AmCham Romania is pleased to invite members to a new seminar offered by Schuman Associates, on September 30, 2026 between 15:30 - 16:30.

Please note that this workshop will be ONLINE.

The EU Innovation Fund Heat Auction is a multi-billion instrument designed to make the electrification of industrial heat commercially viable. It supports companies that replace fossil-fuel-based heat with electrified solutions such as industrial heat pumps, electric boilers, induction and resistance heating, thermal storage, by paying a fixed premium for every tonne of CO₂ avoided, over a period of up to five years. Unlike a classic grant, it can cover both the investment and part of the additional operating cost that electrification creates, which is usually the point where the internal business case breaks down.

The second edition is expected to open in early December 2026, with a budget of €1 billion and submissions running until February 2027. Interest in the first round was strong with 85 projects submitted and 65 selected for funding – yet not a single Romanian company was among the awardees, and the instrument remains largely unknown in the market. For industrial operators with decarbonisation plans already on the table, this is a rare window: a competitive auction where a well-prepared bid has a realistic chance, and where the money follows the CO₂ actually avoided.

This session explains how the mechanism works in practice: which technologies and capacity thresholds qualify, how the premium is calculated and paid, what the indicative budget split between medium- and high-temperature heat means for different sectors, and what the calendar requires companies to have ready. It then moves to what evaluators actually rewarded in the first edition – how bids were priced, where applicants lost points, and which assumptions held up under scrutiny – drawn from Schuman Associates direct experience of supporting four successful projects in the 2025/2026 round. The session closes with an open Q&A, so participants can test their own project ideas against the rules while there is still time to act.

Content of the session will touch on:

• The instrument: how the Heat Auction works, budget, the December 2026 call and calendar
• Funding conditions: eligible technologies, thresholds, and how the premium per tonne of CO₂ avoided is calculated and paid
• Lessons from the first edition: bidding strategy, common pitfalls, and what a competitive bid looked like in practice

Who should attend

Romanian industrial companies with manufacturing operations that use heat in their production processes. Priority sectors: pulp and paper; food and beverage; chemicals; pharmaceuticals; textiles; glass, ceramics and construction materials; iron and steel; oil refining.

The session is designed for:

• Plant and operations directors
• Energy, environment and sustainability managers
• CFOs, investment and capital projects leads
• Strategy and business development managers responsible for decarbonisation roadmaps

What participants take away

• A clear view of whether their heat decarbonisation project fits the instrument, and against which budget window
• An understanding of how the premium per tonne of CO₂ avoided translates into cash flow over the support period
• The practical do's and don'ts of bid preparation and pricing, based on the first edition
• A realistic timeline for what has to be in place before the December 2026 opening/ February 2027 expected deadline
• A follow-up one-pager summarising the instrument and the key deadlines

The discussions will be held in English.

Participation is open based on prior confirmation here by September 28, 2026, EOD.

Lecturer: Anca Wlizło , Head of Strategic Projects Advisory at Schuman Associates

 Anca Wlizło has over eighteen years of experience in EU funding and strategic advisory, with particular expertise in the Innovation Fund and the financing of industrial decarbonisation projects.

She advises companies on translating clean-technology investments into competitive funding strategies, combining EU policy knowledge with detailed analysis of project eligibility, financial modelling, implementation readiness and greenhouse-gas reduction potential. 

Anca supports corporate organisations in identifying strategic investment opportunities arising from EU climate, energy and industrial policies. Her funding expertise includes the Innovation Fund, Important Projects of Common European Interest, Horizon Europe, the Modernisation Fund and complementary national instruments. 

She regularly speaks on EU climate policy, clean-technology investment and public funding. Her recent engagements include CleanTech: The European Industrial Renaissance – Policy, Strategy and Financing Insights, organised in partnership with Hydrogen Europe, and Scope & Status of the EU Green Deal, organised in partnership with Zero Chapter Brussels.