Hydrogen powered aircraft concepts and key technologies integration and impact assessment

Clean Aviation CfP 04 HORIZON-JU is an Innovation Action to integrate and assess hydrogen-powered aircraft concepts from the CAJU SRIA, targeting coherent aircraft architectures at TRL4 and delivering performance, emissions and maturity assessments. Eligible applicants form consortia of legal entities from at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries, must sign a CAJU Cooperation Agreement if selected, and may receive Horizon funding at up to 70% (100% for non-profit entities). The topic is part of a €329.5 million Call 4 budget and follows a single-stage submission with the portal opening end March 2026 and a deadline of 19 May 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

Hydrogen powered aircraft concepts and key technologies integration and impact assessment

Call reference and type

HORIZON-JU-CLEAN-AVIATION-2026-04-ACI-01 — Innovation Action (IA)

Purpose: integrate and assess two hydrogen aircraft concepts described in the CAJU SRIA — fully electric hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion and direct hydrogen combustion — by coordinating CAJU key technology projects into a comprehensive aircraft concept at TRL4, demonstrating viability and delivering performance, emissions and maturity assessments.

What it funds:Project activities to integrate technology project outputs into an aircraft concept at roughly TRL4, perform system-level performance and emissions assessment, maturity analysis and coordination across CAJU projects; deliverables, demonstrations and assessments expecting to inform certification and deployment pathways Topic page ¹

Who can apply:Consortia of legal entities (coordinator + beneficiaries). Eligible participants are legal entities established in EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries; specific Clean Aviation JU eligibility and submission rules apply (see General Annexes and CAJU rules). Applicants must follow Horizon Europe procedures and CAJU-specific guidance; winners will have to sign a CAJU Cooperation Agreement and may involve EASA for certification-related inputs.

1. 1Type of action: HORIZON-JU-IA Innovation Action
2. 2Submission model: single-stage
3. 3Planned opening: 31 March 2026
4. 4Deadline: 19 May 2026, 17:00 Brussels time
5. 5Expected TRL targeted for integrated aircraft concept: ~TRL4

Documents and templates: call topic description, proposal application form and CAJU-specific rules and templates are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal; financial annex templates to be published around mid-March 2026. Two Q&A releases planned (17 Feb 2026 and 17 Apr 2026).

Evaluation and contractual notes: proposals evaluated against Horizon/CAJU award criteria (excellence, impact, quality and efficiency of implementation). Selected proposals enter grant preparation; beneficiaries sign Horizon Action Grant (HORIZON-AG) and must comply with CAJU rules, ethics and security provisions. Cooperation Agreement requirement for successful consortia is mandatory under this call.

Practical next steps:Prepare a multi‑partner proposal (legal entities validated in the Participant Register), follow Part B page limits in the Portal application form, collect consortium commitments and plan for CAJU Cooperation Agreement; monitor Topic Updates on the Portal and submit before the 19 May 2026 deadline.

Support and contacts: use the Funding & Tenders Portal helpdesk, national Contact Points, Clean Aviation call mailbox and Partner Search to build consortia and ask administrative/technical questions. Q&A documents and topic updates will be published on the Portal.

Footnotes

1. 1Full topic publication and call documentation are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

Hydrogen powered aircraft concepts and key technologies integration and impact assessment (HORIZON-JU-CLEAN-AVIATION-2026-04-ACI-01)

Programme: Clean Aviation CfP 04 (HORIZON-JU-Clean-Aviation-2026-01) under Horizon Europe. Type of action: HORIZON-JU-IA (Innovation Action). Managed by the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU). Official topic page: HORIZON-JU-CLEAN-AVIATION-2026-04-ACI-01.

Status and timing: Forthcoming. Planned opening date: 31 March 2026. Single-stage deadline: 19 May 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Submission through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The submission system is expected to open by the end of March 2026.

Scope and expected outcomes

Objective: Integrate and assess at aircraft-concept level the Clean Aviation SRIA hydrogen-powered pathways by coordinating key technology projects into coherent aircraft architectures at TRL4, and deliver a robust performance, emissions, and maturity assessment.

