RFCS-2024 Steel Research Projects

Topic updates

05 February 2025

26 September 2024

On 24 September 2024, the call RFCS-2024 for Coal and Steel closed at 17:00.

In response to this call, 98 proposals were submitted for a total requested EU contribution of 154 MEUR distributed as follows:

72 proposals submitted for Steel for a total requested EU contribution of 116 MEUR.

RFCS-2024 Steel Research Projects

TOPIC ID: RFCS-2024-02-RPJ

Type of grant: Call for proposals

General information

Programme: Research Fund for Coal & Steel (RFCS)

Call: RFCS-2024 (RFCS-2024)

Type of action: RFCS-PJG RFCS Project Grants

Type of MGA: RFCS Action Grant Budget-Based [RFCS-AG]

Status: Open for submission

Deadline model: single-stage

Opening Date: 18 June 2024

Deadline dates: 24 September 2024 17:00 (Brussels time)

Topic description

Objective:

Research objectives for steel ( Council Decision 2008/376/EC amended by Council Decision EU 2021/1094 )

Article 8 New, sustainable and low-carbon steelmaking and finishing processes

Research and technological development shall aim to develop, demonstrate and improve near-zero-carbon steel production processes with a view to raising product quality and increasing productivity. Substantially reducing emissions, energy consumption, the carbon footprint and other environmental impacts, as well as conserving resources, shall form an integral part of the activities sought. Research projects shall address one or more of the following areas:

(a) new and improved breakthrough near-zero-carbon iron- and steel-making processes and operations, with particular attention to carbon direct avoidance or smart carbon usage, or both;

(b) steel process and process chain optimisation (including the reduction and pre-reduction of iron-ore, iron- and steel-making, processes based on recycled scrap melting, secondary metallurgy, casting, rolling, finishing and coating operations) via instrumentation, detection of properties of intermediate and final products, modelling, control and automation, including digitalisation, application of big data, artificial intelligence and any other advanced technologies;

(c) steel process integration and process efficiency in near-zero-carbon steel production;

(d) maintenance and reliability of steel production tools;

(e) techniques for increasing recyclability, recycling and reuse of steel and developing a circular economy;

(f) techniques for increasing the energy efficiency of steel production by recovery of waste heat, prevention of energy losses, hybrid heating techniques and energy management solutions;

(g) innovative technologies and solutions for the iron- and steel-making processes promoting cross-sector activities, demonstration projects integrating zero-carbon energy production or contributing to a clean hydrogen economy.

Article 9 Advanced steel grades and applications

Research and technological development shall focus on meeting the requirements of steel users to develop new near-zero-carbon products and on creating new market opportunities while reducing emissions and environmental impacts. In the context of the technologies referred to in Article 8, research projects shall address one or more of the following areas, with the objective of delivering near-zero-carbon and sustainable steel production processes in the Union:

(a) new advanced steel grades;

(b) improvement of steel properties such as mechanical and physical properties, suitability for further processing, suitability for various applications and various working conditions;

(c) prolonging service life, in particular by improving the resistance of steels and steel structures to heat and corrosion, mechanical and thermal fatigue and other deteriorating effects;

(d) predictive simulation models on microstructures, mechanical properties and production processes;

(e) technologies relating to the forming, welding and joining of steel and other materials;

(f) standardisation of testing and evaluation methods;

(g) high-performance steels for applications like mobility, including sustainability, eco-design methods, retrofitting, lightweight design and safety solutions.

Article 10 Conservation of resources, protection of the environment and circular economy

In both steel production and steel utilisation, the conservation of resources, the preservation of ecosystems, the transition to a circular economy and safety issues shall form an integral part of the research and technological development work. Research projects shall address one or more of the following areas:

(a) techniques for recycling obsolete steel and by-product from various sources and improvement of the quality of steel scrap;

(b) treatment of waste and recovery of valuable secondary raw materials, including slags, inside and outside the steel plant;

(c) pollution control and protection of the environment in and around the workplace and the steel plant (gaseous, solid or liquid emissions, water management, noise, odours, dust, etc.);

(d) design of steel grades and assembled structures to facilitate the easy recovery of steel for recycling or reuse;

(e) utilisation of process gases and elimination of waste gases emissions from steel production;

(f) life cycle assessment and life cycle thinking concerning steel production and use.

Article 10a Management of work force and working conditions

Research projects shall address one or more of the following areas:

(a) developing and disseminating competencies to keep pace with new near-zero-carbon steel production processes, such as digitalisation, and to reflect the principle of lifelong learning;

(b) improving working conditions, including health, safety and ergonomics in and around the workplace.

Scope:

Reference to consolidated Council Decisions (Council Decision of 29 April 2008 2008/376/EC amended by the Council Decision (EU) 2017/955 of 29 May 2017 and Council Decision (EU) 2021/1094 of 28 June 2021).

The RFCS Programme (RFCS Decision 2021/1094) has the following research objectives for the Coal and Steel sectors:

Coal

Article 4. Supporting the just transition of the coal sector and regions;

Article 5. Improving health and safety;

Article 6. Minimising the environmental impacts of coal mines in transition.

Steel

Article 8. New, sustainable and low-carbon steelmaking and finishing processes;

Article 9. Advanced steel grades and applications;

Article 10. Conservation of resources, protection of the environment and circular economy;

Article 10a. Management of work force and working conditions.

Expected Impact:

During the programming period 2021-2027, the RFCS will be linked to the objectives of the European Green Deal, which aims to transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use.

The Communication also states that all Union actions and policies should pull together to help the Union achieve a successful and just transition towards a sustainable future.

Within the European Green Deal objectives, applicants to the RFCS calls should therefore consider the following elements when preparing their proposals:

• Energy-intensive industries, such as steel [...] are indispensable to Europe’s economy, as they supply several key value chains. The decarbonisation and modernisation of this sector is essential
• The Commission will support clean steel breakthrough technologies leading to a zero-carbon steel making process by 2030.

Conditions

1.Admissibility conditions: described in section 5 of the call document

Proposal page limits and layout:described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System

2. Eligible countries:described in section 6 of of the call document

3. Other eligibility conditions:described in section 6 of the call document

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion:described insection 7 of the call document

5.Evaluation and award:

• Award criteria, scoring and thresholds:described in section 9 of the call document

• Submission and evaluation processes:describedsection 8 of the call document and theOnline Manual

• Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement:described in section 4 of the call document

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants:describedin section 10 of the call document

Start submission

To access the Electronic Submission Service, please click on the submission-button next to the type of action and the type of model grant agreement that corresponds to your proposal. You will then be asked to confirm your choice, as it cannot be changed in the submission system. Upon confirmation, you will be linked to the correct entry point.

To access existing draft proposals for this topic, please login to the Funding & Tenders Portal and select the My Proposals page of the My Area section.

Get support

For help related to thiscall, please contact:REA-RFCS@ec.europa.eu

Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ– Submission of proposals.

IT Helpdesk– Contact the IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc.

Online Manual– Step-by-step online guide through the Portal processes from proposal preparation and submission to reporting on your on-going project. Valid for all 2021-2027 programmes.