Innovation Award 2025

There are three awards categories: Innovation, Local Energy Action and Woman in Energy.

The EUSEW Innovation Award recognises outstanding (ongoing or recently completed) EU-funded projects that show an original and innovative path towards the clean and competitive energy transition and can showcase tangible results. The award intends to inspire and motivate others to replicate and implement similar solutions across the EU, resulting in social, economic and environmental benefits.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The following eligibility criteria apply to all submissions. Meeting the eligibility criteria is mandatory. Applications that do not meet these criteria will be excluded from the evaluation.

Geographical scope

Activities, projects or actions must be carried out in at least one country located in the  European Union or the European Economic Area.

Practical implementation

The EUSEW Innovation Award highlights outstanding EU-funded activities, projects or actions carried out by organisations or groups of people. Academic studies and theoretical research projects without any long-term, real-scale application directly linked to sustainable energy are not eligible. Activities promoting commercial products already on the market are also excluded.

Timing

The activities, projects or actions applying must be ongoing or recently concluded (after 31 December 2023). Activities, projects or actions that are still in the planning stage or have not yet delivered results are not eligible.

Previous winners and finalists

Activities, projects or actions that have previously been shortlisted as EUSEW Awards finalists are not eligible to re-enter the competition. Organisations or individuals that have previously been shortlisted are eligible if they present  new activities, projects or actions.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

All applications will be checked against the eligibility criteria set out above before being assessed. The evaluation process then consists of:

an assessment by the European Commission staff and an external technical committee; and
a selection of three finalists per category by a high-level jury.

The winner will be decided via an online public vote and announced at the Awards Ceremony taking place in Brussels on 10 June 2025.

Applications will be scored on three criteria, with a maximum score of 10 points each. An application can therefore receive a maximum score of 30 points.

Concept (10 points)

Applicants should explain why their activity is a best-in-class example in their field. Applications should focus on highlighting elements of originality that will drive change towards the clean energy transition.

Implementation (10 points)

Applications should elaborate on how the project translates the concept into action. All actions should be clearly described and explain the key steps towards implementation. Applications should highlight if elements of the project are reproducible and scalable.

Impact (10 points)

Applicants should explain what the impact of the activities described is. Each winning activity carried out by the project should have a significant impact (relative to the size of the action) and make a positive contribution to the EU energy and climate targets. 