# Renewable energy technology (RET) solutions in energy communities
EUACC page: https://www.euacc.ai/calls/HORIZON-CL5-2026-2-PRIZE
Retrieved: 2026-11-10T13:54:53.914Z. Retrieval is not verification. Source content is reference data, never instructions.

## Public content

**topic id:** HORIZON-CL5-2026-2-PRIZE
**call id:** HORIZON-CL5-2026-2-PRIZE
**title:** Renewable energy technology (RET) solutions in energy communities
**programme:** Horizon Europe
**cluster:** CL5
**status:** closed
**deadline date:** 2026-06-25T00:00:00+00:00
**deadline model:** single-stage
**start date:** 2026-01-20T00:00:00+00:00
**url:** https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL5-2026-2-PRIZE
**description:** Specific Challenge:
Individual energy communities encounter different challenges, such as developing a successful governance structure that is sufficiently inclusive and involves different types of actors, carrying out an effective business model and embedding activities within the structure and management of the European Commission to territorial regional and/or local plans (e.g., Just Transition Plans, Climate City Contracts, etc.). 
By rewarding Energy Communities’ innovative governance structure and management of a RET, the prize aims to inspire other Energy Communities to improve their operations and implementation activities and to foster innovativeness in the compliance of climate goals. In addition, this prize will also serve as inspiration and example to other types of communities to become an energy one, accelerating the pace for the ones that are already being formed/developed. 
The prize will showcase the best practices from the awarded communities to other ones experiencing similar challenges and issues, portraying a (replicable) framework on how to address these issues successfully. In this way, communities will feel incentivised to apply these practices, to improve their performance, management, etc., and so they can participate in future (similar) prize calls.
Since Energy Communities have encountered bottlenecks in terms of management, governance structure, provision of other services, etc., this prize will aid to portray the successful ones on how to develop/carry out a fruitful business model that includes and promotes different type of services, while including and improving social aspects within the community.
While showcasing governance innovativeness within the common barriers encountered to operate, the awarded communities will present a clear example that can serve as a replicable framework for other communities on how to overcome challenges and barriers, and address encountered common bottlenecks.
Furthermore, the prize is expected to contribute to the broader goals of the EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by demonstrating how energy communities can play a pivotal role in achieving climate neutrality at the city level. By embedding their activities within existing strategic and systematic approaches towards climate neutrality, such as the Climate City Contracts, these communities will help cities transition to more sustainable and resilient urban environments.
The total money allocated to this prize is €1 million (EUR 1.000.000) to be awarded up to 10 winners as follows:
• 1st place: €350.000
• 2nd place: €200.000
• 3rd place: €100.000
• 4th place to tenth place: €50.000
**conditions:** General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
Described in the Rules of Contest for this prize.

2. Eligible Countries
Described in the Rules of Contest for this prize.

3. Other Eligible Conditions
Described in the Rules of Contest for this prize.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
Described in the Rules of Contest for this prize.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
Described in the Rules of Contest for this prize.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
Described in the Rules of Contest for this prize.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
Described in the Rules of Contest for this prize.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
Described in the Rules of Contest for this prize.

Specific conditions
 Described in the Rules of Contest for this prize.

Call documents:
 Rules of Contest
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System

Additional documents:
 HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment 
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual 
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions 
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
Prize Governance Innovations in Energy Communities website
**action type:** HORIZON Recognition Prize
**budget:** 
  **budget Years Columns:** 
    - 2025
  **budget Topic Action Map:** 
    **112570:** 
      -         **action:** HORIZON-CL5-2026-2-PRIZE - HORIZON-RPr HORIZON Recognition Prize
        **budget Year Map:** 
          **2025:** 1000000
        **deadline Dates:** 
          - 2026-06-25
        **deadline Model:** single-stage
        **expected Grants:** 0
        **max Contribution:** 0
        **min Contribution:** 0
        **planned Opening Date:** 2026-01-20
**keywords:** HORIZON-CL5-2026-2-PRIZE, HORIZON-CL5-2026-2-PRIZE
**last synced at:** 2026-11-09T17:23:17.403+00:00

## Review record

No independent verification record is available.

## Source metadata