Cryo-cooled power electronics for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft

Call HORIZON-JU (Clean Aviation Call 4) supports development and demonstration of cryo-cooled motor inverter power electronics to reach TRL5 for fully electric hydrogen fuel cell aircraft. Single-stage HORIZON-JU-RIA with planned opening 31 March 2026 and deadline 19 May 2026, submissions via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; the Call 4 package has an indicative budget of €329.5 million and Fast Track Activities topics collectively receive an estimated €40 million. Eligible applicants are legal entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, typically forming consortia of at least three independent entities, and funding rates follow Horizon Europe RIA rules (up to 100% of eligible costs).

Opportunity overview

What it funds

Cryo-cooled power electronics for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft

Supports development and demonstration of a cryogenic (cryo-cooled) motor inverter power-electronics system to TRL5 integrated in a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell aircraft propulsion concept. The aim is to prove reliability and performance to enable more compact, efficient and scalable cryogenic electric propulsion systems.

Call budget (indicative):The Clean Aviation CfP 04 call package shows an indicative overall Clean Aviation contribution of €329,500,000 across topics; the topic-level allocation is determined during evaluation ¹.

1. 1Scope: RIA activity to develop and demonstrate a cryo-cooled motor inverter power electronics to TRL5 in an aircraft propulsion context
2. 2Who can apply: consortia of legal entities (industrial, research organisations, SMEs) established in eligible Member States or Associated Countries; follow the Clean Aviation eligibility rules in the call documentation
3. 3Deadline and timing: single-stage call with planned opening 31 March 2026 and deadline 19 May 2026 17:00 Brussels time

Footnotes

1. 1Topic page and full topic description (documents, templates and Q&A) are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal Topic page.

Cryo-cooled power electronics for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft — Opportunity Overview

Call identifier: HORIZON-JU. Programme: Clean Aviation CfP 04 (HORIZON-JU-Clean-Aviation-2026-01), under Horizon Europe. Type of action: HORIZON-JU-RIA (Research and Innovation Action). Deadline model: single-stage. Planned opening date: 31 March 2026. Deadline: 19 May 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page.

Scope and Expected Outcomes

The topic targets the development and demonstration of a cryo-cooled motor inverter power electronics system at TRL 5 for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft. The aim is to validate reliability and performance to enable more efficient, compact, and scalable cryogenic electric propulsion systems. Activities should lead to technology validation in a relevant environment and de-risk integration within cryogenic propulsion architectures, contributing to Clean Aviation objectives on climate-neutral aviation.

Key Administrative Details

• Type of MGA: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]
• Evaluation template: Clean Aviation JU Fast Track Activities (FTA) specific evaluation form
• Award criteria: Excellence, Impact, Quality and efficiency of the implementation (as per Horizon Europe General Annex D)
• Submission and evaluation: Single-stage procedure, conducted per Horizon Europe General Annex F and the Clean Aviation JU rules
• Indicative timing: Information on evaluation results typically within 5 months of the call deadline; grant agreement within around 8 months, as per Horizon Europe standards

Eligibility, Participation and Legal Set-up

General admissibility, eligibility, financial and operational capacity, exclusion rules, award criteria, and legal/financial set-up of grants follow Horizon Europe General Annexes (Annexes A-G). Specific Clean Aviation rules for submission, evaluation, selection, award, and review apply. There is an editorial clarification that references to Horizon Europe Work Programme 2021–2022 in the Clean Aviation rules document should be read as references to the Clean Aviation JU Work Programme adopted by the Governing Board.

Derogation on consortium composition:Where specified at topic level and duly justified, a single legal entity established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country, or consortia not meeting the standard HE consortium condition (Article 22(2) HE Regulation), may be eligible under Clean Aviation JU rules. Unless such a derogation is explicitly stated for this topic, standard Horizon Europe consortium composition rules apply.

Eligible countries:As per Horizon Europe General Annex B. Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories linked to them, and Associated Countries are eligible. Some low- and middle-income countries are eligible for funding, as listed in the General Annexes. Entities in Russia, Belarus, and non-government controlled territories of Ukraine are currently not eligible to participate in any capacity. Additional restrictions apply in Horizon Europe to certain action types; applicants should consult the General Annexes for details.

