Demonstration of a hydrogen distribution system for a direct hydrogen combustion propulsion aircraft

Demonstration of a hydrogen distribution system for direct hydrogen combustion propulsion aircraft HORIZON-JU funds development and on-ground demonstration of tank-to-combustor hydrogen distribution and conditioning, targeting TRL5 for critical components (including a high-pressure hydrogen pump) and TRL4 for the overall fuel distribution system. The topic is an Innovation Action under Clean Aviation Call 4 within an indicative €329.5 million call package and significant allocation to hydrogen topics; individual project contributions are indicative and subject to evaluation and grant preparation. Eligible applicants are legal entities from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries, typically forming multi-country consortia, with Horizon Europe rules on funding rates (around 70 percent for for-profits and up to 100 percent for non-profits) applying. Single-stage submission opens late March 2026 and the deadline is 19 May 2026 via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Opportunity Overview

Demonstration of a hydrogen distribution system for a direct hydrogen combustion propulsion aircraft

Clean Aviation CfP 04 — HORIZON-JU-CLEAN-AVIATION-2026-04-HPA-04

What it funds: development and demonstration of a hydrogen distribution and conditioning system from the tank interface to the combustor for a direct hydrogen combustion propulsion aircraft. Targets demonstration of critical distribution and conditioning components (including a high-pressure hydrogen pump) at TRL5, on-ground fuel distribution system demonstration at TRL4 and a scaled on-ground demonstration of the engine thrust control function.

Action type and funding model:HORIZON-JU-IA (Innovation Actions) under the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking. Grant type HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG).

1. 1Who can apply: legal entities forming a consortium; usual Horizon Europe eligibility applies (participants from EU Member States and Horizon-associated countries; specific Clean Aviation rules apply).
2. 2Project focus: TRL progression to TRL5 for conditioning components and TRL4 for fuel distribution ground demonstrations; includes system-level thrust-control demonstration on ground.

Deadlines and timing: single-stage submission. Submission system planned to open late March 2026; deadline 19 May 2026 (Brussels time). Planned call opening: 31 March 2026. Apply through the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page Clean Aviation topic page. ¹

Practical notes: proposals must follow the Clean Aviation submission rules, templates and topic description published on the Portal. Eligibility, evaluation criteria, ethics, security and administrative rules follow the Horizon Europe and Call-specific General Annexes and Clean Aviation rules. Q&A documents and proposal templates will be published on the Portal; two Q&A releases are planned (17 Feb 2026 and 17 Apr 2026).

Footnotes

1. 1Official topic page and full topic description, conditions and templates available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Topic page.

Demonstration of a hydrogen distribution system for a direct hydrogen combustion propulsion aircraft (HORIZON-JU-CLEAN-AVIATION-2026-04-HPA-04)

Programme: Clean Aviation CfP 04 (HORIZON-JU-Clean-Aviation-2026-01); Type of action: HORIZON-JU-IA (Innovation Actions); Type of MGA: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]. Planned opening: 31 March 2026. Deadline: 19 May 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. Single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Topic Page.

Topic focus and expected outcomes

The topic targets the development and demonstration of the hydrogen distribution and conditioning system, from the tank interface to the combustor, for a direct hydrogen combustion propulsion aircraft. It foresees demonstration of critical distribution and hydrogen conditioning components, including the high-pressure hydrogen pump, reaching TRL 5, and an on-ground demonstration of the fuel distribution system at TRL 4. The project will also perform a scaled on-ground demonstration of the engine thrust control function.

Call- and process-wide references

• General conditions (admissibility, eligibility, award criteria, procedures, indicative timeline, and legal/financial set-up) refer to the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026–2027 General Annexes (Annexes A–G).
• Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CA JU) specific rules for submission, evaluation, selection, award and review apply, including the CAJU Large Scale Projects (IA Actions) evaluation template.
• Submission and evaluation are single-stage, with CAJU evaluation phases: Individual Evaluation, Consensus Group, Topic Panel Review, and optionally a Call Panel Review. Hearings with applicants may be organised during consensus if appropriate.
• Legal and financial provisions follow the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement (budget-based action grants).

Call budget and timing

• Overall Clean Aviation CfP 04 call budget year 2026: €329,500,000 (across multiple topics).
• Submission system planned to open by end of March 2026.
• Two Q&A document releases are foreseen: first on 17 February 2026 and second on 17 April 2026. Applicants should monitor the Topic Updates and Q&A sections on the portal.

