The National Centre for Research and Development in the XIV GOSPOSTRATEG competition will allocate PLN 20 million for the development of the program of production of low-emission and renewable synthetic fuels from domestic energy sources. The program, which the innovators will work on, is to bring measurable economic and climate benefits, increasing the level of energy security of Poland and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in industry and transport. The call for applications for co-financing of projects will last until 10 April 2026, at 16:00.

GOSPOSTRATEG is a Strategic Research and Development Program, which aims to increase the use of socio-economic research results in shaping national and regional development policies by 2028. In the XIV competition announced as part of this program, the National Centre for Research and Development invites you to submit projects concerning the research issue called: “Program for the development of large-scale production of low-emission and renewable synthetic fuels based on domestic energy resources for the needs of industries and transport sectors that are difficult to decarbonize, in order to ensure energy security and economic competitiveness of Poland”.

This issue has been requested by the Ministry of Energy. The Ministry wants to develop reliable decision bases on which the government strategy in this area will be created. The aim is to reduce Poland’s dependence on hydrocarbon imports and to reduce emissions in sectors difficult to “green,” such as petrochemical, energy, ammonia production, air, land, and sea transport sectors, which are largely based on fossil fuels.

To achieve this, it will be necessary to carry out comprehensive analyses of technical, economic, environmental, and formal-legal conditions in relation to the possibilities of developing the production of synthetic fuels with indicated properties, in the horizon of 2035 and 2050.

– The topic of the XIV GOSPOSTRATEG competition touches on one of the key challenges for Poland: Energy security and environmental protection. Forecasts show that by 2050 synthetic fuels may cover up to 10-20% of energy demand in selected industries. This is the direction in which Germany, Spain, Chile, Japan, or Norway are already investing – we cannot be left behind – says Prof. Dr Hab. Eng. Jerzy Małachowski, Director of the National Centre for Research and Development. “Innovation in this area means not only stable energy prices, but also cleaner air and better health for all of us. I am convinced that the development of infrastructure for the production and distribution of synthetic fuels will drive the Polish economy and attract international investors.

The project team will have the task of exploring the possibilities of production of synthetic fuels in Poland using hydrogen and carbon dioxide from both renewable and non-renewable sources, taking into account mature technologies of chemical synthesis. It will take into account, among others, synthetic methane, liquid fuels, and ammonia. The scope of work divided into individual stages of research is included in the competition documentation.

From plan to implementation

The Ministry of Energy is responsible for applying the project results in practice. The analyses carried out by the innovators will be used in the work on the strategy and roadmap for the implementation of large-scale technologies for the production of liquid fuels and synthetic gases in our country.

The research theme combines the pursuit of a zero-emission economy with the ambitions of maintaining economic growth, strengthening the level of energy independence and environmental protection, as well as caring for the well-being of citizens. Therefore, it requires setting specific goals and undertaking comprehensive solutions defining the direction of activities and development for many industries.

It is estimated that the development of a program in the field of domestic production of synthetic natural gas, renewable hydrogen and other synthetic fuels is an opportunity to reduce dependence on fuel imports by up to 10-15%. Domestic production of low-carbon and renewable synthetic fuels will also increase the security of energy supply.

The effects of the project will be useful for industry as new technologies and energy infrastructure will create additional jobs and increase the competitiveness of the chemical, fertilizer, and energy industries. The introduction of synthetic fuels in the transport sector will contribute to its decarbonization, especially where electrification is difficult to apply, for example in aviation, maritime transport, or heavy road transport. Transport is currently responsible for 24% of carbon dioxide emissions in Poland.

Synthetic fuels produced using RES will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the achievement of climate goals. The implementation of the strategy is expected to lead to a reduction of around 12 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year by 2050. An additional benefit is better use of resources, as these fuels can be produced from a variety of raw materials, including industrial waste, biomass, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide.

Who can make a request

The competition announced by the NCBR (National Centre for Research and Development) is addressed to consortia consisting of: Research organizations, commercial law companies, foundations, associations. A consortium may bring together a maximum of five entities, including at least two research organizations.

The time allowed for the implementation of tasks in the project is not more than three years. You can apply for co-financing in the total amount of up to PLN 20 million These funds will be used to carry out basic research, industrial research, experimental development works and mandatory pre-implementation works in the project. The level of funding is up to 100% of the eligible costs in the project. The call for applications for funding, via the LSI system, will be run until 10 April 2026, at 16:00.

On 25 February, the National Centre for Research and Development plans to organize an information meeting in an online formula, where you will be able to learn about the details of the call.

• More information about the XIV GOSPOSTRATEG competition: https://www.gov.pl/web/ncbr/gospostrateg-xiv---konkurs-na-projekty-zamawiane
• Questions about the competition can be directed through the NCBR Information Point. gov.pl/web/ncbr/punkt-informacyjny

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The National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) is a government agency connecting the world of science and business. It creates the right conditions for conducting research and development. By co-financing R&D processes, it supports domestic entrepreneurs, significantly reducing their business risk accompanying the implementation of breakthrough research projects. The mission of the NCBR is to implement tasks serving the social and economic development of Poland and to solve specific civilizational problems of its inhabitants. NCBR implements a number of national and international programs, as well as projects related to state security and defence. The NCBR also acts as an Intermediary Institution in the operational programs of the European Union: European Funds for Modern Economy and European Funds for Social Development.

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