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Specific challenge: Low-carbon technologies are essential for achieving the EU's climate and energy targets, such as those recently adopted by the Commission for 2030, and contribute to implementing the industrial roadmaps that various sectors are developing in the perspective of a low-carbon economy in 2050.

The EU manufacturing sector is challenged by strong global competition and ambitious EU environmental policies. Leveraging advanced manufacturing technologies and key enabling technologies through the whole value chain and promoting the adoption of such technologies within and across sectors would help to meet these twin challenges. In particular, in the context of the EU's decarbonisation ambitions, breakthrough solutions for advanced low-carbon manufacturing and processing are important in maintaining the competitiveness of EU industries.

Scope: Under the SILC II initiative, research and innovation activities for innovative, cost-effective technologies shall be developed in order to reduce the GHG emission intensity (ratio between direct GHG emissions and output units of an activity) of manufacturing and process industries. Proposals will preferably focus on energy-intensive industries, in particular (but not only) those industries which may be exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage. Targeted industries include inter alia iron and steel, non-ferrous metals such as aluminium and copper, cement, glass, pulp and paper, chemicals and ceramics.

Proposals shall focus on research and innovation for the design and development of breakthrough solutions and implementation of demonstration programmes, including in real industrial environments. The activities should run close-to-market in production plants to demonstrate the viability of breakthrough technologies in overcoming the technological as well as non-technological barriers. Proposals will address technological solutions that could have widespread applications and may combine different technologies.
The reduction of GHG emissions should not be achieved solely through fuel switching.

For this topic, proposals should include an outline of the initial exploitation and business plans. Wherever possible, proposers could actively seek synergies, including possibilities for funding, with relevant national / regional research and innovation programmes and/or cumulative funding with European Structural and Investment Funds in connection with smart specialisation strategies. Exploitation plans, outline financial arrangements and any follow-up should be developed during the project.

A dedicated work package should address the transferability of the developed technologies within the sector and possibly to other sectors.

Activities are intended to start at Technology Readiness Levels 4-5 and target Technology Readiness Level 6-7; and are expected to be led by industries involving research partners and technology providers.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU around EUR 5 - 10 million and with a duration of up to five years would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately.

Expected impact:
- Economically viable solutions and technologies allowing an ambitious reduction in specific GHG emission intensity of at least 35%, with respect to the best available techniques currently installed[1].
- The transferability of the solutions and technologies within the sector and possibly to other sectors should be assessed.
- Reducing the compliance costs of the EU ETS and making EU industry more competitive while avoiding any unwanted distortions between Member States.
- Boosting Europe's industrial leadership in advanced manufacturing and processing and fostering employment and opening new market opportunities in this field.

Further Information:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5052-silc-ii-2014.html