Evaluation and grant preparation essentials

• Award criteria for IAs follow Horizon Europe: Excellence; Impact (weighted 1.5 for IAs); Quality and efficiency of the implementation. Thresholds: typically 3/5 per criterion and overall 10/15 (subject to the Work Programme rules).
• Evaluation phases: Phase 1 Individual Evaluation; Phase 2 Consensus Group; Phase 3 Topic Panel Review; Phase 4 optional Call Panel Review. Hearings may be used for clarification, synergy building and budget optimisation, without allowing proposal rewriting.
• Grant preparation may include technical and financial adjustments recommended by evaluators, alignment with CAJU SRIA/HLOs, budget optimisation, linking of actions, and where required, a Cooperation Agreement among selected actions.
• Ethics, security, and research integrity checks apply; proposals may undergo Ethics Screening/Assessment and, where applicable, security appraisal for sensitive information.

Key documents and templates available

• Application Form (Part A administrative forms; Part B technical description).
• Mandatory 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.
• Model Consortium Agreement (CA JU).
• Clean Aviation contract template for services by EASA (for certification-related support contracted by the consortium; costs chargeable under Article 6.2.C.3 of the HE MGA as other goods, works, and services).
• Standard Horizon Europe evaluation form templates (HE RIA/IA, CSA, two-stage, blind, PCP/PPI, COFUND, MSCA, EIC Pathfinder/Transition/Accelerator).
• Guidance: HE Programme Guide; HE MGA and Annotated MGA; general annexes; Online Manual; topic full description; Clean Aviation Work Programme 2026–27; CA JU SRIA.

Structured extraction and categorisation

Eligible Applicant Types:Legal entities from EU Member States or Associated Countries to Horizon Europe, including private and public organisations: SME, startup, large enterprise, university, research institute, nonprofit, NGO, public body/government agency, international European research organisations, and other entities with legal personality. Entities without legal personality may participate if their representatives can assume legal obligations. Under CA JU rules, applicants typically form consortia; however, a Clean Aviation specific derogation may allow a single legal entity established in an EU Member State or Associated Country to be eligible at topic level if duly justified in the Work Programme. Entities established in China are not eligible for Innovation Actions in any capacity. Entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine are not eligible. EU bodies can participate unless their basic act forbids it. International organisations may participate under specific conditions.

Funding Type:Grant (Horizon Europe budget-based action grant under the HORIZON Model Grant Agreement). Type of action: Innovation Action (IA) managed by the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking.

Consortium Requirement:Standard Horizon Europe consortium rule for collaborative actions applies: at least three independent legal entities each established in a different EU Member State or Associated Country, with at least one in an EU Member State. Clean Aviation may, where duly justified at topic level, derogate and allow a single legal entity established in a Member State or Associated Country. Given the scope and demonstration objectives (TRL4–5, integration from tank to combustor, thrust control), a multi-partner consortium with industry (including airframe/engine OEMs, Tier-1s), research organisations, and universities is typically expected for credible implementation.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Eligible to participate and receive funding: EU Member States (including outermost regions) and countries Associated to Horizon Europe. OCTs linked to Member States are eligible under specific rules. A wide list of low- and middle-income third countries is generally eligible for funding per Horizon Europe Annex B. Restrictions: entities established in China are not eligible to participate in Innovation Actions. Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or non-government controlled territories of Ukraine are not eligible to participate in any capacity. Additional restrictions for entities under EU restrictive measures and certain Hungarian public interest trusts apply as per Horizon Europe General Annex B.

Target Sector:Aviation and aerospace propulsion; hydrogen technologies and fuel systems; energy and climate-neutral aviation; aircraft systems integration; engine controls; high-pressure cryogenic hydrogen handling and conditioning.

Mentioned Countries:Regions and categories explicitly referenced include: EU Member States; Overseas Countries and Territories linked to Member States (e.g., Aruba, French Polynesia, Greenland, New Caledonia, Saint Barthélemy, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna, among others); Associated Countries to Horizon Europe (e.g., Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom). General Annex B also lists a broad set of low- and middle-income countries eligible for funding. Restrictions explicitly mention China (not eligible for IAs), Russia, Belarus, and non-government controlled territories of Ukraine (not eligible to participate), as well as entities subject to EU restrictive measures.

Project Stage (Technology Maturity):Development, validation, and demonstration. Specific targets: TRL5 for critical hydrogen distribution and conditioning components (including the high-pressure hydrogen pump) and TRL4 for an on-ground demonstration of the fuel distribution system. Scaled on-ground demonstration of engine thrust control function.

Funding Amount:No topic-specific EU contribution range is published in the provided materials. The overall Clean Aviation CfP 04 call budget for 2026 is €329,500,000 across multiple topics. Applicants should size budgets consistent with large-scale IA demonstration work at TRL4–5 (including component development, test rigs, safety and compliance work, controls and integration), and be prepared for budget optimisation during evaluation and grant preparation.

