PEDvolution Open Call for Demonstrators: Positive Energy Districts (PEDs)

PEDvolution Open Call for Demonstrators: Positive Energy Districts (PEDs)

Type of grant: Cascade funding

Opening date: 01 May 2025

Deadline model: single-stage

Deadline date: 30 June 2025 23:59 (Brussels time)

Status: Open for submission

Expected duration of participation: 60 calendar days

Total funding available: €150,000.00

Project acronym: PEDvolution

Full name of the EU funded project: Interoperable solutions to streamline PED evolution and cross-sectoral integration

Grant agreement number: 101138472

Topic: HORIZON-CL5-2023-D4-01-03 - Interoperable solutions for positive energy districts (PEDs), including a better integration of local renewables and local excess heat sources

Submission & evaluation process

Submission Process

All applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by the official deadline of June 30, 2025, at 23:59 CET. The submission period opens on May 1, 2025. Applications submitted after the deadline or through other channels will not be considered.

Applicants are required to submit a complete application package, which includes:

1. Annex II – Application Form: detailing project objectives, selected PEDvolution tools, and expected impact.
2. Annex III – Declaration of Honour: signed by the legal representative, confirming compliance with eligibility rules and absence of conflicts of interest.
3. Annex IV – Budget Application Template: outlining the anticipated budget allocation and justification.
4. Identification Form: to verify the legal status of the applicant (available via the EC website).
5. (Optional, if relevant for the selected applicants) Double Taxation Avoidance Form, where applicable.

Each application must be submitted in PDF format, clearly named, and must not exceed the page limit specified in the Application Form (12 pages max for the main form).

To assist applicants, we have compiled all relevant materials, templates, and guides in a centralized folder:

Access the Open Call Info & Application Package on Dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ye5t5ysfnc7ubq1bc1daj/AITBB2YDFB7bOhHvH5wuC4w?rlkey=kzl39xa7az6b0xwkio3bnuy6n&st=7yp9umo2&dl=0)

In this folder, you will find:

1. Call Conditions for Financial Support to Third Parties: Full details on objectives, eligibility, timeline, and available funding.
2. Annex I – Guide for Applicants: Step-by-step guidance on how to apply, evaluation criteria, and FAQs.
3. Annex II – Application Form (Template): The form applicants must complete and submit.
4. Annex III – Declaration of Honour: To be signed by the legal representative.
5. Annex IV – Budget Application (Excel): To outline the proposed allocation of funding.
6. Annex V – Sub-Grant Agreement (Template): Contractual terms applicable to selected applicants.

We highly encourage applicants to review all documents in the folder thoroughly before preparing and submitting their proposals.

Evaluation Process

The evaluation will follow a two-stage process:

1. Eligibility Screening

Each proposal will first be checked for:

1. Timely submission before the deadline
2. Completeness of required documents
3. Compliance with eligibility criteria (e.g. entity type, country, and scope)
4. Alignment with the objectives of the PEDvolution project

Ineligible or incomplete applications will not proceed to evaluation.

2. Evaluation by External Experts

Eligible proposals will be evaluated by a jury of independent external experts with relevant expertise in Positive Energy Districts, energy transition, digital solutions, and urban innovation. These experts are not affiliated with PEDvolution consortium partners.

Each proposal will be scored according to the following weighted criteria:

Each criterion is rated from 0 to 5:

1. 0 – Fail: The proposal fails to address the criterion or cannot be assessed.
2. 1 – Poor: The criterion is inadequately addressed or has serious weaknesses.
3. 2 – Fair: The proposal broadly addresses the criterion but with significant weaknesses.
4. 3 – Good: The proposal addresses the criterion with some minor weaknesses.
5. 4 – Very Good: The proposal addresses the criterion well with only minor issues.
6. 5 – Excellent: The proposal successfully addresses all relevant aspects of the criterion.

Only applications that score a minimum of 3/5 per criterion and reach an overall minimum of 12/20 will be eligible for funding.

3. Final Decision

Following evaluation, the scores and rankings will be reviewed by the PEDvolution Consortium General Assembly, which will make the final selection of beneficiaries based on the evaluators' recommendations and strategic alignment with the project.

All applicants will receive a notification on the outcome of their application within 6–8 weeks of the deadline. Unsuccessful applicants can request feedback and submit an appeal within 5 business days of receiving their evaluation results.

Further information

Task description