• Concept integration: Fully electric hydrogen fuel-cell powered aircraft concept and direct hydrogen combustion propulsion aircraft concept from the Clean Aviation SRIA.
• System-level maturity: Achieve integrated aircraft-concept validation at TRL4, addressing architecture choices, system interactions, integration constraints, and certification-readiness aspects.
• Impact assessment: Provide quantified performance and emissions analyses, including non-CO2-relevant parameters (e.g. NOx and water at altitude) per Clean Aviation guidance, and a technology maturity and risks assessment mapped to 2030–2035 timelines.
• Programme coordination: Align and coordinate with relevant CAJU-funded key technology projects, ensure information exchange across actions, and comply with the required multi-consortia Cooperation Agreement to foster cross-project data sharing on a need-to-know basis.

Technology and integration themes likely covered include hydrogen storage and distribution (LH2), fuel cell propulsion system integration and thermal management, direct hydrogen combustion engine integration and NOx control, electric powertrain and high-voltage distribution, cryogenic systems, safety and certification preconditions, aircraft-level aerodynamics and structures implications, system modeling and digital evidence for certification pathways, and operations and turnaround feasibility.

Key call logistics, rules and templates

• Deadline model: Single-stage evaluation.
• Evaluation criteria: Excellence; Impact (weighted 1.5 for Innovation Actions); Quality and efficiency of the implementation, per Horizon Europe General Annex D and CAJU call rules.
• Evaluation process: Individual evaluation; consensus group; Topic Panel Review (and optional Call Panel Review), followed by a ranked list. Hearings may be organised where appropriate.
• Indicative evaluation-to-grant timelines: In line with Horizon Europe General Annex F.
• Grant set-up: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] with standard Horizon Europe MGA. Funding rates for IAs are typically 70% of eligible costs (up to 100% for non-profit legal entities).
• Specific Clean Aviation provisions: Selected beneficiaries must sign a Cooperation Agreement across relevant CAJU Grant Agreements to enable structured information exchange. Linking with other actions may be required to ensure portfolio consistency under Article 3 of the MGA.
• Q&A publications: Release 1 foreseen 17 February 2026; Release 2 foreseen around 17 April 2026. Questions are handled transparently and published on the topic page.
• Proposal preparation: Drafting templates and guidance available on the topic page and portal. Financial annex templates (budget per reporting period; detailed work package description and effort; cost breakdown per beneficiary; budget summary; in-kind contribution) are made available around mid-March prior to opening.
• EASA service involvement: A Clean Aviation contract template exists for engaging the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) as a third-party service provider to advise on certification-related aspects. See template: EASA Service Contract Template.
• Rules for submission, evaluation and award: See CAJU rules document CAJU Rules for Calls.
• General Annexes: Admissibility, eligibility, award criteria, procedures, and legal-financial set-up per Horizon Europe General Annexes HE General Annexes.

Budget and financials

Total indicative budget for Clean Aviation CfP 04 (all topics combined): €329,500,000. The topic-level budget and number of grants are not specified on the topic page. Funding is awarded as Horizon Europe grants under the Innovation Action modality, subject to standard co-funding rates (typically 70% of eligible costs for IAs; up to 100% for non-profit entities). Final figures are subject to evaluation results and available call budget.

Who can apply and how

Applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using the provided forms. The call follows the standard Horizon Europe admissibility conditions, page limits and formatting specified in the online templates. Proposals must include a robust plan for exploitation and dissemination of results (including communication activities).

Eligibility and consortium composition

• Eligible countries: EU Member States (including their OCTs) and Horizon Europe Associated Countries are eligible for funding. Entities from other countries may participate, with funding conditions per General Annex B.
• Innovation Action restriction: Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in Innovation Actions in any capacity, unless an exception is granted on a case-by-case basis per General Annex B.
• Exclusions: Entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine are not eligible to participate in any capacity. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are ineligible.
• Standard consortium rule: Minimum three independent legal entities from three different eligible countries (at least one from an EU Member State), unless a CAJU topic explicitly provides a derogation. The topic page does not specify a derogation; large-scale Clean Aviation IAs are expected to be implemented by multi-partner consortia bringing together aircraft integrators, engine and system manufacturers, SMEs, RTOs, and academia.
• Affiliated entities and associated partners: Allowed in line with Horizon Europe rules. Associated partners do not receive funding.
• Gender Equality Plans: Required for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from EU Member States or Associated Countries by the time of grant signature.