Application Type:Open call, single-stage submission through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposal templates and guidance are available on the portal; the submission system opens by the end of March 2026. Partner search functionality is available on the portal for this forthcoming topic.

Nature of Support:Financial support in the form of a Horizon Europe grant. In addition, the consortium may contract services from EASA under a separate Clean Aviation EASA service contract template for certification-related advice; such costs can be charged by the beneficiary as actual direct purchase costs (other goods, works and services) under the grant, if applicable.

Application Stages:1 stage (single-stage call). Internally, the CA JU evaluation proceeds through Individual Evaluation, Consensus Group, Topic Panel Review, and optionally a Call Panel Review. Hearings may be organised during evaluation for clarifications.

Success Rates:No success rate data is provided for this topic or call in the available materials.

Co-funding Requirement:Innovation Actions in Horizon Europe are typically funded at 70% of eligible costs, except for non-profit legal entities which may receive up to 100%. Therefore, for most for-profit beneficiaries, co-funding is required. Standard Horizon Europe cost eligibility, indirect cost flat-rate (25%), and no-profit/double-funding rules apply. Clean Aviation may also request budget optimisation and alignment with SRIA/HLOs during grant preparation.

Templates and structure of the application

• Part A (online forms): Administrative data for coordinator and beneficiaries, summarised budget, ethics and security questions.
• Part B (uploaded PDF): Technical description. Suggested structure aligned with Horizon Europe IA criteria: Excellence; Impact (incl. pathways, dissemination-exploitation-communication plan, open science, standardisation, IPR); Implementation (work plan, Gantt, resources, risk management, consortium profiles, capacity).
• Financial annexes (mandatory): Estimated budget for the action 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.
• Additional annexes/templates as needed by the project: Information on financial support to third parties (if foreseen by the topic); Information on clinical studies (not applicable here unless project scope expands to clinical work, which is unlikely for this aviation topic).
• Model Consortium Agreement (CA JU) to structure internal governance, IPR, access rights, decision-making, and conflict resolution.
• CA EASA service contract template (optional, if EASA advisory services are procured by the consortium).
• Evaluation forms: CAJU Large Scale Projects (IA) template will be used, aligned to Horizon Europe IA award criteria with Impact weighted 1.5.

What this opportunity is about (comprehensive summary)

This Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking Innovation Action aims to mature and demonstrate key technologies enabling the distribution and conditioning of liquid or gaseous hydrogen fuel from onboard tanks to combustors for direct hydrogen combustion propulsion in aircraft. The project is expected to integrate the end-to-end fuel path from the tank interface through pumps, lines, valves, control logic, and conditioning systems up to the combustor interface. Critical hydrogen distribution and conditioning components, notably a high-pressure hydrogen pump, should reach TRL 5, while a representative on-ground demonstration of the overall fuel distribution system should reach TRL 4. A scaled on-ground engine thrust control function demonstration is also required, indicating integration with control systems and the capacity to regulate thrust using hydrogen as a fuel. The scope inherently addresses safety, cryogenic storage and handling, pressure and temperature management, material compatibility, leakage detection and mitigation, purging and inerting strategies, icing and insulation, as well as performance, dynamic response, and system reliability. Certification considerations and standardisation pathways are relevant; Clean Aviation facilitates early engagement with EASA through a predefined service contract template to obtain advice on compliance with aviation safety, interoperability and environmental standards.

Applicants submit a single-stage proposal via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The call follows Horizon Europe rules and CA JU specific procedures. Proposals are evaluated on Excellence, Impact (weighted 1.5 for IAs), and Quality & Efficiency of the Implementation. CA JU conducts a robust multi-phase expert evaluation (individual reviews, consensus, panel review with possible hearings), and may request technical and budgetary adjustments during grant preparation to better align with the Clean Aviation SRIA and programme High Level Objectives, improve synergies and ensure portfolio consistency across funded actions. Innovation Actions are typically funded at 70% of eligible costs for for-profit participants (up to 100% for non-profit beneficiaries), so co-funding is expected, especially given the scope of component development, rig testing, and integrated ground demonstrations.

Eligibility mirrors Horizon Europe: consortia of independent entities from different EU Member States and Associated Countries are standard; CA JU may, where duly justified, allow a single legal entity established in a Member State or Associated Country, but the scope and complexity of this demonstration generally favour a multi-partner industrial-research consortium. Entities from China are not eligible to participate in Innovation Actions; entities from Russia, Belarus, and non-government controlled territories of Ukraine are excluded in any capacity. All general conditions on admissibility, ethics, research integrity, security, gender equality plans (where applicable), open science practices, IP management, and communication and visibility apply. The call budget across topics is €329.5 million in 2026; no specific budget range is published for this topic. Two Q&A releases are planned (17 February and 17 April 2026); applicants should monitor topic updates. Templates for technical and financial parts, budget annexes, model agreements, and evaluation forms are provided on the portal to help structure proposals coherently and comprehensively.