Budget

The total indicative budget for the Clean Aviation 2026-04 call package is €329,500,000. A topic-specific budget for HORIZON-JU is not published in the provided documentation. Multiple topics across RIA, IA, and CSA actions are covered under this overall call budget.

Submission Templates and Supporting Documents

• Application Form Part A and Part B through the Submission System
• Financial annex templates: Estimated budget per reporting period; Work Package description (Detailed); Work Package effort (Detailed); Cost Breakdown per beneficiary; Budget summary per applicant and work package; In Kind Contribution
• CA JU Model Consortium Agreement
• Clean Aviation service contract template for EASA support, to be used where EASA advisory or certification-related services are foreseen under Article 71 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2085
• Reference to standard Horizon Europe evaluation form templates and guidance documents (HE MGA, Programme Guide, Online Manual, Annotated Model Grant Agreement)

Topic Q&A and Updates

Two Q&A releases are foreseen: first on 17 February 2026 and second on 17 April 2026. Applicants should monitor the topic page for updates, including Q&A documents and any topic updates. The submission system is planned to open by the end of March 2026.

Structured Opportunity Classification and Guidance

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants include legal entities as defined under Horizon Europe, such as SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research and technology organizations, public sector bodies, and international European research organisations. Nonprofits and NGOs that qualify as legal entities may participate. Under Clean Aviation JU rules, and where specified at topic level, a single legal entity established in an EU Member State or Associated Country may exceptionally be eligible; otherwise, standard Horizon Europe consortium conditions apply. Third-country entities may participate subject to Horizon Europe eligibility and funding rules in Annex B of the General Annexes.

Funding Type

Grant funding under Horizon Europe, through a Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-JU-RIA). Costs are reimbursed according to Horizon Europe rules and the HORIZON Action Grant (budget-based) Model Grant Agreement.

Consortium Requirement

Default: a consortium of at least three independent legal entities from three different eligible countries, following Horizon Europe Article 22(2). Clean Aviation JU may allow derogations at topic level enabling a single applicant or a consortium that does not meet standard minimum composition, if explicitly provided and duly justified. This topic text does not explicitly announce such derogation; therefore, plan for a standard eligible consortium unless later topic updates specify otherwise.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Eligible: EU Member States (and their Overseas Countries and Territories), and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Certain low- and middle-income third countries are eligible for funding; other third-country entities may participate without EU funding except where exceptional funding is justified and allowed. Entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine are not eligible to participate in any capacity. Applicants should confirm final eligibility in Horizon Europe General Annex B and any Clean Aviation topic-specific conditions.

Target Sector

Aviation and aerospace with a focus on zero-emission and hydrogen-powered aircraft technologies. The topic’s technical scope strongly intersects with: electric propulsion systems, cryogenic systems and thermal management, power electronics and motor inverters, hydrogen fuel cell aircraft integration, and advanced materials/packaging for cryogenic environments. It also touches high-reliability electronics, systems engineering, and aircraft systems integration aligned with Clean Aviation’s climate-neutral objectives.

Mentioned Countries

No specific countries are named in the topic text beyond references to Horizon Europe eligibility frameworks. The geographic scope is EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and other eligible countries per General Annex B. Entities in Russia, Belarus, and non-government controlled territories of Ukraine are excluded from participation.

Project Stage (Technology Maturity)

Target outcome at TRL 5. Projects are expected to execute development and validation activities leading to technology validation in a relevant environment, including reliability and performance demonstration for cryogenic motor inverter power electronics.

Funding Amount

Total indicative budget for the Clean Aviation 2026-04 call package: €329,500,000. The specific budget allocated to topic HORIZON-JU is not disclosed in the provided documentation. RIA funding rates follow Horizon Europe rules (typically up to 100% of eligible costs).

Application Type

Open call under Horizon Europe, single-stage submission. Proposals are submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Admissibility and eligibility follow Horizon Europe General Annexes and Clean Aviation JU rules.

Nature of Support

Financial support in the form of grants (money). Non-financial support includes access to guidance materials, standard templates, Q&As, and—where relevant—potential advisory services from EASA under separate service contracts aligned with Clean Aviation Work Programme provisions.

Application Stages

Single-stage evaluation. Proposals are evaluated against Excellence, Impact, and Quality and efficiency of the implementation using the Clean Aviation JU FTA-specific evaluation template and Horizon Europe criteria and thresholds.

Success Rates

No success rate information is provided for this topic or call in the available documentation.