Evaluation and award

• Award criteria (0–5 scoring): Excellence; Impact (weighted 1.5 for IAs); Quality and efficiency of the implementation. Thresholds apply at criterion and overall level per General Annex D.
• Process: Individual evaluation; consensus; Topic Panel; optional Call Panel. Hearings may be organised to clarify technical scope, synergies, and budget optimisation.
• Portfolio considerations: CAJU may link actions to other EU-funded or national/regional actions to ensure a consistent demonstrator and technology portfolio. Cooperation Agreements across consortia are mandatory for selected projects.
• Ethics and security: Proposals undergo ethics screening and security appraisal where relevant. Projects must comply with EU, national, and international law and adhere to highest standards of research integrity.

Support and guidance

• Topic page and Online Manual on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
• Clean Aviation Work Programme 2026–27, Clean Aviation SRIA 2024, and the Full Description of Topics provide detailed technical context: Clean Aviation SRIA 2024.
• Helpdesks: Funding & Tenders IT Helpdesk; National Contact Points; Enterprise Europe Network; European IPR Helpdesk; Standards bodies support (CEN-CENELEC, ETSI).
• Partner search: Built-in portal functionality allows publishing and responding to partner requests once logged in.

Structured extraction and categorisation

Eligible Applicant Types:Large enterprise (aircraft OEMs, engine and propulsion manufacturers, Tier-1/Tier-2 suppliers), SME, startup (where relevant in specific subsystems and software), university, research institute/RTO, nonprofit, NGO (where relevant in sustainability or standards), public body/government (research-performing entities), public-private partnerships (as consortium configurations), and international organisations (if eligible). EASA’s involvement is foreseen via a service contract as a third party; it is not a beneficiary.

Funding Type:Grant (Horizon Europe Innovation Action under the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking).

Consortium Requirement:Consortium. Standard Horizon Europe minimum: three independent legal entities from three different eligible countries (at least one from an EU Member State). Clean Aviation IA topics are designed for multi-partner, multi-disciplinary consortia integrating aircraft OEMs, propulsion and system integrators, suppliers, SMEs, academia, and RTOs. No topic-specific derogation is indicated on the topic page.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU Member States, including their outermost regions and OCTs, and Horizon Europe Associated Countries are eligible for funding. Entities from other countries may participate with funding as specified in the General Annexes or if essential to the action. Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in Innovation Actions (with narrow, case-by-case exceptions). Entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine are not eligible to participate in any capacity. Entities under EU restrictive measures are ineligible.

Target Sector:Aviation and aerospace; hydrogen technologies; fuel cells and hydrogen combustion; propulsion and power systems; advanced materials and structures; certification and safety; climate and environment impact assessment; digital engineering and system integration.

Mentioned Countries:European Union (EU); references to EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Exclusion references include Russia and Belarus. Chinese entities are restricted from Innovation Actions. Deadlines are specified in Brussels time (Belgium).

Project Stage:Integration and validation at aircraft concept level at TRL4, consolidation of technology packages from contributing projects; development and validation of assessment methodologies; early certification-readiness evidence and pathway definition. This corresponds to research, development, and validation stages at the system-of-systems level rather than market deployment.

Funding Amount:The topic page does not disclose a topic-specific budget or an indicative number of grants. The overall Clean Aviation CfP 04 call budget across all topics is €329,500,000. Innovation Actions are funded at up to 70% of eligible costs (up to 100% for non-profit legal entities).

Application Type:Open call with a single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Nature of Support:Money (grants). Non-financial elements include programme-level coordination obligations, potential linking of actions, and access to guidance (e.g. CAJU rules, model agreements). Engagement of EASA advisory services is available via a paid service contract.

Application Stages:1 (single-stage).

Success Rates:No success rate or expected number of grants is provided for this topic. Selection depends on the evaluation ranking, thresholds, portfolio considerations, and available budget.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. Standard Horizon Europe IA funding rate applies: up to 70% of eligible costs for most beneficiaries; up to 100% for non-profit legal entities. Applicants must budget their own co-funding share accordingly and ensure financial capacity.

Templates:The portal provides the Application Form Part A (administrative forms) and Part B (technical annex), plus mandatory financial annex templates. For this call, the following templates are or will be provided: Proposal Application Form; Estimated budget per reporting period; Detailed Work Package description; Detailed Work Package effort; Cost breakdown per beneficiary; Budget summary per applicant and WP; In Kind Contribution template; CA JU Model Consortium Agreement; Clean Aviation EASA service contract template. Use the call topic page to download the latest versions.