Footnotes

1. 1Official topic page and submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: HORIZON-JU-CLEAN-AVIATION-2026-04-HPA-04. Guidance and general annexes available through the portal’s Reference Documents and Online Manual.

Demonstration of a Hydrogen Distribution System for Direct Hydrogen Combustion Propulsion Aircraft

Opportunity Overview

This funding opportunity under Clean Aviation Call for Proposals 04 HORIZON-JU supports the development and demonstration of a hydrogen distribution and conditioning system from the tank interface to the combustor for direct hydrogen combustion propulsion aircraft. The focus is on demonstrating critical components, including the high-pressure hydrogen pump at TRL5, and on-ground demonstration of the fuel distribution system at TRL4, with a scaled ground demonstration of engine thrust control.

The call is part of a broader €329.5 million EU funding package for Clean Aviation CfP 04, targeting disruptive technologies for ultra-efficient short-medium range aircraft, hydrogen-powered aircraft, regional aircraft, fast-track areas, and transverse activities. Hydrogen propulsion receives significant emphasis, with €101 million allocated across related topics.

Key Objectives and Expected Outcomes

• Development and demonstration of hydrogen distribution and conditioning system for direct hydrogen combustion propulsion aircraft.
• TRL5 demonstration of critical components (e.g., high-pressure hydrogen pump).
• TRL4 on-ground demonstration of the fuel distribution system.
• Scaled on-ground demonstration of engine thrust control function.
• Alignment with Clean Aviation Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for hydrogen-powered aircraft concepts targeting Entry into Service (EIS) in the 2040s.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants include legal entities from EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and low/middle-income countries. Consortia must consist of at least three independent legal entities from different countries, with at least one from an EU Member State. Single entities or consortia not meeting this minimum may be eligible if specified in topic conditions. Private members of Clean Aviation JU must comply with membership agreements.

Type of Action:HORIZON-JU-IA (Innovation Actions) under HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG).

Eligible Countries:EU Member States, Associated Countries (e.g., UK, Norway, Switzerland, Israel), low/middle-income countries. Specific provisions for non-EU/Associated Countries in Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Funding Details

The total EU funding for Call 4 is €329.5 million, with an estimated €824 million total research effort including private sector contributions. Specific allocation for HPA topics (including this one) is €101 million. Individual project values are indicative; maximum EU contribution per project for similar topics is around €15-€18 million.

Timeline and Deadlines

Single-stage submission. Planned opening: 31 March 2026. Deadline: 19 May 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Evaluation results expected within 5 months; grant agreements around 8 months from deadline.

1. 1Call publication: 17 February 2026
2. 2Q&A Release 1: 17 February 2026
3. 3Q&A Release 2: 17 April 2026
4. 4Submission system opens: Late March 2026
5. 5Submission deadline: 19 May 2026
6. 6Evaluation outcome: ~October 2026

Application Process and Evaluation

Proposals submitted electronically via EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Single-stage process with page limits (typically 45 pages for IA). Evaluation by independent experts using Excellence (30%), Impact (50%, weighted 1.5 for IA), Quality and Efficiency of Implementation (20%). Thresholds: 3/5 per criterion, 10/15 overall.

Specific Clean Aviation rules apply, including CAJU Large Scale Projects evaluation template. Documents available now: Proposal templates, financial annexes (mid-March 2026), CAJU Model Consortium Agreement, EASA service contract template.

Key Documents:Full topic description, Clean Aviation Work Programme 2026-27, Q&A documents, HE General Annexes, Model Grant Agreement. Clean Aviation Portal

Consortium and Collaboration Requirements

Projects must align with CAJU SRIA and involve Clean Aviation JU members. Cooperation agreements may be required for linking actions. EASA collaboration possible via dedicated contract template for certification advice.

Additional Applicant Considerations

• Check topic updates and Q&A regularly.
• Partner search available on Funding & Tenders Portal.
• Ethics self-assessment required; no clinical studies or hESC involved.
• Gender equality plans required for public bodies, research organisations, higher education institutions.
• Support services: NCPs, Enterprise Europe Network, IPR Helpdesk.

Primary source: EU Funding Portal. Full details in Clean Aviation Work Programme 2026-27 and HE General Annexes. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Preliminary topic list and descriptions available at Clean Aviation Call 4 Documents. Q&A process explained in release documents.