Co-funding Requirement

Horizon Europe RIA funding rates are typically 100% of eligible costs for all beneficiary types. No mandatory co-funding ratio is specified in the topic text. The standard principles of co-financing, no double funding, and sound financial management apply under the EU Financial Regulation.

Technical, Evaluation, and Legal Specifics to Observe

• Technology focus: design, build, and validate cryo-cooled motor inverter power electronics to TRL 5. Emphasis on reliability, compactness, efficiency, scalability, and integration within cryogenic electric propulsion chains.
• Evaluation: Excellence, Impact, Implementation. The CA JU FTA template applies. Focus on Clean Aviation programme High Level Objectives (HLOs) and SRIA alignment.
• Ethics and security: projects must comply with ethics, research integrity, data protection, and any security requirements if applicable. All standard Horizon Europe ethics procedures and documentation apply.
• Legal and financial set-up: HORIZON Action Grant (budget-based). Indirect costs apply via the standard 25% flat-rate on eligible direct costs, except where excluded by the MGA. RIA funding rate is typically 100%.
• EASA engagement: Where Clean Aviation foresees early engagement with EASA, applicants may use the dedicated Clean Aviation service contract template for EASA services, and may plan for related costs as eligible other goods and services within the grant (purchased services).

Templates and How Application Forms Look

Applicants use the standard Horizon Europe proposal structure via the Submission System. Beyond the online Part A forms (administrative data, participant details, budget summary), Part B (technical narrative) follows the Horizon Europe RIA structure aligned to the award criteria. Clean Aviation provides additional templates to structure the financial and work planning detail. The following are made available on the call page and/or within the portal:

• Proposal Application Form for this topic (Part A and Part B) in the Submission System
• Estimated budget for the actions per reporting period (financial annex)
• Work Package description (Detailed): objectives, tasks, deliverables, milestones, lead participants, interdependencies, risk management
• Work Package effort (Detailed): person-months per beneficiary per WP, distribution over time
• Cost Breakdown per beneficiary: personnel, subcontracting, purchase costs (travel, equipment, other goods/services), in-kind contributions, indirect costs
• Budget summary per applicant and work package
• In Kind Contribution template, where relevant
• CA JU Model Consortium Agreement covering governance, decision-making, IPR arrangements, access rights, dissemination and exploitation, financial distribution, and dispute resolution
• Clean Aviation contract template for the provision of services by EASA, including scope definition, charging mechanics per the EASA Fees and Charges Regulation, invoicing and payment terms, confidentiality, IP and liability clauses, and work planning (Project Information Document)

Evaluation Criteria and Thresholds

Per Horizon Europe General Annex D and CA JU evaluation guidance. Scores are given for Excellence, Impact, and Quality and efficiency of the implementation, typically on a 0–5 scale with half marks possible, with individual criterion thresholds and an overall threshold applicable. Single-stage procedure means the full proposal is evaluated once against the full set of criteria. The FTA evaluation template ensures explicit consideration of CAJU programme HLOs, SRIA alignment, and portfolio consistency.

Documentation and Reference Materials

• Horizon Europe General Annexes (2023–2025, as updated for 2026–2027): Annexes A–G for admissibility, eligibility, award criteria, procedural rules, and grant set-up
• Clean Aviation Work Programme 2026–27 and the Full Description of Topics
• Clean Aviation “Rules for submission, evaluation, selection, award and review procedures of Calls for Proposals”
• Model Grant Agreements (HE MGA), Annotated MGA, and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide
• Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual and Reference Documents
• Q&A Documents (first release 17.02.2026; second release 17.04.2026)

Summary and Practical Guidance

This Clean Aviation RIA seeks proposals that will design, develop, and validate a cryo-cooled motor inverter for hydrogen fuel cell electric aircraft at TRL 5. The emphasis is on achieving reliability, compactness, and scalable performance under cryogenic operation, enabling integration into future cryogenic propulsion systems. Consortia should combine expertise in aerospace power electronics, cryogenics, fuel cell systems integration, thermal management, high-reliability design, and aviation systems engineering. Proposals are submitted in a single stage via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, evaluated on Horizon Europe criteria using the Clean Aviation FTA template. The call operates under Horizon Europe General Annexes for admissibility, eligibility, and legal-financial rules, complemented by Clean Aviation JU-specific procedures. The overall call package budget is €329.5 million across multiple topics; topic-specific budgets are not published in the material provided. RIA funding rates typically cover up to 100% of eligible costs. Applicants should structure Work Packages to reach TRL 5 validation, include credible risk and quality management, ensure alignment with Clean Aviation’s HLOs and SRIA, consider early regulatory considerations (including potential EASA interactions via separate service contracts where relevant), and address dissemination, exploitation, and open science as per Horizon Europe requirements. Monitor the topic page for Q&A releases and any updates prior to submission.