Practical checklist and proposal structure

1. 1Consortium readiness: Confirm minimum eligibility (3 entities, 3 eligible countries) and roles (aircraft-level integrator; propulsion; hydrogen storage and distribution; fuel cell and/or H2 combustion; high-voltage and thermal management; structures and aerodynamics; modelling and simulation; certification expertise; LCA and impact assessment; safety).
2. 2Scope alignment: Demonstrate comprehensive integration of the two SRIA hydrogen concepts (fuel-cell/electric and direct H2 combustion) into coherent aircraft-level architectures at TRL4. Define clear interfaces to ongoing CAJU key technology projects and a robust plan for coordination and data exchange.
3. 3System engineering and V&V: Present an integration plan, model-based systems engineering, verification and validation roadmap, and a configuration-controlled digital evidence framework supporting assessment and early certification-readiness.
4. 4Performance and emissions: Provide aircraft-level performance models and quantified assessments (CO2 and non-CO2-relevant parameters) with assumptions, uncertainties, and trade-offs. Include operations and ground handling feasibility (LH2, safety, turn-around).
5. 5Certification pathways: Outline means of compliance candidates, alignment with EASA guidance where applicable, and a maturing CRL path leveraging Clean Aviation guidance and EASA advisory services (if envisaged, describe the EASA service contract scope).
6. 6Impact, exploitation, dissemination: Provide an exploitation strategy supporting 2030–2035 integration milestones; portfolio synergies with Clean Aviation thrusts; knowledge sharing under the Cooperation Agreement; and a plan for open science and research data management.
7. 7Budget and resources: Map costs to WPs and demonstrate cost efficiency. Reflect the IA funding rate and co-funding responsibilities. Consider in-kind contributions where applicable.
8. 8Risk and ethics: Identify integration, safety, and certification risks; define mitigation. Address ethics self-assessment, data protection, and, if relevant, security aspects.
9. 9Management and governance: Describe a strong coordination structure across work packages and project partners, including data-sharing protocols and IPR management aligned with CAJU requirements and the Model Consortium Agreement.

Call references and documentation

• Topic page and submission: HORIZON-JU-CLEAN-AVIATION-2026-04-ACI-01.
• Clean Aviation SRIA 2024: SRIA.
• Clean Aviation Work Programme 2026–27 and Full Description of Topics: linked from the topic page.
• CAJU Rules for Calls: Rules.
• Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026–27 (Cluster 5 and General Annexes): Cluster 5 and General Annexes.

Summary and explanation

This Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking Innovation Action targets the system-level integration and assessment of hydrogen-powered aircraft concepts as defined in the Clean Aviation SRIA: a fully electric fuel-cell aircraft concept, and a direct hydrogen combustion propulsion concept. The action focuses on integrating key enabling technologies from parallel CAJU projects into coherent aircraft architectures at TRL4, then delivering comprehensive performance, emissions, maturity, and early certification-readiness assessments. The outcome is a robust, comparable evidence base to inform 2030–2035 product development decisions and to guide subsequent higher-TRL demonstrations.

Applicants should assemble strong, multi-disciplinary consortia led by aircraft-level integrators and including propulsion and hydrogen specialists, system integrators, RTOs, and academia, with demonstrated capability in hydrogen technologies, aircraft systems integration, and digital certification evidence. Proposals must show how they will coordinate across Clean Aviation key technology projects, comply with the mandatory Cooperation Agreement, and, where relevant, procure advisory services from EASA to support certification pathway maturation. The call applies Horizon Europe’s IA funding model (typically 70% of eligible costs, up to 100% for non-profits) and follows single-stage evaluation with Impact weighted 1.5. Geographic eligibility follows Horizon Europe rules, with specific restrictions for Innovation Actions and for entities under EU restrictive measures. Given the strategic importance and cross-project coordination needs, proposals should prioritise integration quality, objective assessments, portfolio synergies, and clear, standards-aligned pathways toward aviation safety certification and market-relevant impact.

