July 13, 2026
DIAMONDS4IF: Supporting Innovation Fund Applicants and Entering the Final Project Phase
Supporting Innovation Fund Applicants
Over the past six months, DIAMONDS4IF has continued supporting renewable energy project developers in improving their Innovation Fund readiness.
One of the project’s main achievements was the publication of the public deliverable “Report on Conclusions from Capacity and Viability Checks.” The report summarises the main strengths, weaknesses and success factors identified during the assessment of Innovation Fund candidate projects. It also provides practical recommendations for future applicants and highlights recurring challenges related to project maturity, financial credibility, innovation positioning and GHG emission avoidance.
New Public Resources Available
The consortium also completed all planned dissemination and communication activities for this reporting period.
Among the new public outputs are Deliverables D10.2 and D10.3, which summarise the workshops organised with sector organisations and stakeholders. Together with guidance documents and additional project resources, these materials are freely available on the DIAMONDS4IF website.
Supporting Innovation Fund Applications
The project continues to make tangible progress towards its main objective of supporting at least five Innovation Fund applications.
So far, the consortium has contributed to four applications: two submitted by project partners and two by external stakeholders. A fifth application from a project partner is planned before the end of the year.
During the project, one industrial partner became insolvent and withdrew from the consortium. Following a Grant Agreement amendment, the remaining partners successfully redistributed the project activities and budget, ensuring the continuity of all planned work.
Sharing Knowledge Across the Innovation Fund Community
DIAMONDS4IF regularly updates its website, LinkedIn page and YouTube channel, giving stakeholders access to project news, practical resources and event recordings.
A key highlight of this period was the joint CINEA–CSA event held in Brussels on 12 May 2026. The event brought together representatives from CINEA, the CSA projects and the wider Innovation Fund community to exchange experiences, discuss common challenges and share best practices for developing high-quality Innovation Fund applications.
The full recording is available on the DIAMONDS4IF YouTube channel.
Looking Ahead
DIAMONDS4IF will participate in WindEnergy Hamburg 2026, where a PNO Innovation Fund expert will speak at the Speakers Corner session:
“Is Your Project an Innovation Fund Diamond? A Readiness Check for Renewable Energy Innovators.”
The presentation will introduce practical methods for assessing Innovation Fund readiness and showcase publicly available DIAMONDS4IF tools that help future applicants strengthen their proposals.
The project has now entered its final phase. By 31 December 2026, the consortium will submit structured recommendations to CINEA. These recommendations will build on the experience gained throughout the project, the feedback collected from project developers and stakeholders, and the discussions held during the Brussels CSA event. Their objective is to support the further improvement of the Innovation Fund application process.
