Bavarian Energy Research Program
Funding program for companies in Bavaria for the research, development, and application of new energy and energy efficiency technologies. Applications via ELAN-FIPS possible until 31.12.2026.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
The Free State of Bavaria supports companies in researching, developing, and applying new energy and energy efficiency technologies. The goal is to reduce technical and economic risks, promote innovation, and enable the rapid transfer of research results into practice.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel costs
- Instruments and equipment
- Contract research and consulting
- Other operating expenses
- Additional investment costs for energy efficiency measures
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Non-eligible expenses
- Expenditures for land and buildings
- Projects prior to application submission
Eligible to apply
- Public Institutions
- Companies
Funding requirements
- Registered office or establishment in the Free State of Bavaria
- High technical and economic risk
- Innovation content beyond the state of the art
- Implementation of essential parts of the project in Bavaria
- Availability of specific research and development capacities
Documents required for application
- Signed ELAN application forms
- Detailed description of the individual project
- Audited financial statements for the last two fiscal years
- Information from the house bank
- Current commercial register excerpt
- SME declaration (for SMEs)
Evaluation criteria
- Degree of innovation
- Level of technical and economic risk
- Contribution to energy efficiency and climate protection
- Economic viability
Description
The Bavarian Energy Research Program supports companies and public institutions in the Free State of Bavaria in the research, development, and practical testing of new energy and energy efficiency technologies. The goal is to reduce technical and economic risks, unlock innovation potential, and rapidly transfer research results into practice. Eligible for funding are industrial research and development projects, technical feasibility studies, as well as demonstration projects aimed at improving energy efficiency and utilizing renewable energies. In particular, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with headquarters or branches in Bavaria may submit applications; for demonstration projects, municipal authorities and church organizations are also eligible. The project duration is a maximum of 60 months, and applications can be submitted at any time until December 31, 2026, via the ELAN-FIPS portal.
Funding covers personnel costs, contract research, instruments and equipment, other operating expenses, as well as additional investment costs for energy-efficient measures or renewable energies and costs of technical studies. The funding rate ranges between 25% and 50% of eligible expenses; SMEs receive a bonus of up to ten percentage points on the funding rates. Prerequisites include a high degree of innovation, significant technical and economic risk, implementation of essential project components in Bavaria, and existing specific development and research capacities. Application submission requires signed ELAN forms, a detailed project description, audited financial statements, a bank reference, the commercial register excerpt, and – for SMEs – the corresponding declaration. After positive evaluation by the project sponsor Jülich (PtJ), the grant approval is issued by the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy.