New thermal insulation concepts for bulk liquid hydrogen shipping

Closed

Code: 39423 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-02-03 | Programme name: 27323 | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/04/2026

The scope of this topic is to develop validated containment concepts intended for bulk shipping of LH2. The concepts developed should also be suitable for a later scale-up.

Demonstrating in-line inspection (ILI) to monitor cracks assuring compatibility for operation with hydrogen in new and re-purposed offshore natural gas pipelines

Closed

Code: 39420 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-02-02 | Programme name: 27323 | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/04/2026

The scope of this topic is to demonstrate In-Line Inspection (ILI) tools to qualify existing natural gas pipelines for hydrogen service and to operate in future offshore hydrogen pipelines (new or re-purposed) by validating that the tool is suitable for detecting crack-like defects, especially in stress concentration areas.

Affordable, Safe and Sustainable aboveground medium to large GH2 storage

Closed

Code: 39417 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-02-01 | Programme name: 27323 | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/04/2026

This topic targets the development and validation of low-cost advanced hydrogen-compatible materials and tank architectures for aboveground compressed hydrogen storage, with modular or containerised units sized 5 – 20 tonnes.

Proposed solutions should demonstrate improved material resilience against hydrogen-induced degradation, ≥30% increase in fatigue life (from <5,000 cycles to ≥6,500 cycles at 700 bar), and enhanced performance across varying environmental conditions (temperature range: –40 °C to +60 °C).

Materials may include high-strength steels, fibre/nanoparticle-reinforced composites, metal-matrix composites, and multi-layer coatings with low hydrogen permeability.

Scalable and high efficiency materials and reactors for direct solar hydrogen production

Closed

Code: 39414 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-01-06 | Programme name: 27323 | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/04/2026

This topic seeks innovations in solar thermos-chemical cycles (TCC) and solar Photoelectrochemical/Photocatalytic (PEC/PC), with a strong emphasis on system-level integration (subcomponents: materials, devices, reactors, control systems, etc. into a fully functional, operable system), targeting demonstration at TRL 5, and aligning with EU climate neutrality and energy resilience goals.

Proposals should focus on the direct conversion of solar energy into hydrogen, eliminating reliance on intermediate photovoltaic-to-electricity pathways.

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

Closed

Code: 39411 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-01-05 | Programme name: 27323 | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 14/04/2026

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.

Innovative business models advancing renewable electrolysis integration in industry

Closed

Code: 39408 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-01-04 | Programme name: 27323 | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/04/2026

Proposals should center efforts on business model innovation as the primary focus for renewable electrolysis integration in industry (including but not limited to Power-to-X applications), while validating their feasibility in at least one real industrial case.

Improved components and tools to increase the safety of electrolysers

Closed

Code: 39401 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-01-03 | Programme name: 27323 | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/04/2026

The focus of this topic is on advancing and validating novel components and control solutions aimed at improving the operational safety of low-temperature electrolyser systems. This topic is open to a broad range of low-temperature electrolysis technologies, including conventional configurations such as Alkaline Electrolysers (AEL), Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysers (PEMEL), and Anion Exchange Membrane Electrolysers (AEMEL), as well as emerging designs such as membrane-less electrolysers and decoupled electrolyser systems.

Cost-efficient and reliable designs towards gigawatt-scale electrolytic hydrogen production plants

Closed

Code: 39398 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-01-02 | Programme name: 27323 | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/04/2026

This topic aims to drive innovation in integrated hydrogen production plants by reimagining plant design, architecture, and deployment models.

The focus should be on developing novel concepts for highly efficient, cost-competitive, and reliable electrolytic hydrogen production plants at very large scales (≥400 MW), leveraging commercially available electrolyser stacks, advanced system engineering, and innovative BoP and plant components (e.g., purification, compression, thermal integration, power electronics).

As relevant, the design specifications and components innovation roadmaps (e.g to optimise performances and durability when operating dynamically or improve end of life recycling), is also encouraged.

Development and validation of innovative approaches, catalysts, electrolytes and components for electrolysis technologies based on low-quality water

Closed

Code: 39395 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026-01-01 | Programme name: 27323 | Start submission calls: 10/02/2026 | End submission calls: 15/04/2026

Proposals should aim to realise a breakthrough water electrolysis technology that can produce hydrogen from low-quality water, i.e. beyond tap water and from various sources (excluding saline and seawater) operating at low energy consumption levels.

The project should demonstrate a stable electrolyser cell unit incorporating innovative solutions at the material, component, cell architecture level, and alternative half-cell reactions to overcome the challenges in the electrolysis of low-quality water.

In line with EU sustainability and CRM strategies and the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA KPIs for the selected water electrolysis technology, the prototype cell should also minimise the use of PFAS and/or CRM. The target is to validate the innovative technology at TRL 4, assessing its potential for circularity, sustainability, and economic viability.

Joint demonstration of solutions to build soil resilience to extreme weather events and support food security

Opened

Code: 39391 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-06-CLIMA-SOIL | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 04/02/2026 | End submission calls: 23/09/2026

Developing and scaling practical solutions to enhance soils’ resilience to extreme weather events is crucial for climate change adaptation. As extreme weather events like droughts, heavy rainfall and flooding, heatwaves and other temperature anomalies (e.g. unseasonal frosts) become more frequent, widespread and severe, they pose significant threats to soil health, agricultural productivity, and food security at large.

This is due to, inter alia, soil erosion, nutrient leaching, increased salinisation, loss of soil organic carbon, reduction or loss of microbial activity, waterlogging and oxygen depletion, depending on the type of extreme weather event considered. Strengthening soils’ resilience at farm and landscape levels, considering also the context, e.g., in terms of governance (rules and institutions), is vital to cope with these challenges.

Creating a framework that suits different pedoclimatic conditions and regions should help ensure that the best approaches are put in place to maintain food security and promote sustainable farming practices, and that overall landscape resilience to these events is enhanced.

Energy efficient urban and sub-urban public transport, complemented by shared mobility

Opened

Code: 39388 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-04-CIT-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 04/02/2026 | End submission calls: 08/10/2026

Public transport is firmly at the centre of sustainable urban mobility policies at EU level and across Member States, in complementarity with active mobility and shared mobility services.

However more needs to be done to make sure that urban and suburban public passenger transport, including coaches, and urban mobility service car fleets are energy efficient and attractive, contributing to climate neutrality targets as well as to cleaner and healthier urban and sub-urban environments.

Transition to low-temperature heating solutions in multi-apartment buildings

Opened

Code: 39385 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2026-04-CIT-02 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 04/02/2026 | End submission calls: 08/10/2026

Low-temperature district heating systems in urban areas offer higher potential for integration of renewable energy sources and waste heat, but their deployment is slowed down because the existing stock of inefficient buildings has been designed for high-temperature heat delivery systems.

The topic supports the creation of the conditions necessary for the conversion of existing supply solutions – district heating, as well as individual heating ones – into low-temperature alternatives, along with reducing and optimising the heat load of buildings.