Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETPartnership) Joint Call 2025

Eligibility

Post-secondary applicants are eligible. There are three levels of eligibility criteria and requirements that must be met: (i) CETP transnational eligibility criteria for all project consortia; (ii) Call Module requirements; and (iii) ERA national/regional requirements. See Section 5.1.2. of the CETP Joint Call 2025 Program Guide for more information.

Project proposals require a Project Consortium consisting of at least three eligible applicants from at least three separate countries/regions participating in CETPartnership.

While CETP covers a broad variety of technologies and system solutions, ERA’s funding contribution will focus on these specific call modules:

• 2: Energy system flexibility: renewables production, storage and system integration
• 3A: Advanced renewable energy technologies for power production (Research-oriented approaches)
• 3B: Advanced renewable energy technologies for power production (Innovation-oriented approaches)
• 4: Carbon capture, utilization and storage
• 5: Hydrogen and renewable fuels
• 6: Heating and cooling technologies

The call generally aims to fund projects increasing their TRL and reaching medium to high TRLs (4–8), in combination between technological and system solutions with societal, commercial, financial, environmental, regulatory and other critical aspects. A TRL increase of 1–2 is considered usual,  3 is ambitious, but 4 is infeasible.

Summary

ERA is investing up to $3 million through the Clean Energy Transition Partnership’s Joint Call 2025. This international funding initiative is an opportunity for Alberta-based innovators to build global partnerships and scale up solutions with real-world impact. ERA’s funding is sourced from the Government of Alberta’s Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund.

The Call generally aims to support projects with a duration between 12 and 36 months and applying for funding in the Call in the range of (but not limited to) EUR 0.5–5 million, in addition to any self-financing. Please note that different call modules have different project budgets. See section 7 of the CETP Joint Call 2025 Program Guide for more information.

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) are invited for projects that will advance technology to the stages of field pilot, demonstration, or first-of-kind commercial implementation by project completion, as described below:

• Field Test/Pilot: At this stage, the solution is ready to be field tested in an operational environment. Projects in this category include scale up of prototypes to representative pilot scale and subsequent in-field testing of pilot units.
• Demonstration: At this stage of development, the technology or innovation is approaching the final commercial product and representative systems have been built. Projects in this category include demonstration of near- or full-commercial-scale systems in an operational environment.
• First-of-Kind Implementation: At this stage, the technology is ready for first-of-kind commercial deployment. Projects in this category will involve design, construction, and operation of the technology in its final commercial form, with the intent to operate the technology for its full commercial life.

Webinar: ERA will provide an informational webinar on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, from 11 am - 12 pm (MT). This webinar will include eligibility requirements, scope of projects, and everything proponents need to know to apply. Register here.

• CETPartnerships Joint Call 2025 Program Guide
• CETPartnership Application Portal
• ERA Joint Call Webpage
• ERA Cost Guidelines (15% overhead policy)
• ERA contact: applications@eralberta.ca
• CETPartnership contact: callmanagement@cetpartnership.eu

Overhead

15%

Pre-application deadlines

RSO internal deadline

Pre-application program deadline

Application deadlines

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

This is a two-stage process consisting of a Pre-Proposal (LOI) and Full Proposal, which is by invitation only. Both stages of this competition will be part of the Research Management System (RMS), and approvals will be obtained electronically. Research Funding Application Approvals (RFAA) forms are not required as approvals are collected electronically in RMS.

In Stage 1, project consortia must submit a pre-proposal by selecting one Call Module. If the pre-proposal is approved, the consortium will receive an invitation to proceed to Stage 2. Only invited applicants may then prepare and submit a full proposal. All project proposals must be submitted through the CETPartnership Application Portal. Please note that no project proposal will be accepted after the submission deadline.

Important dates:

• Pre-proposal submission opens (Stage 1): June 11, 2025, at 14:00 (CEST)
• Pre-proposal submission deadline (Stage 1): October 9, 2025, at 14:00 (CEST)
• Full proposal submission opens (Stage 2): January 9, 2026, at 14:00 (CET)
• Full proposal submission deadline (Stage 2): March 12, 2026, at 14:00 (CET)
• RSO internal deadlines are 3 business days ahead of funder deadlines
• Funding decision: Mid-June 2026
• Project start window: Between September 1 and December 15, 2026

Submission Process

1. Pre-Proposal (LOI)

The Pre-Proposal, plus approval in the Research Management System (RMS) via a Pre-Award/Letter of Intent record, must be submitted to the RSO by October 6, 2025 at 12:00 pm. Please be sure to select 'Submitted for approval' (under Save & Progress) in RMS in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the RSO internal deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines.

Once you have received RSO approval, the consortium lead must submit the Pre-Proposal by October 9, 2025 at 6:00 am (MT) using the CETPartnership Application Portal.

2. Full Proposal (by invitation)

If invited, the Full Proposal, plus approval in the Research Management System (RMS) via a Pre-Award/Application record, must be submitted to the RSO by March 3, 2026 at 12:00 pm. Please be sure to select 'Submitted for approval' (under Save & Progress) in RMS in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the RSO internal deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines.

*Creation of a new Pre-Award/Application record in RMS is not necessary. You can automatically generate an Application record from the existing LOI record by changing the status of the LOI record to 'Invited to full application' (under Save & Progress).

Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) may require submission of a Supplemental Information document, budget sheet, and appendices via email to ERA Applications at applications@eralberta.ca.

Do not submit to the agency until RSO's approval has been granted in RMS. Once the institutional signature has been obtained, the UCalgary Principal Investigator will receive an automated message from RMS to their @ucalgary email address. The consortium lead must submit the Full Proposal by March 12, 2026, by 6:00 am (MT) using the CETPartnership Application Portal.

RESOURCES  

Reminder: The sooner the researcher engages with Research Services, the more help we can be! 
Contact the following Research Service units for support with: 

Projects Involving Indigenous Research: 

Support with incorporating wise practices in Indigenous research, community engagement, and Indigenous data management is available through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST). 

Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage. 

Knowledge Mobilization, Research Impact Assessment, DORA:  
Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation, community partnerships, research impact, responsible research assessment (DORA), and open science, is available through the Knowledge to Impact team.  

Applicants can reach out by email to the KI team at knowledge.impact@ucalgary.ca.  
For more information and access to resource archives, please visit the KI team webpage. 

Research Data Management: 

For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@ucalgary.ca.    

EDI in Research: 

RSO can provide resources and support to research teams on the integration of equitable and inclusive practices in research design and research practice.  

Contact edi.rso@ucalgary.ca for more information. 

Research Security: 

The Research Security Division is available to ensure researchers adhere to research security guidelines and policies, including the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) and the policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC). 

Visit the Research Security website to learn more or contact researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca.  

Pre-Award Submissions: 

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award LOI 
RMS: Creating a Pre-Award Application