Sustainable hydrogen production from renewable gases and biogenic waste sources through innovative modular reactor design, process intensification and integration
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
The Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking or Clean Hydrogen Partnership is a unique public-private partnership supporting research and innovation (R&I) activities in hydrogen technologies in Europe. It builds upon the success of its predecessor, the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The main objective of this topic is to develop novel technologies for high-efficiency hydrogen production from renewable gases and/or biogenic waste sources, ensuring sustainability, cost reduction and process scalability, including thermochemical or biological pathways, or a combination of both.
Thermocatalytic, electrochemical, dark fermentation and membrane technologies can be combined to reduce process steps and increase hydrogen yield and efficiency. A target TRL5 is adequate considering the starting TRL of these technologies but also the required improvements and the high degree of integration among process units needed to reach the specific technology KPIs.
Biobased processes, e.g. dark fermentation and anaerobic digestion, should target the direct production of bio-H2 in the bioreactor, while minimising the organic by-product formation and providing a convincing solution to valorise solid co-products such as digestate.
In addition, process intensification and reactor technology, hybridising separation, purification and compression technologies, including heat valorisation concepts, can lead to strong enhancement in energy efficiency and downstream processing costs.
Detailed Call Description
Projects should go beyond previous initiatives on waste to H2, such as BIONICO, HYIELD, SYMSITES or Waste4Bio projects, by demonstrating higher efficiency, higher H2 yield, and better process economics and integration with other industries, facilitating the transition to sustainable hydrogen production at scale. Furthermore, proposals should also address sustainability and circularity through a life cycle assessment. The considered renewable gases and biogenic waste sources should only be used for hydrogen production and be fully sustainable (e.g. no negative influence on biodiversity). The project could employ, as reactor feed, model feedstocks mimicking biogenic feedstocks while the experimental use of real waste feedstock coming from upstream processes is encouraged and eligible for funding however, the development costs of these upstream processes will not be funded.
The presence of impurities in the inlet waste stream should play a role and thus is expected to be addressed in the proposal, such as the conversion, adsorption or separation of feedstock from undesirable by-products.
Addressing certain limitations is crucial for practical implementation. These include:
- Reducing costs (both CAPEX and OPEX) to ensure viability for industrial applications;
- Enhancing process energy efficiency and a high degree of electrification to provide process heat and drive hydrogen separation, purification and compression;
- Enhancing scalability through novel, modular reactor designs, process intensification, and integration strategies;
- Managing impurities in process streams to improve system robustness and feedstock flexibility;
- Characterisation of other fermentation biogenic and/or solid carbon by-products to assess potential carbon-negative hydrogen production and economic benefits;
- Demonstration and report of significant testing time for 1000 h to show operational availability and stability for industrial implementation under industrial-relevant conditions;
- Techno-economic analysis leading to a reduction of current LCOH (€/kg H2);
- Sustainability analysis of GHG emissions, pollutants, biodiversity, water consumption, amongst others.
Proposals should:
- Show feasible and significant advances (up to TRL 5) with respect to the mentioned limitations;
- Demonstrate a functional process producing from 1 to 10 kgH2/h (approx. 0,03 – 0,33 MWH2) including relevant Balance of Plant (e.g. innovative purification, separation, and compression, electrical & thermal integration) with a purity acceptable for the proposed direct application;
- Demonstrate a clear pathway for industrial-scale implementation, proving competitive hydrogen production costs and improved climate performance compared to existing technologies, including CCS-based methods;
- Characterise organic molecules or carbon-based by-products generated during this hydrogen route to evaluate valuable applications.
Techno-economic analysis to de developed should consider as relevant complementary integrated actions such as process waste-heat valorisation, carbon capture, and hydrogen production as raw material input for example but not limited to chemical, steel, or other industries would be important for the substitution/reduction of fossil hydrocarbons use in the industrial sector. However, the development costs of these actions will not be funded.
The circular approach should comprise the full process analysis with the evaluation of the impact of the technology into a future carbon market, as key for the viability of the process, as well as multi-product sustainability analysis, minimising critical raw material inputs, wastes and greenhouse gases emissions (even negative) in a variety of scenarios, maximising socio-economic impacts in the European Society.
Natural gas/methane splitting and carbon utilisation activities are not int the 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.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
Expected EU contribution per project: €3.00 million.
Thematic Categories
- Economy-Finances
- Energy
- Environment and Climate Change
- Industry
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Information Technology
- Processing
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
Eligibility for Participation
- Associations
- Central Government
- Educational Institutions
- Large Enterprises
- Legal Entities
- Non Profit Organisations
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Services Providers
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
Additional eligibility condition: Maximum contribution per topic
For some topics, in line with the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA, an additional eligibility criterion has been introduced to limit the Clean Hydrogen JU requested contribution mostly for actions performed at high TRL level, including demonstration in real operational environment and with important involvement from industrial stakeholders and/or end users such as public authorities. Such actions are expected to leverage co-funding as commitment from stakeholders. It is of added value that such leverage is shown through the private investment in these specific topics. Therefore, proposals requesting contributions above the amounts specified per each topic below will not be evaluated
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-03-03: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 5.00 million
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-04-02: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 8.00 million
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-06-01: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 17.00 million
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-06-02: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 8.00 million
Additional eligibility condition: Membership to Hydrogen Europe / Hydrogen Europe Research
For the topics listed below, in line with the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA, an additional an additional eligibility criterion has been introduced to ensure that one partner in the consortium is a member of either Hydrogen Europe or Hydrogen Europe Research. This concerns topics targeting actions for large-scale demonstrations, flagship projects and strategic research actions, where the industrial and research partners of the Clean Hydrogen JU are considered to play a key role in accelerating the commercialisation of hydrogen technologies by being closely linked to the Clean Hydrogen JU constituency, which could further ensure full alignment with the SRIA of the JU. This approach shall also ensure the continuity of the work performed within projects funded through the H2020 and FP7, by building up on their experience and consolidating the EU value-chain. In the Call 2026 this applies to: development and demonstration of flexible and standardised hydrogen storage systems and demonstration and operation of reversible solid oxide cell systems operation for local grid-connected hydrogen production and utilisation. This will also apply to the Hydrogen Valleys (flagship) topics as they are considered of strategic importance for the European Union ambitions to double the number of Hydrogen Valleys by 2025 as well as to the more recent European Commission’s inspirational target to have at least 50 Hydrogen Valleys under construction or operational by 2030 across the entire EU. For the Hydrogen Valleys topics a large amount of co-investment/co-funding of project participants/beneficiaries including national and regional programmes is expected.
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-03-03
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-04-02
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-06-01
- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-06-02
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.