Sustainable hydrogen production from renewable gases and biogenic waste sources through innovative modular reactor design, process intensification and...

The HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-01-05 grant opportunity under the European Commission focuses on innovative hydrogen production technologies from renewable gases and biogenic waste. This initiative is part of the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions, awarding a maximum of EUR 3 million per project as a lump sum grant. Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, industrial organizations, technology providers, and public bodies located in EU Member States and Associated Countries. A consortium of at least three independent legal entities from different countries is required for application, ensuring a diverse collaboration essential for project success.

The call opens on February 10, 2026, with a submission deadline of April 15, 2026, and follows a single-stage application process. Projects are expected to develop and validate hydrogen production technologies, targeting a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) between 3 and 5, where TRL 3 denotes experimental proof of concept and TRL 5 indicates validation in relevant environments. Significant improvements in hydrogen yield, energy efficiency, and industrial decarbonization are paramount goals.

The funding model simplifies grant management, allowing beneficiaries to plan effectively while requiring co-funding strategies from other sources. Specific focus areas for this opportunity include renewable hydrogen production technologies, thermochemical and biological pathways, and innovations in reactor design and process integration.

Proposals should aim for high efficiency, targeting reduced capital and operational expenditures while ensuring sustainability through the use of biogenic waste sources. Successful applications are expected to not only demonstrate feasibility but also to contribute to enhancing Europe's energy security and advancing the EU's goals for clean hydrogen production. Subcontracted work must take place in eligible regions, which are strictly limited to EU Member States and Associated Countries.

The estimated success rate for this competitive grant is between 10% to 39%, reflecting the challenging nature of obtaining funding in such high-stakes environments. The application’s page limit is set at 70 pages, and relevant guidelines must be strictly adhered to throughout the proposal process. The opportunity altogether aligns with strategic EU objectives to advance clean energy solutions and improve industrial sustainability.

This is a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe program, specifically the HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026 call, focusing on sustainable hydrogen production. The topic is "Sustainable hydrogen production from renewable gases and biogenic waste sources through innovative modular reactor design, process intensification and integration" with topic ID HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-01-05.

The call aims to develop novel technologies for high-efficiency hydrogen production from renewable gases and biogenic waste sources. The goal is to ensure sustainability, cost reduction, and process scalability, utilizing thermochemical or biological pathways, or a combination of both. The call encourages the use of thermocatalytic, electrochemical, dark fermentation, and membrane technologies to optimize hydrogen yield and efficiency.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call include:

Improved hydrogen yield and energy efficiency.
Innovative and breakthrough technologies in reactor designs, fermentation routes, and process configurations.
Increased use of renewable gases and biogenic waste sources, promoting a circular economy and sector coupling.
Reduction of capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) through process simplification and system integration.
Advanced source-impurity management for increased feedstock flexibility and product purity.
Maximized process electrification.
Enhanced energy security through European clean hydrogen production.

The projects are expected to contribute to the Clean Hydrogen Partnership's objectives and KPIs, including:

Reduction in CAPEX and OPEX for hydrogen production technologies.
Improvement of process energy efficiency.
Increase in carbon yield.
Reduced land footprint for hydrogen production plants.
Maximized hydrogen recovery (greater than 95%).
Reduced direct CO2 emissions from feedstock (at least 80% reduction).
Production of high-quality biochar for soil enrichment or electronics.
Increased hydrogen yield for dark fermentation processes.

The scope of the projects should include:

Development of novel technologies for high-efficiency hydrogen production from renewable gases and/or biogenic waste sources.
Combination of thermocatalytic, electrochemical, dark fermentation, and membrane technologies.
Targeting a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5 by the end of the project.
Biobased processes targeting direct bio-H2 production in the bioreactor.
Process intensification and reactor technology, hybridizing separation, purification, and compression technologies.
Addressing sustainability and circularity through life cycle assessment.
Using renewable gases and biogenic waste sources that are fully sustainable.
Addressing the presence of impurities in the inlet waste stream.

Proposals should demonstrate:

Feasible and significant advances with respect to the limitations mentioned in the call.
A functional process producing from 1 to 10 kgH2/h, including relevant Balance of Plant.
A clear pathway for industrial-scale implementation, proving competitive hydrogen production costs and improved climate performance.
Characterization of organic molecules or carbon-based by-products for valuable applications.

