Horizon Europe 2026/2027 best topics for "advanced batteries"

Writer

Celeste Chidiac, PhD

Keywords

Microfluidic Devices, Intelligent Microfluidics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning

Opening

Dec 2025, Jan/May/June/Dec 2026, May/Aug 2027

Deadline

Mar/Ap/Sep/Oct 2026, Feb/Mar/Ap/Sep/Oct/Dec 2027

Keywords

Intelligent Microfluidics

Deep Learning

Microfluidic Devices

Artificial Intelligence

Machine Learning

clean energy

sustainable mobility

stationary storage

Need advice for your intelligent microfluidic system?

Your microfluidic SME partner for Horizon Europe!

Horizon Europe 2026-2027
Calls Ordered by "advanced batteries" relevance

We have categorized the most relevant topics from the Horizon Europe 2026-2027 work programmes according to the impact that “advanced batteries for mobility & stationary storage” can have on the calls and related topics. We are sharing our analysis in case it can help you with project funding efforts. And, of course, if our microfluidics expertise can be of use to you as a partner, we would be delighted to discuss it further.

The relevance is indicated at the beginning of the topic in square brackets.

Discover more!

Calls ordered by “advanced batteries for mobility & stationary storage” relevance

[98%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-10-D2-03 – INTEGRATED PRODUCTION AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FOR NEXT-GENERATION LITHIUM-BASED BATTERIES FOR MOBILITY (BATT4EU AND MADE IN EUROPE PARTNERSHIPS)

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 100.91
Expected EU contribution per project (M€): ~33.63
Estimated # projects: 3
Opening: 04 Jun 2026 • Deadline: 08 Oct 2026.

Scientific scope. Large integrated piloting to co‑develop next‑gen Li‑based cell chemistries and their manufacturing, aligning product and process design for scale‑up; strong emphasis on European industrial value‑chain, manufacturability, quality, sustainability, and safety, with both battery partnerships involved to bridge R&D to factory lines.

Why it fits “battery”. This is the flagship line to move promising Li chemistries from lab to pilot/early industrial scale, combining design‑for‑manufacture, cost, sustainability (LCA), and safety – exactly where battery innovators can demonstrate competitive advantage and readiness for supply to EU mobility OEMs.

[96%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-05-D2-08 – DEMONSTRATION FOR LONG‑DURATION BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS (BATT4EU PARTNERSHIP)

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 19.09
Expected /project (M€): ~9.55
# projects: 2
Opening: 05 May 2027 • Deadline: 15 Sep 2027.

Scientific scope. Full-scale demos of multi-hour battery storage delivering system services (firm capacity, flexibility, resilience), with quantified techno-economic, environmental, and safety performance; focus on durability, degradation, BOS integration, and grid orchestration.

Why it fits “battery”. LDES is pivotal for renewable integration and new markets (capacity, congestion relief, microgrids). This topic lets battery developers validate long-duration chemistries (e.g., Na‑ion, Li‑ion LFP/LTO variants, or novel architectures) in real-world operation with bankable evidence.

[95%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D2-06 – SUSTAINABLE AND COMPETITIVE CELL PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR LITHIUM‑ION AND SODIUM‑ION BATTERIES (BATT4EU PARTNERSHIP)

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 38.18
Expected / project (M€): ~19.09
# projects: 2
Opening: 03 Dec 2026 • Deadline: 31 Mar 2027.

Scientific scope. Advanced cell manufacturing for Li‑ion and Na-ion: dry‑coating, solvent-free, high-throughput calendaring/formation, inline metrology, energy/water reduction; robust quality controls; worker safety; sustainability by design across the gigafactory line.

Why it fits “battery”. A direct lever to lower €/kWh and emissions of EU cells while improving yield and reliability – core to competitive European gigafactories and diversification into Na‑ion for stationary markets.

[94%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-09-D2-01 – PRODUCING BATTERY‑GRADE MATERIALS FOR ELECTRODES THROUGH SUSTAINABLE PROCESSING/REFINING OF RAW MATERIALS OR DEVELOPING BIO‑BASED MATERIALS (BATT4EU PARTNERSHIP)

Type of action: RIA
Budget (topic, M€): 28.64
Expected / project (M€): ~7.16
# projects: 4
Opening: 05 May 2026 • Deadline: 15 Sep 2026.

