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HORIZON EUROPE TOPIC · Cluster 5 · Climate, Energy and Mobility

Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADSM) for more efficient and flexible distribution grids

HORIZON-CL5-2027-07-D3-26 — the expected outcomes as checkable statements, what evaluators look for in this topic, and the conditions that shape the proposal.

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ForthcomingIADeadline 1 December 2027around EUR 9.5 million per project

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TopicHORIZON-CL5-2027-07-D3-26
StatusForthcoming
CallHORIZON-CL5-2027-07 — ENERGY
DestinationEnsuring more efficient, sustainable, secure, and competitive renewable and decarbonised energy supply (2026-27)
Type of actionInnovation Actions
Opening4 August 2027
Deadline1 December 2027
Budgetaround EUR 9.5 million per project · 3 projects expected · EUR 28.5 million in total
TRL at the endTRL 6–8
Part B page limit40 pages (standard application form; check your call)
TemplateWork Programme 2026–2027 application form

Expected outcomes

Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes. The topic says: “Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:”

  1. EO1 Enhanced reliability, resilience, controllability and efficiency of electricity distribution grids. Congestion in distribution grids is managed effectively.
  2. EO2 Distribution system operators (DSO) leverage modern digital solutions and employ improved systems to effectively manage their grids and improve interoperability with TSOs and other DSOs.
  3. EO3 Vendor-agnostic reference architectures, solutions and tools are developed to help advancing the ADSM design and operation and effectively manage a broad range of grid services.

Expected impacts named in the destination

The wider, long-term effects the destination seeks. Your outcomes feed them; they are not project deliverables.

  1. EI1 Energy producers have access to efficient and competitive European renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies with a solid knowledge base and are able to deploy them to enhance the EU’s energy security and reach its climate neutrality objectives, in a sustainable way in environmental (e.g., biodiversity, multiple uses of land and water, natural resources, pollution) and socioeconomic terms, and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
  2. EI2 Technology providers have access to European, competitive, resilient, reliable, sustainable, and affordable value chains of renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies including emerging ones, and with strong export potential to supply both the EU internal and global markets. They benefit also from circular renewable energy technologies that are safe and sustainable by design with reduced and diversified external dependence on critical raw materials.
  3. EI3 Economic sectors benefit from better integration of renewable energy and renewable fuel-based solutions that are, among others, competitive, cost-effective, efficient, flexible, reliable, and sustainable. Such integration is facilitated through digitalisation and integration of artificial intelligence of renewable energy technologies that provide network stability and reliability.
  4. EI4 European industries benefit from a reinforced export potential of renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies, also through international partnerships, and become more competitive in innovative renewable energy technologies in Europe and globally.
  5. EI5 European researchers benefit from a stronger community and from a reinforced scientific basis on renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies including emerging ones, also through international collaborations.
  6. EI6 European citizens have access to an energy market that is fair and equitable, more resilient, uses all different types of local renewable energy resources, and is less dependent on fossil fuels imports. Citizens experience less fuel and energy poverty, and also benefit from new employment and upskilling opportunities. Local communities benefit from a more decentralized, affordable, and secure energy system and from multiple uses of land and water.
  7. EI7 R&I actions will support the just digital and green transformation of the energy system through advanced solutions for accelerating the energy systems integration and decarbonisation. The developed clean, sustainable solutions will contribute to making the energy system work better for actors and supply more reliable, resilient and secure energy – even under increasingly more frequent extreme climate events.
  8. EI8 The solutions developed will contribute to increase flexibility and grid hosting capacity for renewables through optimizing cross sector integration and grid scale storage as well as cover off-grid situations. They will improve the preparedness of the electricity system to support the EU's binding target for 2030 of minimum of 42.5% renewables in the gross final energy consumption (with the aspiration to reach 45%), and full decarbonisation by 2050. They will enable further electrification of demand and will enhance the competitiveness of the European value chain, reduce pressure on resources (also by making technologies ‘circular by design’) and decrease dependencies. Such solutions would…
  9. EI9 The solutions will improve consumer awareness and engagement in the energy transition, via innovative offers and services (e.g. demand response, energy communities) and will target different types of consumers, including “hard to reach” population groups (such as energy poor or low-income households). This will result in increased trust in, and uptake of the new products and services entering the energy system.
  10. EI10 Accelerated deployment of carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) as a CO2 emission mitigation option in electricity generation and/or in industry applications, as well as carbon dioxide removal for negative emissions.

