€700,000 fund for R&I in Energy and Water: Call for project proposals open

More than €700,000 is up for grabs in the latest call for Research and Innovation projects in energy and water. The projects in the 2021 call by the Energy and Water Agency are expected to produce tangible results, shaping and improving the management of energy and water resources nationally while also contributing to the growth of Malta’s green economy – supporting research for both excellence and impact.

In a bid to maintain sustainable management of water and energy resources in the light of increasing pressures due to demand, the Government is channelling funds into sector-specific R&I, investing in projects that will deliver tangible results and spur Malta’s transition to a sustainable, decarbonised economy. This increased investment comes at a crucial point, as the country works to recover from the effects of COVID-19. In 2020, the National Strategy for R&I in Energy and Water was published and the first Call for Proposals under R&I Grant Scheme for energy and water projects was launched by the Energy and Water Agency.

Building upon last year’s success, the second call for proposals under the R&I Grant Scheme was launched in mid-March 2021 with an increased budget of €700,000. Applications are currently open for the 2021 call for proposals – an opportunity for academia, the private sector, government entities and NGOs. Research grants range from €60,000 to a maximum of €120,000 per project which must be completed within 18-24 months. Projects coming from a variety of disciplines are encouraged to apply - from engineering and natural sciences to social and behavioural sciences, big data, and artificial intelligence.

Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development Miriam Dalli encouraged more scientists and researchers to tap into these funds to further build on the work that is being carried out in the R&I sector.

“We are committed to continue investing in this field and have increased our commitment. The results obtained from the first call will have a direct impact on people’s everyday life, encouraging us to continue supporting this sector,” Dalli said.

More than half a million euro was awarded under the 2020 R&I Grant Scheme, supporting projects led by academia and industry. In the energy sector, the projects focus on exploring the potential of energy storage and power-to-X technologies in Malta (ESTELLE) and developing innovative cooling systems for photovoltaic panels (IPCoSy). On the water side, the projects range from developing new technologies for water disinfection (PURILMA), creating a water-efficient irrigation monitoring system (WetSoil) and mapping Maltese aquifers using seismic imaging (SIGMA).

An information session to address any questions by interested parties will be held on 27 April and registrations are now open. More information regarding the second Call for Proposals under the R&I Grant Scheme, can be found on the Agency’s website,