Project results are expected to contribute to all the following impacts:

• Contribute to achieving the European Green Deal goals.
• Demonstrate overall positive environmental and, if relevant, health and safety impact of the technology and/or the approach pursued.

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes:

• Contribute to the ambitious targets of the European Green Deal.
• Outline a continuation plan for technology scalability and greater expansion, ultimately linked to a viable business case.
• Provide high visibility dissemination of lessons learnt and continue to contribute to the development of skills and creation/conversion of jobs.

Objective:

The RFCS Research Programme (Council Decision (EU) 2021/1094) has the following research objectives for the coal sector:

• supporting the just transition of the coal sector and regions (Article 4).
• improving health and safety (Article 5).
• minimising the environmental impacts of coal mines in transition (Article 6).

The call objectives are:

1. Repurposing of formerly operating coal and lignite mines or those in the process of closure and coal-related infrastructure including power supply services.
2. Materials and waste reuse, and development of alternative materials, including recovery of critical raw materials.
3. Land monitoring, modelling, stabilisation and/or restoration.
4. Processing of methane emissions.
5. Monitoring, management and/or treatment of mine water and water tables in coal mines in the process of closure and formerly operating mines.

Scope:

Applicants may submit proposals for either pilot or demonstration projects (see Articles 15 and 16 of Council Decision 2008/376/EC).

Proposals must be in line with Council Decision (EU) 2021/1094.

Proposals should address the application of innovative technologies related to one or two of the five call objectives listed above. If addressing two call objectives, proposals should clearly identify which work packages address which call objective(s).

Proposals must include an exploitation strategy outlining possible integration of the deliverables of the project (including the pilot/demonstrators) in an industrial environment and a preliminary assessment of their economic viability. Where relevant, they can also describe activities related to economic analysis for the purposes of constructing a business case or new business models.

Activities are expected to achieve technology readiness level 7-8 (TRL 7-8) by the end of the project.

In line with Article 2 of RFCS Council Decision (EU) 2021/1094, research and technological development funded under the RFCS must be in line with the Just Transition Mechanism goals.

Proposals will have to demonstrate how they will support the social and economic revitalisation of the former coal mine regions, in line with the relevant Territorial Just Transition Plans. Proposals must involve the local community and focus on communication with stakeholders, including the public.

Proposals are expected to include activities to:

• promote the development of efficient reskilling and upskilling programmes for workers affected by a coal phase-out, including research on the training and reskilling of workers employed or previously employed in the coal sector, in accordance with Article 4 (e) of RFCS Council Decision (EU) 2021/1094.
• address potential solutions that improve working conditions for employees of the coal mines being phased out, in particular health, safety, and ergonomics in and around the workplace, in accordance with Article 5 of RFCS Council Decision (EU) 2021/1094.

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