Open Call 1: Cybersecurity Technology Enhancement for Offshore Wind Energy Operators

Deadline: 06-Nov-2026

The AENAON Project is inviting applications for sub-grants to support external organizations developing and validating cybersecurity solutions for offshore wind energy operations and related critical infrastructure. The first AENAON competitive Open Call aims to accelerate the development, integration, and validation of cybersecurity technologies specifically designed for offshore wind energy operators. Selected projects will contribute to enhancing AENAON’s Federated Digital Twin-based Cyber Range Platform and related cybersecurity preparedness services.

About the AENAON Project Open Call

The initiative is designed to encourage external innovation in cybersecurity for offshore wind energy environments. Funded sub-projects should address operational cybersecurity challenges and help improve the sector’s ability to detect, prevent, assess, and respond to cyber threats. Projects may focus on areas such as: - Advanced threat detection. - Predictive analytics. - Operational technology (OT) security. - Cybersecurity compliance. - NIS2 and CER requirements. - Digital-twin simulations. - SCADA and OT assessments. - Penetration-testing validation. - Real-world pilot testing. - Knowledge sharing and dissemination.

Objectives of Open Call 1

The first Open Call has several key objectives.

The funded projects are expected to:

- Enhance the capabilities of the AENAON cybersecurity platform. - Develop offshore-wind-specific cyber-threat scenarios. - Create and test incident-response scenarios. - Validate cybersecurity solutions in realistic IT/OT environments. - Assess operational readiness and integration. - Generate evidence supporting wider adoption of cybersecurity technologies. - Contribute to future scaling of validated cybersecurity solutions across the offshore wind sector. What Types of Projects Are Supported? Projects should focus on practical cybersecurity challenges affecting offshore wind operations and associated critical infrastructure.

Activities may include:

- Testing advanced cyber-threat detection technologies. - Developing predictive cybersecurity analytics. - Integrating OT-security solutions. - Conducting digital-twin-based cyber simulations. - Performing SCADA/OT cybersecurity assessments. - Validating solutions through penetration testing. - Conducting real-world pilot activities. - Developing compliance strategies aligned with NIS2/CER requirements. - Sharing knowledge and disseminating project results. How Much Funding Is Available? Financial support is provided through a lump-sum sub-grant covering 50% of the eligible sub-project budget. Each participating legal entity may receive a maximum of €100,000. The total indicative budget available for this Open Call round is €2.1 million. Payment Structure The sub-grant payments are structured around the progress of the funded project. Payments are expected to be made as follows: - 30% upon contracting. - 40% at the mid-term review. - 30% upon final completion. The final amount is determined through a needs-based and auditable process. Who Can Apply? The Open Call is open to organizations involved in offshore wind energy, cybersecurity, research, technology development, and related sectors.

Eligible applicants include:

- Offshore wind energy operators. - Manufacturers. - Supply-chain stakeholders. - Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). - Technology providers. - Cybersecurity service providers. - Research and innovation organizations. - National Coordination Centres. Applicants must be legally established in an eligible country. Geographic Eligibility Eligible organizations must be legally established in: - An EU Member State. - Iceland. - Liechtenstein. - Norway. For consortium applications, all consortium members must independently meet the country-eligibility requirements. Who Is Not Eligible? Entities that are already benefiting from the AENAON Grant Agreement are not eligible to receive funding under this Open Call. Consortium members must also independently satisfy the applicable geographic eligibility requirements. Application Requirements Applications must be submitted electronically through the official AENAON Open Call portal. Applicants are required to use the prescribed technical proposal template and submit all required declarations and supporting documents. Proposals should clearly explain the proposed cybersecurity solution, its technical approach, expected impact, and implementation plan. How Will Applications Be Evaluated? Proposals will be evaluated using three main criteria: - Excellence. - Impact. - Implementation. Applications must meet the specified minimum scoring thresholds. Eligible proposals will be ranked through a transparent evaluation and ranking process. Why the AENAON Open Call Matters Offshore wind farms rely on increasingly connected IT and OT systems, creating a need for cybersecurity solutions that can address real operational risks. The AENAON Open Call provides organizations with an opportunity to develop and test technologies in realistic environments while contributing to a cybersecurity platform designed around Federated Digital Twin technology. The focus on pilot testing, simulations, threat scenarios, and operational validation can also help generate evidence needed for broader adoption and future scaling within the offshore wind sector. Key Facts About AENAON Open Call 1

- Project: AENAON

- Open Call: Open Call 1

- Focus: Cybersecurity for offshore wind energy operations

- Maximum sub-grant: €100,000 per participating legal entity

- Funding rate: 50% of eligible sub-project budget

- Total indicative budget: €2.1 million

- Payment schedule: 30% contracting, 40% mid-term review, 30% final completion

- Funding type: Lump-sum sub-grant

- Eligible applicants: Offshore wind operators, manufacturers, supply-chain stakeholders, SMEs, technology providers, cybersecurity providers, research and innovation organizations, and National Coordination Centres - Eligible countri