-of-life and second‐life management and environmental impact of RE components;
• Smart stand‐alone systems;
• Smart grid (different scales) for off grid application;
• Processes and appliances for productive uses (agriculture, mobility and industry);
• Innovative solutions for priority domestic uses (clean cooking and cold chain);
• Production and utilization of Green Hydrogen.

The LEAP-SE Joint Call 2025 will fund basic research, applied research and experimental development projects that are 12-36 months long. However, applicants should be aware that each funding agency participating to the Call will apply its own rules and regulations regarding eligibility and criteria (nationality, thematic, nature of project, TRL, rate of subsidy, etc.).