Scientific scope. Sustainable refining routes to battery-grade metals/materials for next-gen chemistries and/or bio-based carbon/electrode materials; targets lower footprints, chemical use, and energy, with techno-economic and LCA validation.

Why it fits “battery”. Upstream electrode materials decisively influence performance, cost, and sovereignty. This topic builds resilient EU supply with greener graphite substitutes and sustainable precursors for Na‑ion or advanced Li chemistries.

[93%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D2-02 – DEVELOPMENT OF DIRECT RECYCLING PROCESSES (BATT4EU PARTNERSHIP)

Type of action: RIA
Budget (topic, M€): 14.32
Expected /project (M€): ~4.77
# projects: 3
Opening: 18 Dec 2025 • Deadline: 31 Mar 2026.

Scientific scope. Direct recycling to recover and rejuvenate electrode materials (e.g., relithiation, binder removal, impurity control) with minimal reprocessing; emphasis on process selectivity, product quality, safety, and economics.

Why it fits “battery”. Direct recycling preserves cathode/anode value, reducing energy and reagents vs. pyromet/hydromet routes. Closing the loop, cutting costs and emissions, and mitigating raw material risks is crucial.

[92%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D2-05 – IMPROVEMENT OF ADAPTABILITY, FLEXIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY OF EXISTING RECYCLING PROCESSES (BATT4EU PARTNERSHIP)

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 19.09
Expected /project (M€): ~9.55
# projects: 2
Opening: 03 Dec 2026 • Deadline: 31 Mar 2027.

Scientific scope. Retrofit and intensify existing hydromet/pyromet lines to cope with diverse chemistries and formats (LFP, NMC, Na‑ion), improve yields/purity, reduce reagents/energy, enhance safety, and valorize by-products.

Why it fits “battery”. Accelerates industrial circularity by upgrading current plants – fastest path to higher EU recovery rates and domestically sourced secondaries for cathode/anode supply.

[90%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-04-TWO-STAGE-D2-07 – NOVEL APPROACHES TOWARDS NEXT‑GENERATION BATTERY CONCEPTS, LEVERAGING INNOVATIVE ADVANCED MATERIALS (BATT4EU & IAM4EU PARTNERSHIPS)

Type of action: RIA (two‑stage)
Budget (topic, M€): 48.18
Expected /project (M€): ~4.82
# projects: 10
Opening: 15 Dec 2026 • Deadlines: 14 Apr 2027 (1st), 07 Oct 2027 (2nd).

Scientific scope. Materials‑enabled battery concepts beyond state‑of‑the‑art (e.g., high‑voltage, fast‑charge, safer electrolytes/SEs, novel architectures) with a strong SSbD approach and cross-fertilization with advanced materials initiatives.

Why it fits “battery”. A high‑TRL‑agnostic funnel for risky/high‑impact chemistries and components – ideal to mature differentiating materials or cell designs toward validated prototypes.

[88%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-09-D2-04 – COORDINATED TOPIC WITH INDIA ON RECYCLING OF EV BATTERIES

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 9.55
Expected /project (M€): ~9.55
# projects: 1
Opening: 05 May 2026 • Deadline: 15 Sep 2026.

Scientific scope. Joint EU‑India demonstration/research to establish interoperable, safe, and sustainable EV battery recycling solutions across regulatory and feedstock contexts, with attention to quality of recovered materials.

Why it fits “battery”. International supply chains need common recycling standards. This topic discusses‑risks of‑cross-border practices and creates exportable EU know-how for end-of-life management.

[85%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-05-D5-01 – LARGE‑SCALE DEMONSTRATION OF HEAVY‑DUTY BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HD‑BEV) TOWARDS LONG‑HAUL LOGISTICS (2ZERO PARTNERSHIP)

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 68.00
Expected /project (M€): ~34.00
# projects: 2
Opening: 18 Dec 2025 • Deadline: 14 Apr 2026.

Scientific scope. Fleet‑scale trials of HD‑BEVs for long‑haul, addressing energy consumption, duty‑cycle optimization, charging logistics (incl. MCS readiness), TCO, reliability and safety.

