New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS): The European Commission and India's Department of Science and Technology (DST) on Friday launched an 18 million euros joint call on research and innovation to develop integrated local energy systems.

This was a follow up to March 2016, when EU leaders and India's Prime Minister Modi adopted the EU - India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership and agreed to enhance their cooperation in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency and smart grids.

Proposals should develop and demonstrate novel solutions, integrating all energy vectors (electricity, heating, cooling, water, wastes, etc.), including possibilities offered by batteries and electric vehicles, interconnect them and optimize joint operation with increased share of renewables and a higher energy efficiency, said a EU press statement.

Cooperation should take the form of a proposal demonstrating a local energy system (or several) in Europe and/or India. The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) will range between 5 and 8.

The call text and call deadlines (opening on 3 September 2019 and closing on 29 January 2020), are the same for applicants from Europe and India. This call targets minimum three participants from India as well as from Europe, it said.

A total budget of euro 18 million is foreseen. The Indian selected participants will be funded by DST and the European partners by the EU Research and Innovation programme 'Horizon 2020'.

At the occasion of the awareness raising and networking event at IIT Delhi, Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India said "the launch of this call on smart integrated energy island systems is another demonstration of the robust EU-India partnership, of the delivery on commitments in the frame of the EU - India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership and the cooperation on research and innovation which underpins that."

Awareness and Information sessions are also scheduled in Kolkata on November 8 and in Bengaluru on November 19.