Research Ireland, alongside the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), is participating in the Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETP). 

CETP is a European Partnership co-funded by the European Commission under Horizon Europe, enabling regional and national funders and organisations to pool resources, leverage knowledge and experience and strategically align priorities to drive a unified response to shared challenges and to meet the ambitious objectives required to transform the energy system across all its dimensions.

CETP supports Irish researchers to develop and strengthen trans-national collaborations and accelerate the energy transition towards achieving the EU’s goal of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

The Joint Call 2026 includes 40 funding organisations across 30 EU Member States and Associated Countries. The Call consists of 11 Call Modules, addressing a range of energy technology and system challenges and covering both research-oriented approaches (ROA) and innovation-oriented approaches (IOA). The Call Modules are complementary and collectively contribute to the objectives of the clean energy transition.

For academic applicants based in Ireland, Research Ireland will provide the following funding for projects: 

  • Up to a maximum of €330,000 direct costs per project for Irish applicants as Partner on transnational proposals. 
  • Up to a maximum of €405,000 direct costs per project for Irish applicants as Coordinator on transnational proposals.

Note: The maximum total award per project, including overhead contribution, will be €430,000, for a partner and €530,000 for applicants who take on the role of coordinator.

Key eligibility criteria from Research Ireland for Irish-based applicants:

  • be a member of the academic staff of an eligible Research Body

OR

  • be a contract researcher with a contract that covers the period of the grant

OR

  • be an individual who will be recognised by the eligible Research Body upon receipt of the grant as an academic staff or as a contract researcher

For more info:   https://www.researchireland.ie/funding/clean-energy-transition-partnership/

Call opens: 8th June 2026, 13:00 (local Irish time)

Deadline: 8th October 2026, 13:00 (local Irish time)

How to apply

Please give a brief notification of your intent to submit a pre-proposal through email to eu-cofund@researchireland.ie before the submission deadline. Within the notification, please include the following information:

  • Call Module                        
  • List of project partners       
  • Irish Host institution           
  • Total budget request to Research Ireland
  • Whether you intend to apply as a coordinating or non-coordinating partner