The call specifies that natural gas/methane splitting and carbon utilization activities are not within its scope. Applicants are encouraged to explore synergies with successful applicants of topic ‘HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-08: Coordinated call with India on waste to renewable’ included in the Horizon Europe Work Programme.

The EU contribution is estimated at a maximum of EUR 3.00 million per project. Activities are expected to start at TRL 3 and reach TRL 5 by the project's end.

The general conditions for admissibility, eligibility, financial and operational capacity, exclusion, evaluation, award, and legal and financial set-up are detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. The proposal page limit for Innovation Actions is 70 pages. Subcontracting work must be performed in EU Member States or Associated Countries. There is an additional information obligation for topics including standardisation activities regarding Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).

Application form templates and evaluation form templates are available in the Submission System. Applicants should consult the HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements (MGA), call-specific instructions, the Clean Hydrogen JU Annual Work Programme, the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), and Lump Sums Guidance.

The call will be a single-stage process, opening on 10 February 2026 and closing on 15 April 2026. The total budget for the call is EUR 105,000,000.

This funding opportunity seeks to advance the development and deployment of efficient and sustainable hydrogen production technologies using renewable resources. It emphasizes innovation in reactor design, process integration, and waste stream management to achieve cost-effective and environmentally friendly hydrogen production. The call aims to support projects that can demonstrate tangible progress towards industrial-scale implementation and contribute to the EU's energy security and climate goals.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), eligible applicants could include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations capable of conducting research, development, and innovation activities in the field of hydrogen production. Given the emphasis on industrial implementation, involvement of industrial stakeholders and end-users such as public authorities is expected.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a lump sum grant, under the Horizon Europe Programme.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to require a consortium, as evidenced by the additional eligibility condition that for certain topics, one partner in the consortium must be a member of either Hydrogen Europe or Hydrogen Europe Research. Partner search announcements are also mentioned, implying a consortium approach.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The target countries for subcontracting are all Member States of the European Union and all Associated Countries. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The program targets the hydrogen sector, specifically focusing on sustainable hydrogen production technologies, renewable energy, waste management, thermochemical conversion, biological pathways, electrochemistry, catalysis, membrane technology, process intensification, reactor technology, carbon capture and utilization, and related industries such as chemicals, steel, and fertilizers.

Mentioned Countries: The text mentions India in the context of encouraging synergies with applicants of a coordinated call with India on waste to renewable energy. The target countries for subcontracting are all Member States of the European Union and all Associated Countries.

Project Stage: The project stage is between Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 and TRL 5. Activities are expected to start at TRL 3 and achieve TRL 5 by the end of the project.

Funding Amount: The JU (Joint Undertaking) estimates that an EU contribution of a maximum of EUR 3.00 million would allow the outcomes to be addressed appropriately for the topic HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-01-05. Other topics have varying budget allocations as detailed in the budget overview, ranging from EUR 1.5 million to EUR 17 million.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the text. However, the indicative number of grants is provided for each topic, which can be used to estimate the potential success rate based on the expected number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement: While not explicitly stated as a mandatory requirement for all topics, the text mentions that for some topics, actions performed at high TRL level are expected to leverage co-funding as a commitment from stakeholders. For the Hydrogen Valleys topics a large amount of co-investment/co-funding of project participants/beneficiaries including national and regional programmes is expected.

Summary: This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting the Clean Hydrogen Partnership. It seeks to fund research and innovation projects focused on developing novel technologies for high-efficiency, sustainable, and cost-effective hydrogen production from renewable gases and biogenic waste sources. The call encourages projects that go beyond existing initiatives, demonstrating higher efficiency, hydrogen yield, and better process economics. Projects should aim to advance technologies from TRL 3 to TRL 5, with a focus on industrial scalability and integration. The funding is provided as a lump sum, with a maximum EU contribution of EUR 3.00 million for the topic described, and up to EUR 17 million for other topics in the call. Consortia are expected, and membership in Hydrogen Europe or Hydrogen Europe Research is an eligibility criterion for certain topics. The call emphasizes sustainability, circularity, and the importance of techno-economic and life cycle assessments. The overall goal is to enhance European energy security and reduce dependency on foreign energy and raw material imports by promoting clean hydrogen production.