CO2 as a sustainable source of carbon - ways to industrial use (CO2-WIN)

Who gets funded?
Collaborative projects in applied research and industrial research and development (R & D) are supported. Valid applicants are companies in the commercial economy, universities and non-university research institutions, municipalities and states, and social organizations of the European Union. At the time of payment of a grant, a permanent establishment or branch in Germany is re-quired. Applications from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are expressly welcomed.
Research institutions that receive basic funding from the Federal Government and/or the Länder may only be granted project funding for their additional project-related expenses or costs in addition to their institutional funding. These non-university-funded research institutions are expected to link the content of the institutionally funded research activities and the project topics and link the two.

What gets promoted?
Thematic priorities of the funding are, e.g.:

• the production and evaluation of marketable products by carbonation of CO2 and the develop-ment of suitable carbonation processes for natural minerals, industrial slags, or concrete;
• the direct use of solar energy for the chemical reduction of CO2, for example, by means of inte-grated systems for artificial photosynthesis
• the development of innovative catalytic and electro-catalytic processes for the chemical reduction of CO2 with a realistic perspective of transfer to industrial practice,
• and the development of biotechnological or chemical-biotechnological processes for the material use of CO2.

An important aspect is the interconnection of different economic sectors in an industrial symbiosis along the entire CO2 value chain.
An integration and transfer project is to be supported as a flanking measure.

How is it funded?
Grants are awarded as non-repayable grants within the framework of project funding. Grants may be used for personnel and material expenses as well as for equipment investments. Construction investments are excluded from funding.
The basis of assessment for grants to companies in the commercial economy is the eligible project-related costs. Generally, they can be financed proportionally up to 50 percent by the state aid rules, depending on the application of the project.
The basis of assessment for universities, research, scientific and similar institutions is generally the eligible project-related costs (in the case of Helmholtz Centres and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft the eligible project-related costs), which can be individually funded up to 100 percent. For research pro-jects at universities, a lump sum of 20 percent is granted.
Projects should, if possible, not exceed a period of three years.