Why it fits “battery”. Pushes pack durability, thermal/safety systems, and charging interoperability under harsh logistics profiles – high‑impact validation for cell/system providers and integrators.

[84%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-04 – DEMONSTRATION OF ZERO‑EMISSION COACHES AND BUSES (2ZERO PARTNERSHIP)

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 30.00
Expected /project (M€): ~10.00
# projects: 3
Opening: 15 Dec 2026 • Deadline: 14 Apr 2027.

Scientific scope. City/intercity ZEB demos with demanding duty cycles; energy efficiency, fast charging/depots, battery life, safety, and circular maintenance.

Why it fits “battery”. Transit fleets are early adopters; this call helps prove battery lifetime, operational availability, and cost – evidence crucial for procurement scale-up.

[83%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-05 – HIGHER‑VOLTAGE, MEGAWATT‑CHARGING‑SYSTEM COMPATIBLE MODULAR POWERTRAIN (2ZERO PARTNERSHIP)

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 24.00
Expected /project (M€): ~12.00
# projects: 2
Opening: 15 Dec 2026 • Deadline: 14 Apr 2027.

Scientific scope. Develop/validate HV modular e‑powertrains compatible with MCS, improving fast‑charge ability, efficiency, and pack/system safety under high C‑rates.

Why it fits “battery”. Tackles the charging bottleneck for HD transport, driving requirements for cell impedance, thermal pathways, and BMS control to enable megawatt charging.

[81%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-03 – DATA‑DRIVEN CIRCULAR ECONOMY FOR THE E‑MOBILITY ECOSYSTEM (2ZERO PARTNERSHIP)

Type of action: RIA
Budget (topic, M€): 24.00
Expected /project (M€): 5.00-7.00
# projects: 4
Opening: 15 Dec 2026 • Deadline: 14 Apr 2027.

Scientific scope. Data frameworks and tools to enable circularity (passporting, SoH, 2nd‑life qualification, dismantling/recycling flows) across EV batteries and components.

Why it fits “battery”. High-quality lifecycle data underpins reuse and recycling economics; this call aligns with regulatory data needs and reduces risk for second‑life and EoL markets.

[80%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-18 – ENHANCED ELECTRIC OPERATION AND BATTERY DURABILITY (ZEWT PARTNERSHIP)

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 20.00
Expected /project (M€): ~10.00
# projects: 2
Opening: 15 Dec 2026 • Deadline: 14 Apr 2027.

Scientific scope. Electric operation for waterborne transport focuses on battery durability, performance in marine conditions, safety and integration with vessel systems.

Why it fits “battery”. Extends battery market to maritime; harsh‑environment durability/safety solutions (thermal, sealing, diagnostics) often spill back to road/off‑road applications.

[80%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-22 – NOVEL SOLUTIONS FOR OFF‑GRID STORAGE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES

Type of action: RIA
Budget (topic, M€): 12.00
Expected / project (M€): ~4.00
# projects: 3
Opening: 18 Dec 2025 • Deadline: 31 Mar 2026.

Scientific scope. Storage for resilient, off‑grid/edge applications (hospitals, telecoms, civil protection), delivering high safety, availability, and maintainability with RES coupling.

Why it fits “battery”. Targets robust, fast‑deployable battery systems for critical loads – a strong wedge market for safe chemistries, rugged packs, and autonomous energy management.

[79%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-21 – HYBRID AI‑CONTROL FRAMEWORK FOR NEXT‑GENERATION GRID‑SCALE ENERGY STORAGE AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 14.00
Expected / project (M€): ~7.00
# projects: 2
Opening: 18 Dec 2025 • Deadline: 31 Mar 2026.

Scientific scope. AI‑enhanced forecasting/optimization and control for grid‑scale storage to deliver stacked services, improve lifetime, and ensure safe operation within grid codes.

Why it fits “battery”. Advanced BMS/EMS is a key differentiator; data‑driven control cuts degradation and OPEX, unlocking revenue stacking for battery fleets.

[78%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-07-D3-28 – INTEGRATED APPROACHES FOR RETROFITTING INFRASTRUCTURES WITH INNOVATIVE ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 24.00
Expected / project (M€): ~8.00
# projects: 3
Opening: 04 Aug 2027 • Deadline: 01 Dec 2027.

