Industrial flexible energy control with advanced digitalization

In this call for proposals we want to fund collaborative projects that strengthen industries' ability to plan and optimize their electricity supply using advanced digital technology. The projects should fall within one of the two areas of the call:

• Industrial research: Project which will primarily develop new knowledge, methods, models, decision support or new digital solution concepts.
• Experimental development: Project which will primarily test, verify and demonstrate digital solutions in a relevant industrial environment.

The call for proposals is aimed at project with at least two participants, of which at least one need owner is from Swedish industry. You should have innovative ideas that make electricity use in Swedish industry more flexible and efficient using advanced digital technology. Industrial companies, electricity grid companies, small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, university colleges, research institutes and other relevant organisations can also be included in the project.

Each project can apply for two to eight million SEK. The project will contribute to more flexible energy management in Swedish industrial companies, and will last for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months. In proposal you should choose the focus that best corresponds to the project's main aim and activities.

With this the call for proposals we want to strengthen the competitiveness and electrification of Swedish industry by financing project that develops advanced digital solutions that make electricity more efficient, flexible and cost-effective.

The call for proposals is part of the Advanced digitalisationprogram, an industry-driven programme to promote Sweden's and Swedish industry's ability to create future digital solutions. The projects funded will contribute to Sweden's shared ability to create and utilize digitalization opportunities.

The electrification of industry is a prerequisite for a sustainable transition, but it also places new eligibility requirements demands on access to electricity, power and the ability to manage an increasingly complex energy system. With this the call for proposals we want to promote the development and use of advanced digital solutions that strengthen industry's conditions and ability to plan, control and optimize its electricity use.

What will the call for proposals accomplish?

Project funded within the call for proposals will develop advanced digital tools, decision support and working methods for industrial flexible energy management. The solutions will help industry to better forecast, plan and optimize its electricity needs based on the needs of the business, the availability of electricity and price variations in the energy market.

The call for proposals will contribute to creating better conditions for electrification, without requiring a corresponding expansion of the electricity grid. With more efficient use of energy, the projects will contribute to a sustainable transition in industry and strengthen the competitiveness of the industry.

What are the projects expected to achieve?

Those project seeking funding should contribute to one or more of the following objective:

• Develop and verify digital solutions that enable increased electricity flexibility and energy efficiency in industry, while maintaining operational reliability and reliability activities.
• Strengthen the industry's ability to plan, forecast and optimize electrical power needs and energy use in a cost-effective manner.
• Create conditions for improved access to electricity and power where and when it is needed.
• Develop methods, working methods and abilities to manage, analyze and use data for energy optimization and flexible energy management.
• Identify and address organizational, cultural and competency-related barriers to implementing data-driven solutions for flexible energy management. Examples include change management, competency development or conditions for data sharing and interoperability between different actors and technical systems.
• Strengthen the conditions for future implementation and broad use in industry.
• Strengthen collaboration between industry, electricity grid actors and other relevant actors for more effective energy management and flexibility.
• Implementation and development of solutions shall be designed with robustness and cybersecurity in mind, and project granted shall demonstrate a comprehensive and credible risk analysis linked to cybersecurity.
• Spread results, experiences and knowledge to strengthen the industry's competence and ability to implement electrification and energy transition.

Programmet Avancerad digitalisation

The call for proposals is part of the Advanced digitalisationprogram, a effort from Vinnova in collaboration with industry, which mobilizes actors from different parts of society towards common objective.

Advanced digitalisation aims to strengthen Swedish research and make Sweden more attractive for research and innovation investments, and stimulate the development of advanced digital technology. The program will be implemented with a long-term perspective and contribute to innovative, enabling technologies and the development of core areas of expertise that meet the needs of industry.

Read more about the program on the Advanced Digitization website.

We are targeting actors who can influence and accelerate the electrification of industry by using advanced digitalisation.

The projects must have at least two participants, of which at least one need owner from Swedish industry. Industrial companies, electricity grid companies, small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, university colleges, research institutes and other relevant organisations may also be part of the consortium.

The projects can benefit from experiences, skills and solutions from different industries and sectors, where knowledge and working methods can be transferred or adapted to contribute to the project.

The projects must be driven by industrial needs, and therefore at least one company must be part of the consortium. All participating parties can be companies.

In the Advanced digitalisation program, industry refers to the entire production chain – from the extraction of raw materials to finished products, as well as industrial service sectors and technology sectors that are needed for the production chain to function. This includes, for example, energy, logistics and transport, telecommunications, water/air/ventilation and recycling. The defense industry is also covered.

Each participant applying for funding must be a Swedish legal entity. In this respect, a foreign organisation that has a branch or establishment in Sweden is considered a Swedish legal entity. The costs in the project must be attributable to the branch's or establishment's activities.

