Demonstration of an integrated hydrogen fuel system for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft

Demonstration of an Integrated Hydrogen Fuel System for Fully Electric Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Aircraft is a Horizon Europe Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking Innovation Action topic funding the development and demonstration of hydrogen tank pressure management, distribution and conditioning systems for fuel cell aircraft. The topic targets component demonstrations at TRL5 and an on-ground integrated fuel distribution system demonstration at TRL4, with the portal planned to open 31 March 2026 and a single-stage submission deadline on 19 May 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. The overall Clean Aviation Call 4 budget is €329,500,000 across topics and similar hydrogen-powered aircraft topics indicate individual projects in the €15-€50 millionrange, with up to one project expected for this topic. Eligible applicants are consortia of independent legal entities from different EU Member States or Associated Countries meeting Horizon Europe eligibility and admissibility rules, and proposals will be evaluated on excellence, impact and implementation using CAJU templates.

Opportunity Overview

Demonstration of an integrated hydrogen fuel system for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft

Call reference and action type

Call Clean Aviation CfP 04 (HORIZON-JU-Clean-Aviation-2026-01). Topic HORIZON-JU. Type of action: HORIZON-JU-IA Innovation Action. Grant type: Horizon Action Grant (budget-based).

What it funds:Development and demonstration of the integrated hydrogen fuel system for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft, targeting demonstration of hydrogen distribution and conditioning components at TRL5 and on‑ground integrated fuel distribution system at TRL4 ¹.

1. 1Technology focus: hydrogen tank pressure management, distribution and conditioning systems for fuel cell aircraft
2. 2Project maturity: demonstrations aimed at TRL5 (components) and TRL4 (integrated on‑ground system)
3. 3Action type: large innovation / demonstration projects requiring consortia

Who can apply

Eligible applicants are legal entities (single or consortia) established in EU Member States and countries associated to the programme; consortia must follow the call/topic eligibility rules and appoint a coordinator. National rules on participation, ethical, security and procurement requirements apply as specified in the call documents.

Timing and submission:Call planned to open 31 March 2026; single-stage submission deadline 19 May 2026 17:00 Brussels time. Proposal forms and templates available in the Portal when the call opens. See Data Sheet and topic documents for mandatory templates and Q&A schedule ¹.

Funding and scale

This topic is funded under the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking within Horizon Europe. The call publication provides the aggregate budget for the CfP; topic-level indicative project funding is not specified on the topic page — applicants should consult the topic description and budget overview in the Portal for project size guidance and expected funding modalities.

Key application notes

1. 1Use the Proposal Application Form and submission templates provided on the Portal
2. 2Comply with eligibility and admissibility rules in the Work Programme General Annexes
3. 3Address ethics, security and IPR provisions and include required annexes (financial templates, cooperation agreements where applicable)

Start preparing technical plans and consortium arrangements now: templates and many supporting documents are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal; topic Q&As are scheduled prior to the deadline. The submission system is planned to open at the time indicated above.

Footnotes

1. 1Full topic description, conditions and supporting documents (templates, Q&A schedule and topic annexes) are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page Portal topic page.

Demonstration of an integrated hydrogen fuel system for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft (HORIZON-JU-CLEAN-AVIATION-2026-04-HPA-02)

Programme: Clean Aviation CfP 04 under Horizon Europe (HORIZON-JU-Clean-Aviation-2026-01). Type of action: HORIZON-JU-IA (Horizon JU Innovation Actions). Grant model: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]. Call status: Forthcoming.

• Planned opening date: 31 March 2026
• Deadline date: 19 May 2026, 17:00:00 Brussels time (single-stage submission)
• Submission: Online via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Topic page
• Call reference: HORIZON-JU
• Related programme documents: Clean Aviation Work Programme 2026-27, Full Description of Topics, CAJU Rules for Submission/Evaluation/Selection/Award/Review, Horizon Europe General Annexes

Scope and expected outcomes

The topic targets the development and demonstration of the integrated hydrogen fuel system for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft. It covers the end-to-end fuel chain: from hydrogen tank pressure management through hydrogen distribution to hydrogen conditioning. The expected outcomes are two-fold: (1) demonstration of the critical hydrogen distribution and conditioning components at TRL 5; and (2) on-ground demonstration of the integrated fuel distribution system at TRL 4.

• Technology readiness levels: TRL 5 for key distribution/conditioning components; TRL 4 for integrated on-ground fuel distribution system demonstration.
• Technical domains likely in scope: cryogenic or compressed hydrogen storage interfaces; pressure and temperature management; boil-off handling; distribution architectures; valves, regulators, pumps/compressors; hydrogen conditioning to fuel-cell inlet requirements (pressure, temperature, purity, phase); inerting, leak detection and safety mitigation; isolation, purging, and emergency shut-off; ground test integration and verification; interfaces to fuel-cell systems and electrical power systems; system safety and certification pre-work; manufacturability and maintainability considerations.

