ADEME grants: financing your ecological transition projects

Introduction

The French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME) supports businesses and other stakeholders in their ecological transition projects. Depending on the programme, its support can cover preliminary studies, investments, innovation, the development of solutions and their deployment. The scope and terms vary according to the scheme, the region, the sector and the type of beneficiary.

What projects can be covered?

Areas of intervention include in particular reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, the circular economy, waste prevention and recovery, air quality, mobility and the transition of industry. Some schemes cover diagnostics or studies; others support investments or innovation projects.

What funding levers are available?

ADEME mobilises several funds and programmes, including the Fonds Chaleur, the Fonds Économie circulaire, air- and mobility-related schemes, and calls for projects linked to France 2030. Depending on the scheme, support can take the form of aid for a study, support services, or project financing. Rates, caps, eligible expenses and cumulation rules must be checked in the applicable regulations.

Which businesses can apply?

Beneficiaries vary from one scheme to another. Micro-businesses (TPE), SMEs, mid-sized companies (ETI) and large groups may be eligible depending on the programme, but some grants are reserved for specific sectors, territories, operations or categories of beneficiaries. In particular, check the applicant's status, the project's location, the eligible expenses and the date from which expenses can start.

How to submit an application?

Start from the official catalogue of business grants and filter by theme, project type and location. Then open the scheme's page to check whether it is open, the deadline, the criteria, the documents required and the submission process. For an investment project, check the rules on starting works or placing orders before incurring expenses: these can affect eligibility.

How can Capital OS help?

Capital OS matches a company's characteristics and project against the listed grants to surface potential funding leads. This initial selection is neither a decision by ADEME nor a guarantee of eligibility. You must then check the operator, the regulations in force, whether the scheme is open, the territory, the eligible expenses and the cumulation rules.

FAQ

Does ADEME only fund energy projects? No: its scope also covers the circular economy, air quality, mobility, soil and other ecological transition issues. Are all grants investment grants? No: studies, diagnostics and support services may also be covered. Does a grant listed in a database mean it is necessarily open? No, its status and timeline must be checked on the official page. Can several grants be combined? This depends on the regulations and the applicable public aid rules.

Call to action

Identify the ADEME schemes that may match your project, then check the criteria and dates on the official pages.

ADEME financing

Overview of funding missions, funds and general award terms.

Catalogue of financial grants for businesses

Official catalogue, filterable by theme, project type and location.

Financial grants for businesses

General overview of ADEME support and the ecological transition projects concerned.

44 grants associated in the database

The catalogue below lists 44 distinct IDs associated with ADEME (funder ID 590) in AIDES_FINANCEURS_MASTER.

Full catalogue of the 44 grants

The categories are suggested editorial groupings, not an official ADEME classification.

Scheme name

Suggested editorial category