We fund collaborative projects for industrial flexible energy control within two focus areas. You should choose the focus area that best aligns with the project's main aim, results and activities.

• Focus 1: Industrial research
  This focus is for projects that primarily develop new knowledge, new methods, models, algorithms, decision support or digital solution concepts. The project should seek new knowledge through planned research or critical analysis.

• Focus 2: Experimental development
  This focus is for projects that primarily test, verify, demonstrate or evaluate an existing solution in a relevant industrial environment. The project should reduce technical or practical uncertainties and provide a basis for future adoption, implementation or scale-up. The project must not primarily concern routine adaptation, commercial operation or market introduction.

The solutions in both directions can, for example, contribute to improving the industry's ability to forecast, plan and optimize electricity use, electricity power needs and energy costs. The projects will also create conditions for better use of existing electricity grid capacity, and thereby strengthen the industry's opportunities to implement electrification and sustainable transition.

Examples of activities

In the call for proposals we fund these types of activities:

Examples of activities within focus 1: Industrial research

• Develop and evaluate digital tools, models and decision support for forecasting, planning and optimizing energy use and electrical power requirements.
• Develop and evaluate solutions for flexible electricity use that can in the future be integrated with industrial production processes and activities.
• Develop methods for collecting, sharing, analyzing and using data for energy efficiency and electricity flexibility.
• Develop solutions that improve collaboration between industrial actors, electricity grid actors and other relevant actors in the energy system.
• Identify and analyze organizational conditions, obstacles and enablers for the future introduction of new working methods, tools and solutions, for example the need for change management, skills development and innovation management.
• Analyze the conditions and knowledge needs for future utilization of project results.

Examples of activities within focus 2: Experimental development

• Develop and apply digital tools, models and decision support for forecasting, planning and optimizing energy use and electrical power requirements.
• Develop and test solutions or prototypes for flexible electricity use that are integrated with industry production processes and activities.
• Develop and test methods for collecting, sharing, analyzing and using data for energy efficiency and electricity flexibility.
• Develop solutions that improve collaboration between industrial actors, electricity grid actors and other relevant actors in the energy system.
• Demonstrate solutions in real industrial environments and evaluate effects on energy use, electricity flexibility, costs, operational reliability and dependability.
• Activities that strengthen organisations' ability to introduce and use new working methods, tools and solutions, for example in change management, skills development and innovation management.
• Evaluate interoperability, data sharing, robustness and cybersecurity in a realistic use environment.
• Develop plans for investigating market conditions, implementation, scaling up and long-term management of project results.

The projects should, regardless of their focus, spread results, experiences and knowledge to relevant target groups outside the project.

We do not finance:

• Project which are limited to the benefit of an individual actor.
• Routine or recurring changes to existing products, services, manufacturing methods or manufacturing processes.
• Project which primarily focuses on technology development for electricity production and/or battery technology.
• Electrification of vehicles and charging infrastructure, unless it is part of a concrete industrial context, for example autonomous vehicles or machinery in a mine or a port.

What costs can we finance?

Our funding is subject to rules about state aid. The rules govern what types of costs we can finance. These are called eligible costs.

In this the call for proposals, these types of costs are eligible:

• Salary costs: Gross salary paid, employer contributions and other salary costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Costs for instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises.
• Consulting and licensing costs: Costs for consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or licensed from an external party. These costs may not exceed 20 percent of an organization's budget. In case of special needs, for example if the project requires specialist expertise, we can accept a higher percentage. You must then justify this in your proposal, and the justification will be taken into account in the assessment of the project.
• Other direct costs: Costs for, for example, materials, supplies and travel that are necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead): Costs that are linked to the project but do not arise directly, such as premises and cleaning. Indirect costs may not exceed 30 percent of salary costs. Universities, university colleges, research organizations and government agencies may have higher permitted levels, depending on activities.

For more detailed information about which costs we can finance, see Instructions for eligible costs

Which eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

In order for your costs to be eligible for support, the following applies:

They must be factual, reasonable and necessary for the activities in the project.

They must be booked correctly and under a separate project code in the accounting. You may not cover project costs with other public funding or own funds intended for other project.

You may not claim someone else's expenses as your own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see our general terms and conditions.

The rules about state aid govern how large a proportion of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organisation. We therefore differentiate between how large a funding project can get, and how much a participant organisation can get.

How big funding can the project get?

The project can receive between two and eight million SEK in funding, and a maximum of 50% of the project's total eligible costs. The preliminary total budget of the call is 20 million SEK.

How much funding can a participant organisation get?