Budgetary context and funding rate

The call HORIZON-JU-CLEAN-AVIATION-2026-04 has an indicative overall budget of €329,500,000 for 2026 across multiple topics (IA and RIA/CSA). The specific budget envelope and indicative number of grants for this topic (HPA-02) are not specified in the provided materials. Funding rate for Innovation Actions under Horizon Europe is generally 70% of eligible costs for for-profit entities and up to 100% for non-profit legal entities, in accordance with the Horizon Europe rules and the Clean Aviation JU grant model.

Evaluation and selection

• Single-stage proposal submission and evaluation.
• Award criteria (Horizon Europe IA): Excellence, Impact (weighted 1.5 for IAs), and Quality and efficiency of the Implementation, as adapted by CAJU.
• Evaluation process steps: Individual evaluation; Consensus group; Topic Panel Review; optional Call Panel Review. Hearings with applicants may be organised during consensus to clarify technical aspects, synergies, scope alignment, and budget optimisation.
• Indicative timeline: Information on the outcome of the evaluation around 5 months after the deadline; indicative grant agreement signature around 8 months after the deadline, per Horizon Europe General Annex F.
• CAJU-specific rules and templates apply (e.g., Evaluation Form CAJU Large Scale Projects (IA Actions)).

Materials, templates, and guidance

• Application is via the Portal Part A (administrative forms) and Part B (technical annex). Page limits follow Horizon Europe General Annexes; for full IA applications, the limit is typically 45 pages for Part B (unless specified otherwise in the submission system).
• Available or forthcoming templates in the call publication: Application Form for this topic; financial annex templates (estimated budget per reporting period, detailed work package description and effort, cost breakdown per beneficiary, budget summary per applicant and work package, in-kind contribution); CA JU Model Consortium Agreement.
• CA JU Specific Rules for submission, evaluation, selection, award, and review procedures: see CAJU-GB-2022-03-16 Rules for submission calls CAJU Rules.
• Model Grant Agreement (Horizon Action Grant, budget-based) and General Annexes to Horizon Europe Work Programme.
• Clean Aviation contract template for the provision of services by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), to be used if EASA advisory/certification-related services are needed (under Article 71 of the Single Basic Act establishing the JUs).
• Evaluation form templates (HE RIA/IA/CSA etc.) and guidance documents (Programme Guide; Online Manual; Annotated Grant Agreement).

Q&A schedule:Q&A Document releases are foreseen on 17 February 2026 and 17 April 2026. Applicants should regularly monitor the topic page for Topic Updates and Q&As.

Partner search and support:A Partner Search function on the Portal allows publication of partner requests for forthcoming/open topics. Support is available via the Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (including in many non-EU and non-associated third countries), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, IPR Helpdesk, and standardisation helpdesks (CEN-CENELEC and ETSI).

Categorisation and structured information

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants are legal entities from eligible countries per Horizon Europe Annex B, including: startups and SMEs; large enterprises (e.g., airframers, propulsion/fuel system OEMs, hydrogen technology providers); universities; research institutes and RTOs; nonprofit organisations; public bodies; and international European research organisations. Entities established in non-associated third countries may participate under the Horizon Europe rules, typically without funding unless conditions for exceptional funding are met. Individuals as natural persons may participate only where they qualify as legal entities under applicable rules; the typical applicant profile for this IA is organisational (not individual).

Funding Type

Grant (Horizon JU Innovation Action), budget-based, reimbursing eligible costs per the Horizon Action Grant. Funding rate generally 70% for for-profit entities; up to 100% for non-profit legal entities.

Consortium Requirement

By default, Horizon Europe collaborative actions require a consortium of at least three independent legal entities each established in a different EU Member State or Associated Country. Clean Aviation JU may apply a derogation allowing a single legal entity or consortia not meeting the standard Article 22(2) condition where justified and specified at topic level in the CAJU Work Programme; no explicit derogation is stated for this topic in the provided materials, so the standard three-entity multinational consortium rule applies.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Eligible for funding: EU Member States (including outermost regions), Overseas Countries and Territories linked to Member States (as applicable), and countries associated to Horizon Europe. Other third-country participants may join without funding unless exceptional funding is foreseen and justified. Additional restrictions (e.g., EU restrictive measures, Russia/Belarus, non-government controlled territories of Ukraine, 5G high-risk suppliers, China in IAs in general Horizon Europe context) apply as per the Horizon Europe General Annexes. Clean Aviation topics may also set participation limits for strategic interests; none specific beyond Horizon Europe general conditions are cited here.