Hydrogen Powered Aircraft Concepts and Key Technologies Integration and Impact Assessment

Opportunity Overview

This call for proposals under Clean Aviation CfP 04 (HORIZON-JU-Clean-Aviation-2026-01) targets the integration and performance assessment of fully electric hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft and direct hydrogen combustion propulsion aircraft concepts from the CAJU Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). It requires coordinating CAJU key technology projects into comprehensive aircraft concepts at TRL4, demonstrating viability and providing performance, emissions, and maturity assessments.

The topic supports Clean Aviation's mission to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by no less than 30% compared to 2020 state-of-the-art, enabling entry-into-service by 2035 and fleet replacement by 2050. Aircraft concepts include 100-150 pax with up to 1400 NM range for H2 combustion and 100 pax with up to 1000 NM for H2 fuel cell.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Open to legal entities forming consortia with at least three independent entities from different EU Member States or Associated Countries (minimum one from a Member State). Eligible countries follow Horizon Europe Annex B. Non-EU entities may participate under specific conditions. Private Members of CAJU have long-term commitments.

Key Eligibility:Consortia appoint a coordinator. Derogations allow single entities or smaller consortia if justified. Must comply with admissibility (page limits, layout), financial/operational capacity, and exclusion criteria per General Annexes.

Specific Conditions

• Winning applicants sign a Cooperation Agreement for data exchange among CAJU actions.
• Proposal templates available in submission system from late March 2026; financial annexes mid-March.
• Q&A releases: 17 February 2026 and 17 April 2026.

Funding Details

Part of €329.5 million call budget for 2026 (Clean Aviation CfP 04). Specific budget for this topic not isolated; indicative for Innovation Actions (IA). Total call supports multiple topics including SMR (€130M/5 projects), HPA (€101M/4 projects), Regional (€40M/1 project).

Type of Action:HORIZON-JU-IA (Innovation Actions), single-stage submission.

Funding Rate:Up to 70% for profit-making entities; 100% for non-profits (per Horizon Europe rules).

Timeline and Deadlines

Planned opening: 31 March 2026. Single-stage deadline: 19 May 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Submission system opens end March 2026. Evaluation results ~5 months post-deadline; grant signature ~8 months.

1. 1Q&A Release 1: 17 February 2026.
2. 2Q&A Release 2: 17 April 2026.
3. 3Financial templates: Mid-March 2026.
4. 4Submission opens: Late March 2026.
5. 5Deadline: 19 May 2026.

Expected Outcomes and Scope

Demonstrate aircraft concepts at TRL4 with performance/emissions/maturity assessments. Integrate CAJU technologies for hydrogen fuel cell and combustion propulsion. Focus on viability for 2035 EIS, zero CO2 with H2 or up to 90% net reduction with SAF.

Key Deliverables:Comprehensive aircraft concepts, TRL4 demonstrations, impact assessments ¹.

Aircraft Concepts

• Direct H2 combustion: 100-150 pax, 1400 NM range.
• H2 fuel cell: 100 pax, 1000 NM range.
• Validation platform for scaling (e.g., 19 pax/400 NM).

Evaluation and Award Criteria

Follows CAJU rules: Excellence (ambition beyond state-of-the-art), Impact (pathways to outcomes, dissemination), Implementation (work plan, resources). IA weighting: Impact x1.5. Thresholds: 3/5 per criterion, 10/15 overall. Uses Evaluation Form CAJU Large Scale Projects (IA Actions).

Application Process

Electronic submission via Funding & Tenders Portal. Templates: Proposal Application Form, financial annexes (budget per period, WP descriptions, cost breakdowns). CAJU Model Consortium Agreement required. Check portal for updates.

Apply via EU Funding Portal.

Key Documents and Resources

• Clean Aviation SRIA 2024 Clean Aviation SRIA.
• Topic Description Document (with call).
• CAJU Work Programme 2026-27.
• HE General Annexes.
• Model Grant Agreement (HORIZON-AG).
• Specific Clean Aviation Rules Rules Document.

Risks and Considerations

High competition; consortia must demonstrate strong CAJU technology integration. Certification challenges with EASA collaboration via contract template. Budget flexibility up to 20%; indicative timelines.

Monitor portal for Q&As and updates. Questions to Clean Aviation Call Questions mailbox.

Footnotes

1. 1Detailed topic description at Primary Opportunity. SRIA and WPB for full scope.