How much funding a participant organisation can receive depends mainly on:

• the organisation's size and activities
• which activities the organisation will carry out in the project.

Descriptions in the following sections about what support we can provide are simplified. For complete information, see Support bases and levels for funding.

Support to companies for research and development

In this the call for proposals we give support to industrial research or experimental development, depending on the direction the project seeks.

Focus 1: Industrial research is covered by the Industrial researchsupport basis.

The Industrial research support can be simply described as seeking new knowledge through planned research or critical analysis. This is to develop or significantly improve products, processes or services.

Focus 2: Experimental developmentis covered by the experimental development support basis.

Experimental development can be simply described as combining, shaping and using existing knowledge to develop new or improved products, processes or services.

How much of the costs can we finance?

The organisation's The size and type of activity determines how large a proportion of the costs we can finance. This is called the maximum support level.

Maximum aid intensity for Orientation 1 Industrial research with basis for support Industrial research:

Small business 70%

Medium-sized company 60%

Large company 50%

Maximum aid intensity for Focus 2 Experimental Development with basis for support Experimental Development:

Small business 45%

Medium-sized company 35%

Large company 25%

Situations when we finance a higher proportion

If the project is covered by any of these bonus bases, we can finance a higher proportion of the costs.

• Actual collaboration: Some level of collaboration between small and larger companies, between companies in two different European countries or between research organisations and companies.
• Dissemination of results: Extensive dissemination through, for example, conferences or open databases.
• Other bonus basis.

Maximum aid intensity for Orientation 1 Industrial research with bonus basis Industrial research:

Small business 80%

Medium-sized company 75%

Large company 65%

Maximum aid intensity for Focus 2 Experimental development with bonus basis Experimental development:

Small business 60%

Medium-sized company 50%

Large company 40%

Support to universities, university colleges and other public organisations

We also give support to organisations that do not engage in economic activities. This means that the organisation do not offer a service or product on a market. This usually includes universities and university colleges, research institutes and other public organisations.

This support is not covered by state aid rules. We can therefore finance up to 100 percent of such an organization's costs. The support is often called "not state aid."

How is it determined whether a organisation is engaged in economic activities?

A organisation that offers any form of service or product in a market is considered to be engaged in economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support.

It does not matter how the the organisation is financed: whether it is public or private, or whether it has a profit motive. It also does not matter what legal form the business has. For example, whether it is a limited liability company, a trading company, an economic association, a non-profit association or a foundation.

Whether a organisation engages in economic activities is determined by their regular activities, not by the activities in the project.

Some organisations conduct both economic and non-economic activitiesactivities, such as research institutes. In that case, it is important that you know in which of these activities you are applying.

If you are unsure whether a organisation in your project is conducting economic activities, contact call manager. However, The organisation is responsible for assessing whether it is conducting economic activities.

In order for us to assess your proposal it must meet certain formal eligibility requirementsrequirements. If the requirements are not met, we will reject your proposal immediately.

Eligibility requirements on participants

• All participants organisations must be legal entities. Natural persons or individual companies cannot participate. Foreign legal entities can also participate. However, foreign actors that receive funding from Vinnova must have a branch or establishment in Sweden, and the costs must be incurred by the branch or establishment.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish legal entity and conduct activities in Sweden.
• At least two participants, of which at least one is a company, must participate in the project. This includes the coordinating party. Different parts of a organisation are the same legal entity and count as one participant, for example two departments at a university.

Eligibility requirements on the project

• The project may apply for a maximum of 8 million SEK in funding.
• The project must start no earlier than 2027-03-24 and no later than 2027-04-15.
• The project must not have started before you submit your proposal.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal should be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal should follow the instructions under the heading "How to apply".
• Proposal should contain all requested attachments.

Applications that meet our eligibility requirements criteria will be forwarded to assessment. In the assessment, we look at how large potential your project proposal is, how realistic it is and who will implement the project.

We also look at how well your project integrates gender equality, both in how your project group is composed and how you implement the project. By integrating sex and gender perspectives, more inclusive and relevant solutions are developed. This strengthens both the innovation capacity and the project's results.

Gender equality as a tool for innovative social development

What do we assess?

When assessing applications, we look at three main criteria:

• Potential: We analyze what effects and what value we can expect from the project.
• Actors: We assess the participants' competence and ability to implement the project and achieve the desired results and effects.
• Feasibility: We assess how realistic and credible the project plan is, both for implementing the project and for achieving the desired results.

In the combined assessment of the project, potential is weighted with 40% and Actors and Feasibility with 30%.