Target Sector

Aviation and aerospace; hydrogen technologies; energy and fuel systems; safety and certification; powertrain integration for hydrogen fuel cell aircraft; materials and components for hydrogen distribution and conditioning; test and validation infrastructure. Cross-cutting with cleantech, environment/climate, and industrial processes.

Mentioned Countries

Region-level references include the European Union and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Deadline time is specified as Brussels time. No single specific country is confined as eligible or targeted beyond standard Horizon Europe eligibility; EASA as a service provider is an EU agency headquartered in Germany but this does not impact eligibility. Therefore, the applicable region is EU and Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

Project Stage

Development, validation, and demonstration. Target TRLs are TRL 5 (component/subsystem validation in relevant environment) for hydrogen distribution and conditioning components and TRL 4 (component/subsystem validation in laboratory environment) for integrated on-ground fuel distribution system demonstration.

Funding Amount

The total call budget for 2026 across Clean Aviation CfP 04 is €329,500,000. The topic-specific budget share and indicative number of grants are not provided in the available text. Applicants should consult the Full Description of Topics and the call budget tables in the Portal when available to confirm topic-level budget envelopes and expected grant sizes.

Application Type

Open competitive call, single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission opens 31 March 2026 and closes 19 May 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

Nature of Support

Monetary support in the form of a grant (reimbursement of eligible costs). Non-monetary facilitation includes access to official templates, partner search, and potential EASA advisory services through a separate service contract template where relevant to certification-readiness activities.

Application Stages

One stage (single-stage). The evaluation process includes individual evaluations, consensus, Topic Panel review, and an optional Call Panel cross-review.

Success Rates

Not specified. No historical success rate is provided for this topic. Success rates vary per call and topic based on the number and quality of proposals and available budget.

Co-funding Requirement

Yes, for for-profit entities under Innovation Actions (funding rate generally 70% of eligible costs), implying at least 30% co-funding. Non-profit legal entities may receive up to 100% funding of eligible costs. Additional in-kind contributions may be part of the consortium commitments in Clean Aviation actions as per CAJU Work Programme provisions.

Templates and application structure

• Proposal structure: Part A (online forms: administrative data, participants, budget); Part B (technical description, typically up to 45 pages for IA full proposals unless otherwise indicated in the system); Annexes as required.
• 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.
• Legal/consortium documents: CA JU Model Consortium Agreement; Clean Aviation service contract template for EASA advisory services.
• Evaluation form templates: Standard HE evaluation forms for IA; CA JU Large Scale Projects template applies.
• Guidance and rules: HE Programme Guide; HE General Annexes (notably Annexes A-G); HE Online Manual; EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement; CAJU Rules for submission/evaluation/selection/award/review.
• Q&A mechanism: Topic Q&A releases on 17 February 2026 and 17 April 2026; applicants must monitor Topic Updates.

Key compliance and evaluation details

• Award criteria (Innovation Actions): Excellence; Impact (weighted 1.5); Quality and efficiency of the Implementation. Proposals must pass individual thresholds (typically 3/5 for each criterion) and an overall threshold (typically 10/15).
• Evaluation phases managed by CAJU with independent external experts, consensus moderation by CAJU staff, Topic Panels for consistency, optional Call Panel for portfolio alignment with SRIA and High Level Objectives.
• Hearings (optional) may be held to clarify technical aspects, synergies, scope alignment, and to recommend technical/financial adjustments for Grant Agreement Preparation.
• Ethics and security: Projects must comply with the highest ethical standards and applicable EU/national law; security considerations apply for any sensitive/classified information.
• IPR and communication: Background access for implementation; results ownership remains with beneficiaries; mandatory EU visibility and funding statement in communications; quality and disclaimer requirements apply.
• Timeline norms (HE General Annex F): ~5 months to inform on evaluation; ~8 months to sign grant agreement.

What this opportunity is about and how to explain it

This Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking topic funds the design, build, and demonstration of hydrogen fuel systems tailored for fully electric, fuel-cell powered aircraft. The work will advance critical hydrogen distribution and conditioning components to TRL 5 and demonstrate an integrated on-ground fuel distribution system at TRL 4. This includes maturing pressure and temperature management, safety systems, and interfaces across the hydrogen chain—from tank to fuel cell—in an aviation-relevant context. The topic sits within the Horizon Europe Innovation Action framework and uses single-stage evaluation. Consortia typically combine aircraft integrators, fuel system specialists, hydrogen technology suppliers, safety and system engineers, and academic/RTO partners, often with engagement on certification-readiness aspects (e.g., via EASA advisory services under a separate service contract). Funding is competitive and granted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposals must clearly justify the system architecture, safety and certification strategies, TRL advancement plan, ground-integration and test methods, and how results will reduce risk for future hydrogen-powered aircraft development. Impact is central and weighted higher than other criteria; proposals must present credible exploitation pathways aligned with Clean Aviation’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda and the EU’s climate neutrality goals. Applicants should prepare a robust work plan, risk and safety analysis (including hydrogen hazards and mitigations), verification and validation plans, and interfaces to partnered fuel cell and power systems, within a consortium meeting Horizon Europe eligibility. All submissions are subject to Horizon Europe rules and the Clean Aviation JU’s specific procedures and templates. See the official topic page for submission and the CAJU rules document for the full evaluation and award process ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official topic page and call documentation: HORIZON-JU on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Topic page. CAJU Rules for submission/evaluation/selection/award/review: CAJU Rules.