Footnotes

1. 1Official topic and submission page: HORIZON-JU on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Topic page. Guidance and rules are set out in Horizon Europe General Annexes and Clean Aviation JU-specific rules and Work Programme documents available from the call page and Reference Documents.

Cryo-cooled Power Electronics for Fully Electric Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Aircraft

Opportunity Overview

This funding opportunity under Clean Aviation Call for Proposals 04 HORIZON-JU supports the development and demonstration of cryo-cooled motor inverter power electronics at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft. The objective is to prove reliability and performance, enabling more efficient, compact, and scalable cryogenic electric propulsion systems. Full details are in the topic description document published with the call.

Key Dates:Planned opening: 31 March 2026. Deadline: 19 May 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. Single-stage submission.

Funding Details

This topic falls within Call 4, with a total indicative EU budget of €329,500,000 across all topics. Specific budget for this topic is not individually specified, but Fast Track Activities (FTA) topics collectively receive €40 million across seven projects. Type of action: HORIZON-JU-RIA (Research and Innovation Action). Model Grant Agreement: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG). Funding rates follow standard Horizon Europe RIA rules (up to 100% for eligible costs).

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Legal entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries are eligible. Consortia must include at least three independent legal entities from different countries (at least one from an EU Member State). Derogations may apply for single entities or consortia not meeting minimum conditions if justified in the Work Programme. Non-EU entities may participate under specific conditions. Affiliated entities, associated partners, and subcontractors allowed with restrictions.

Admissibility Conditions

• Proposal page limits and layout as per Annex A and E of Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
• Part B layout as per Application Form in Submission System.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation uses CAJU Fast Track Activities (FTA) template. Standard RIA criteria: Excellence (threshold 3/5), Impact (threshold 3/5), Quality and efficiency of implementation (threshold 3/5), overall threshold 10/15. Scoring 0-5 per criterion.

Technical Scope and Expected Outcomes

Focus on cryo-cooled motor inverter power electronics at TRL5 for fully electric hydrogen fuel cell aircraft. Demonstrate reliability, performance, efficiency, compactness, and scalability of cryogenic systems. Topic part of broader Call 4 emphasizing hydrogen propulsion (HPA thrust), with synergies to hydrogen-powered aircraft concepts targeting zero CO2 emissions.

TRL and Demonstration Requirements

Minimum TRL3 at start, targeting TRL5 by project end. Ground demonstrations expected. Synergies with national/European programmes encouraged.

Application Process and Documents

Single-stage submission via EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Templates available now for preparation; submission system opens late March 2026. Key documents: Proposal Application Form, financial annexes (budget per period, work packages, cost breakdowns), CAJU Model Consortium Agreement, EASA services template. Check portal for updates.

1. 1Register in Participant Register.
2. 2Prepare using mock evaluation forms.
3. 3Submit electronically before deadline.
4. 4Q&A releases: 17 February 2026 and 17 April 2026.

Support Resources:National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), IT Helpdesk, IPR Helpdesk. Partner Search available on portal.

Specific Clean Aviation Rules

Follow Clean Aviation JU rules for submission, evaluation, selection, award, and review. Editorial note: References to Horizon Europe Work Programme 2021-2022 mean CAJU Work Programme. Award criteria in Annex D; FTA-specific evaluation template.

Risks and Recommendations

Proposals exceeding page limits may have excess pages blanked. Ensure compliance with ethics, security, and gender equality plans (for public bodies, research organisations, higher education). Monitor for updates on Q&As and documents. Strong consortia with industry/academia balance recommended for TRL advancement.

Primary source: Clean Aviation Topic Page. Check regularly for topic updates, Q&As, and templates.

Footnotes

1. 1Call 4 preliminary topics and budgets from Clean Aviation documents. FTA allocation estimated based on seven topics at €40M total.