What evaluators will look for in this topic

Expected outcomes

  • Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes.
  • For each outcome (EO1 to EO3), name who will use or adopt your results (a specific group, not “industry” or “society”), how they get them, and the indicator that shows the change, with baseline, target and date.
  • Use the topic's own words for each outcome, so the evaluator can tick it off.

What the scope asks for

Evaluators check the proposal against these sentences of the scope. Answer each one visibly, in the call's own words.

  • “Projects are expected to address all the following items:.”
  • “The demonstration, test and validation of the activities should be carried out in at least two pilots in different EU Member States or Associated Countries.”
  • “Projects are expected to include at least three Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and at least two universities and/or research organisations.”
  • “Additionally, collaboration is encouraged with the following entities:. at least one supplier of technology and solutions for ADMS;. at least one transmission system operator, which manage grids that are connected to the grids operated by any of the DSOs that are partners in the project.”
  • “To that end, the project proposals are expected to describe a credible mechanism to do so.”
  • “Selected projects are expected to contribute to the BRIDGE initiative and actively participate in its activities.”

Conditions that shape the proposal

  • Part B, sections 1–3: 40 pages (standard application form). Text beyond the limit is not read; tables and figures count.
  • TRL: the topic expects TRL 6–8 by the end of the project. State where you start and the evidence for it.
  • Innovation action: evaluators expect a plausible path to commercialisation and named first users or customers.
  • Other Eligible Conditions: “In line with the “ restriction on control in innovation actions in critical technology areas ” delineated in General Annex B of the General Annexes, entities established in an eligible country but which are directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to…”

Impact pathway and traps

  • The scope expects pilots or demonstration. Name the sites, the partners who run them and what is measured there.
  • Keep outputs, outcomes and impacts apart: what you deliver, what changes when others use it, and the long-term effect.
  • For each destination impact you claim, show which of your outcomes feeds it. Destination impacts are long-term effects, not project deliverables.
  • Name the barriers outside the project (regulation, markets, user behaviour) that could block uptake, and what you will do if they do.
  • Section 2.3 (the summary canvas) is optional on this call; the old split into scientific, economic and societal impact is no longer required.
The scope, as published

Projects are expected to address all the following items: Design and test innovative solutions, architectures, technologies and processes for advancing the way the ADSM are designed and operated; Provide ADSM software platforms that improve grid performance, controllability, and help integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) in an efficient way, while reducing congestion and improving grid flexibility; Advance forecasting solutions for energy supply, demand, and flexibility made available to the system operator; provide advanced analytics and visualisations; Advance interoperability, both with TSOs and other DSOs, as well as with the DERs at the edge of the grid; Leverage modern solutions, notably digital twins and artificial intelligence. Use security-by-design and advanced protection mechanisms against cyber threats. Use and/or develop, to the greatest extent possible, open-source software solutions and or software modules; Develop a manual and propose best practices on this matter to be used by other DSOs (including instructions to operate the system). Identify remaining gaps and further needs for research and development. The demonstration, test and validation of the activities should be carried out in at least two pilots in different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Projects are expected to include at least three Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and at least two universities and/or research organisations. Additionally, collaboration is encouraged with the following entities: at least one supplier of technology and solutions for ADMS; at least one transmission system operator, which manage grids that are connected to the grids operated by any of the DSOs that are partners in the project; (at least) one project funded under the separate call ‘Advanced TSO control rooms to enhance grid control and resilience’ with the view to strengthen TSO-DSO coordination and support interoperable solutions. To that end, the project proposals are expected to describe a credible mechanism to do so. This collaboration (minimum number of entities) is sought per project in total and does not necessarily apply per each pilot in particular. Selected projects are expected to contribute to the BRIDGE initiative and actively participate in its activities.

Technology readiness, as published

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL. https://bridge-smart-grid-storage-systems-digital-projects.ec.europa.eu/

Other topics in HORIZON-CL5-2027-07

Source and attribution

Topic text from the official topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, retrieved 19 October 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU (CC BY 4.0). Changes: the expected outcomes and impacts are split into numbered statements, long passages are shortened, and the evaluator checklist is GrantWise's own commentary. Your call and the Work Programme always win; check them before you submit. GrantWise is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the European Commission.