Applications are open for the 2025 edition of LEAP-SE: EU-Africa Cooperation on Sustainable Energy, promoted by FCT. This call is part of the long-term partnership between the African Union and the European Union and funds R&I projects in sustainable energy. According to the information available on the FCT website, "this partnership is part of the ‘Climate Change and Sustainable Energy’ (CCSE) framework of the AU-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation," under Horizon Europe.

The call focuses on the following themes:

• Evaluation of renewable energy sources (RES) and integration of RES in sustainable energy scenarios;
• Management of end-of-life and second life cycles, and environmental impact of RES components;
• Autonomous intelligent systems (AIS);
• Smart grids (at different scales) for off-grid applications;
• Processes and devices for productive uses (PRODUSE);
• Innovative solutions for priority domestic uses (clean cooking and cold chain);
• Production and use of green hydrogen.

FCT highlights that "partners from African countries can participate in consortia and receive funds from the EC, provided they are eligible, even if they do not have a participating funding agency in the call." Additionally, there is the platform leap-re.app, which can be used for partner search upon registration.

The presentation of the call will be made through 3 webinars in different languages:

• January 20, at 10:30 CET, in French. Register here
• January 21, at 10:00 CET, in English. Register here
• January 22, at 11:00 CET, in Portuguese. Register here

Applications can be made by higher education institutions, their institutes, and their associated R&I units.

For more information, visit the FCT website or the leap-re website.

For further inquiries, contact stefano.amaral@fct.pt.