Demonstration of an Integrated Hydrogen Fuel System for Fully Electric Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Aircraft

Opportunity Overview

This funding opportunity under Clean Aviation CfP 04 HORIZON-JU supports the development and demonstration of an integrated hydrogen fuel system, from the hydrogen tank pressure management system to the hydrogen distribution and conditioning system, for a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft. The focus is on demonstrating critical distribution and hydrogen conditioning components at TRL5 and on-ground demonstration of the integrated fuel distribution system at TRL4. Full details are in the topic description document published with the call.

Programme and Type of Action:Horizon Europe Joint Undertaking Innovation Action (HORIZON-JU-IA). Model Grant Agreement: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG).

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

Funding Details

The total call budget for Clean Aviation CfP 04 is €329,500,000 across multiple topics. Specific budget for this topic is not individually specified but forms part of the Hydrogen Powered Aircraft (HPA) stream, with similar HPA topics allocated €15-€50 millioneach. Up to 1 project expected. Maximum EU contribution per project is typically aligned with topic scope, with proposals above specified limits ineligible.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Consortia of at least three independent legal entities from different EU Member States or Associated Countries, with at least one from an EU Member State. Single entities or consortia not meeting minimum conditions may be eligible if specified in the topic. Eligible countries per Horizon Europe Annex B. Non-EU entities eligible under specific conditions. Private members of Clean Aviation JU (founding and associated members) have committed to substantial contributions.

Admissibility and Eligibility Conditions

• Proposal page limits and layout per Horizon Europe General Annexes A and E.
• Financial and operational capacity per Annex C.
• Evaluation criteria per Annex D (excellence, impact, implementation).
• Specific Clean Aviation rules for submission, evaluation, and review.

Technical Scope and Expected Outcomes

Targets demonstration of critical distribution and hydrogen conditioning components at TRL5 and on-ground integrated fuel distribution system at TRL4. Supports Clean Aviation SRIA hydrogen-powered aircraft concepts (fully electric fuel cell or direct combustion propulsion). Aligns with HPA thrust for zero-CO2 aircraft with entry-into-service 2035-2040s.

Key Technical Requirements

• Hydrogen tank pressure management to distribution/conditioning system.
• Ground demonstration at TRL4; components at TRL5.
• Integration into fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft.
• See topic description for full details.

Application Process and Evaluation

Single-stage submission via EU Funding & Tenders Portal (opens late March 2026). Templates available now. Evaluation per Horizon Europe Annexes D-F: excellence (threshold 3/5), impact (1.5 weight for IA, threshold 3/5), quality/efficiency of implementation (threshold 3/5). Overall threshold 10/15. Specific template: CAJU Large Scale Projects (IA Actions). Indicative timeline: evaluation results ~5 months post-deadline; grant signature ~8 months.

Key Documents

• Proposal templates (available in submission system late March 2026; examples now).
• Financial annexes (mid-March 2026): budget per period, WP description/effort, cost breakdown.
• CA JU Model Consortium Agreement.
• Q&A releases: 17 February 2026 and 17 April 2026.
• Full topic descriptions, Clean Aviation Work Programme 2026-27, SRIA.

Conditions and Requirements

General Conditions

• Admissibility: page limits/layout per Annexes A/E.
• Eligibility: Annex B (countries, other conditions).
• Financial/operational capacity/exclusion: Annex C.
• Evaluation: Annex D (criteria/thresholds); specific CAJU template.
• Submission processes: Annex F/Online Manual.
• Legal/financial set-up: Annex G.

Specific Conditions

• TRL targets: TRL5 components, TRL4 integrated system.
• Consortium must demonstrate capacity for large-scale demonstration.
• Alignment with Clean Aviation SRIA HPA concepts.
• Check portal for updates; Q&A process explained in release 1 document.

Support and Resources

Partner search available on portal. EASA services possible via contract template. National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), IT Helpdesk, IPR Helpdesk, Research Enquiry Service. Online Manual, Programme Guide, EU Grants AGA.

Primary source: EU Funding Portal. Check regularly for updates, Q&As, templates.

Footnotes

1. 1Budget figures from call overview; individual topic allocations estimated from similar HPA topics (e.g., €18M indicated). Confirm in final call documents.