Potential (40%)

• How much potential the project proposal has to develop solutions, knowledge and competence that promote advanced digitalisation and renew Swedish industry, in accordance with the call's objective and aim.
• How innovative the project proposal is in relation to existing solutions and ongoing major initiatives in the area.
• How credible the project proposal's analysis is of the problem picture and the results that the proposed solution is expected to achieve.
• How likely it is that the project proposal will lead to new knowledge, new skills and solutions that can form the basis for future implementation and benefit Swedish industry.
• How well the project proposal contributes to increased gender equality by integrating perspectives on sex and gender.

Actors (30%)

• How well the composition, participation, competence and ability of the actor constellation contribute to project objectives and implementation.
• The ability of the project partners to disseminate, utilize, commercialize and further develop the results and knowledge generated in the project, both within their own the organisations and outside the consortium.
• How well the project proposal and the actor constellation build on previous activities and results.
• How well the project manager and other key people are assessed to be able to lead and implement the project.
• How well the financial contribution, participation, power and influence are distributed equally between women and men in the project team.

Feasibility (30%)

• How well the project plan and budget are assessed to be able to achieve the results that the project proposal intends to develop.
• How credible the project plan's risk analysis and action plan for these risks are.
• How well the project plan shows how the results will be anchored and disseminated to key actors within the area. How well the gender distribution in the project team and perspectives on sex and gender have been integrated into the project plan.
• How convincing is the plan for utilizing and further developing results and knowledge generated in the project so that project results will be used after the end of the project. How well is the need for consulting services and licenses justified. This only applies if an organization's budget includes more than 20 percent consulting and license costs.

How do we assess?

Once we receive the applications, we review them. We screen out any applications that are incomplete or do not meet our eligibility requirements.

The applications that are correct and complete are distributed among different evaluator and assessed in competition with each other. The evaluators are appointed by us based on their expertise in the field. Each proposal is assessed by at least three evaluator.

Once the evaluators has reviewed the applications, we have an assessment meeting where the evaluators recommends which applications should be granted.

How does it affect an organization's financial status?

Before we decide on funding we also make a comprehensive assessment of the organizational and financial status of those who receive funding.

We use information we receive from credit reports, currently from Dun & Bradstreet.

In our assessment we check this:

• Organisations who are granted funding for salary costs must be registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency. If such registration does not exist when we make a decision, you must be able to show that a notification has been made. We do not approve retroactive registration.
• Organisations must not be insolvent, or undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring. They must also not have any significant unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• The project manager should be employed by a participant, preferably the coordinating party.

• Limited liability companies must not have used up half or more of their share capital.

We can also ask small and medium-sized companies to demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to carry out the project.

Once we have assessed all applications, we will send you a decision either granting or rejecting your proposal. Since applications are assessed competitively, you may be rejected even though you meet all eligibility requirements and criteria.

In the decision, we state how large a proportion of the costs we cover for each organisation.

You cannot appeal our decision, but you are welcome to apply to us again at another time.

What happens if you are granted funding?

If we grant you proposal you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding. The terms include, among other things:

That all participants should sign a special document (Participant’s approval) in which you approve your participation and undertake to carry out the project.

• That you report how things are going, your costs and achievements to us during the project period.
• You must have a written project agreement that regulates your mutual rights and obligations in the project. All parties must sign the agreement before you submit your first progress report. Since it can take time to develop and negotiate an agreement, we recommend that you start this as soon as possible.
• How the results will be used and that scientific publication will be open access so that the results are made freely available to everyone.

See our general terms and conditions

• The project will, upon invitation from Avancerad Digitaliserings, program manager, participate in relevant events within the program and thus contribute to the dissemination of knowledge within Swedish industry in accordance with the program's aim.
• When providing information about the project and when publishing project results, state that the work was carried out with support from Vinnova within the Advanced program digitalisation. Publication refers to, for example, publication, regardless of medium and oral presentations. In English, the name Vinnova is rendered as Sweden's Innovation Agency.

We may also decide to add additional special conditions for individual project. In that case, they will be stated in the decision.

Could you have to pay back funding?

If you have received more money than you are entitled to or if you do not follow our term, you may be liable for repayment.

When the call for proposals closes, your proposal will be registered as. We will then send an email confirmation to the person responsible for the user account, as well as to the project manager and the signatory. If you have not received a confirmation within 24 hours of the call for proposals closing, please contact us.

When the call for proposals is closed, you cannot change anything in proposal. Then you can only supplement if we ask you to.

Who can read you proposal?

Your proposal will be read by employees at Vinnova and those evaluator who participate in this the call for proposals. Everyone works under a duty of confidentiality.

Applications submitted to us become public documents. This means that we must disclose them if requested. However, we keep certain types of information confidential if disclosure could be expected to cause financial harm to the individual. This applies to information about business and operational conditions, inventions or research results.

General documents and confidentiality