The results of the latest innovation fund call for projects, published by the European Commission on October 19, place France at the top of the European ranking. With 16 winning projects and over €750M in grants to be formalized, the country surpasses the Netherlands (9 projects), followed by Spain and Germany (8 projects each).
Industrial decarbonization is presented as a decisive lever for energy sovereignty, reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels. The selection announced confirms the dynamism of French industrialists in transforming this ambition into concrete projects.
In total, the European Commission has selected 77 innovative projects across 23 countries, eligible for €3.4 billion from the Innovation Fund. These projects aim to accelerate the industrial deployment of decarbonization technologies, enhance European economic competitiveness, and reduce strategic dependencies. French projects represent over 23% of the total announced support.
France particularly stands out in the category of large-scale industrial projects, with five out of twelve selected projects located on its territory. It thus ranks first in Europe in this category, ahead of Spain (three projects). These French projects, such as Ageli, BELair, GravitHy, H4 Marseille Fos, and L’Ardoise, illustrate the emergence of structuring projects for the decarbonization of industry and transport.
This performance is attributed to the excellence and determination of project leaders, as well as the attractiveness of French territories. France thus consolidates its position as a forefront in industrial decarbonization, confirming electrification as a driver of reindustrialization.
Among the emblematic projects for electrification are GravitHy in Fos-sur-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône) for the production of low-carbon hot-briquetted iron, Ageli in Alsace for direct lithium extraction from geothermal resources, and SOLAR4EU in Hambach (Moselle) for developing photovoltaic cells and modules. Other projects like H4 Marseille Fos, L’Ardoise (Gard), and BELair (Normandy) focus on sustainable fuels for aviation and maritime transport, while BESS-4-C (EDF Renouvelables) offers an innovative battery storage solution.