Scientific scope. Retrofit strategies integrating storage into existing infrastructures (industrial sites, campuses, transport hubs) with safety, permitting, and business‑model validation.

Why it fits “battery”. A practical route to deploy stationary batteries at scale with clear CAPEX/OPEX cases; good for developers of modular containerized systems and integrators.

[75%] HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS‑PRODUCTION‑14 – IMPROVING AVAILABILITY OF SECONDARY RAW MATERIALS THROUGH RECYCLING (IA)

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 28.00
Expected /project (M€): ~7.50
# projects: 4
Opening: 06 Jan 2026 • Deadline: 21 Apr 2026.

Scientific scope. Scale recycling technologies and value‑chains for secondary raw materials with quality assurance and traceability; process efficiency and environmental performance are central.

Why it fits “battery”. Strengthens EU access to critical secondaries (e.g., Ni, Co, graphite substitutes) feeding back into battery materials lines and reducing import dependencies.

[73%] HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS‑PRODUCTION‑12 – TECHNOLOGIES FOR INNOVATIVE EXTRACTION OF CRITICAL RAW MATERIALS (RIA)

Relevance: 73%
Type of action: RIA
Budget (topic, M€): 19.00
Expected / project (M€): 5.00-7.00
# projects: 3
Opening: 06 Jan 2026 • Deadline: 21 Apr 2026.

Scientific scope. New extraction approaches (selective, lower‑impact, digitalized) for CRMs with emphasis on sustainability and permitting readiness.

Why it fits “battery”. Secures upstream Li/Ni/Co/graphite routes, lowering supply risk for EU cell makers and enabling transparent, sustainable sourcing claims.

[71%] HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS‑PRODUCTION‑11 – SCALING UP RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES AND ADVANCED PRE‑TREATMENT (RIA)

Relevance: 71%
Type of action: RIA
Budget (topic, M€): 47.00
Expected /project (M€): 6.00-9.00
# projects: 6
Opening: 06 Jan 2026 • Deadline: 21 Apr 2026.

Scientific scope. Advanced pre-treatments (sorting, shredding, de‑activation) and scale‑out of recycling tech for complex waste streams, with digital tracking and quality control.

Why it fits “battery”. High‑quality pre‑treatment is decisive for safe, economical LIB recycling; advances here reduce fires, losses and OPEX across the battery EoL chain.

[70%] HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS‑PRODUCTION‑16 – TECHNOLOGIES FOR INNOVATIVE PROCESSING OF RAW MATERIALS (IA)

Type of action: IA
Budget (topic, M€): 49.00
Expected /project (M€): 10.00-12.50
# projects: 4
Opening: 22 Sep 2026 • Deadline: 02 Feb 2027.

Scientific scope. Efficient, lower‑impact processing of raw materials to battery‑relevant intermediates with robust techno‑economic and sustainability validation at pilot scale.

Why it fits “battery”. Processing innovations reduce costs/footprints of cathode/anode precursors and underpin the competitiveness of EU battery‑grade feedstock.

At the very end: How microfluidics can advance “battery” R&I

High‑throughput electrolyte & additive screening with nanolitre reactors to map conductivity, SEI formation, viscosity and gassing rapidly.
Solid‑state electrolyte infiltration into porous scaffolds and composite cathodes using pressure‑/capillary‑assisted microchannels to improve interfacial contact and density.
Single‑particle electrochemistry to study heterogeneity (Li plating, impedance rise) and correlate particle morphology with degradation.
Operando diagnostics (chip‑integrated optical/IR/pressure sensors) to observe gas evolution and thermal events at early onset.
Structured electrode manufacturing (micro‑patterned current collectors, graded porosity) to enhance ion transport and fast‑charge tolerance.
Thermal management with microchannel heat‑sinks for packs/modules under high C‑rate charging (MCS), improving safety and cycle life.
Recycling process intensification via micro‑reactors for selective leaching/precipitation, reducing reagent consumption and improving purity.
Quality control inline: microfluidic rheology and particle‑size metrology for slurries and separators to stabilize gigafactory yields.