EU adds €500 million to Horizon Europe for energy research

The European Commission has allocated an additional €500 million to Horizon Europe’s 2026-2027 work programme, raising the two-year budget to approximately €14.8 billion. The update opens new research opportunities across energy systems, biodiversity, advanced technologies, and the path from research to commercially viable applications.

The revised programme includes work on next-generation AI-driven digital platforms aimed at making the EU energy system more affordable, secure, and sustainable. It also adds research into the biodiversity benefits and environmental impacts of clean and digital industries, tying digital technology development more closely to environmental objectives.

Two cross-cutting calls account for €497 million of the new funding. The €237 million Nature-Positive Economy and Society call will back 11 research and innovation actions, while the €260 million Bridging Actions 2027 call will fund 16 actions linking research with investment and preparing for the next research programme, including an EU AI Media Platform for multilingual public-interest news and audiovisual media.

Separate monitoring reports show Horizon Europe has invested €61 billion in grants and €1.3 billion in equity across nearly 23,000 projects since its launch in 2021. Specific funding decisions for digital energy and environmental technology projects will depend on detailed calls and later allocations.