ExpectedOutcome:
Hydrogen Refueling Stations are an essential element of the future hydrogen mobility. For widespread hydrogen mobility to be viable, it will be essential to provide a nationwide network of publicly accessible HRS for passenger cars, trucks, buses, vans, etc. all over the EU. Furthermore, larger heavy duty fueling applications such as trains, harbours, and airports will require very reliable, high-capacity stations capable of delivering many tons each day in a safe manner.
Thus, it is fundamental to develop and optimise HRS (especially for trains, marine and airport applications), situated on depots, with corresponding captive demand for large-scale hydrogen. This concept assumes the provision of pressurised gaseous and/or liquid hydrogen together with the development of appropriate and reliable systems for lifetime prediction. Combining multi-mobility ecosystems (railway, maritime and airports) within the same HRS may reduce refuelling costs and supply chain costs. For example, at an airport, hydrogen is supplied for aviation systems (aircraft, ground support equipment, etc.) while hydrogen is available for heavy duty cargo transport vehicles. The project has to be commissioned and tested in order to measure if the technical requirement are met.
The project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:
Project results are expected to contribute to the following objectives and KPIs of the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA:
Scope:
The aim of this topic is to demonstrate a multipurpose HRS able to supply a combination of aviation, rail and/or heavy-duty road applications.
Combining these mobility ecosystems will stimulate the development of a regional hydrogen economy, creating a synergy with public and private actors across the hydrogen value chain (production, distribution, storage, and end-use).
Currently station costs, both CAPEX and OPEX, are high, thus challenging the development of a refuelling station business model, particularly in the early years when utilisation is comparatively low.
Reliability is also low, creating difficulties for customers who cannot rely on their hydrogen supply.
In addition, the approvals and construction processes for hydrogen stations are too slow, while their design is heavily influenced by the respective fuelling protocols developed by each manufacturer, which are not yet fully understood and optimised.
Proposals should respond to the following technical requirements:
Proposals are encouraged to explore synergies with projects within the metrology research programme run under the EURAMET research programmes EMPIR and the European Partnership on Metrology (in particular projects MetroHyVe2, Met4H2 and MefhySto, MetHyInfra and MetHyTrucks).
Proposals are encouraged to explore synergies with the Zero Emission Waterborne Transport (ZEWT) partnership and Clean Aviation JU as this topic has the potential for providing operational and technical solutions for hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in ports and airports.
This topic is expected to contribute to EU competitiveness and industrial leadership by supporting a European value chain for hydrogen and fuel cell systems and components.
Proposals should provide a preliminary draft on ‘hydrogen safety planning and management’ at the project level, which will be further updated during project implementation.
For additional elements applicable to all topics please refer to section 2.2.3.2.
Activities are expected to start at TRL 5 and achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project - see General Annex B.
At least one partner in the consortium must be a member of either Hydrogen Europe or Hydrogen Europe Research.
The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 8.00 million – proposals requesting Clean Hydrogen JU contributions above this amount will not be evaluated.
Purchases of equipment, infrastructure or other assets used for the action must be declared as depreciation costs. However, for the following equipment, infrastructure or other assets purchased specifically for the action (or developed as part of the action tasks): HRS and related components, costs may exceptionally be declared as full capitalised costs.
The conditions related to this topic are provided in the chapter 2.2.3.2 of the Clean Hydrogen JU 2024 Annual Work Plan and in the General Annexes to the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023–2024 which apply mutatis mutandis
Specific Topic Conditions:
Activities are expected to start at TRL 5 and achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project - See General Annex B.
General conditions
1. Admissibility conditions: described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes
For all Innovation Actions the page limit of the application is 70 pages.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
Page limit for Innovation Actions
For all Innovation Actions the page limit of the applications are 70 pages.
2. Eligible countries: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes
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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3. Other eligibility conditions: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes
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-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-01-05: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 10.00 million
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-02-03: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 6.00 million
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-02-04: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 6.00 million
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-02-05: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 8.00 million
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-03-04: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 5.00 million
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-04-01: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 5.00 million
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-06-01: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 20.00 million
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-06-02: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 9.00 million
Additional eligibility condition: Membership to Hydrogen Europe / Hydrogen Europe Research
For some topics, in line with the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA, 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 2024 this applies to the demonstration of innovative hydrogen production for energy intensive industries and the chemical sectors, demonstration of innovative technologies for the distribution of hydrogen including multi-purpose hydrogen refueling infrastructure, demonstration of hydrogen-powered inland shipping or short sea shipping solutions. This will also apply to the two Hydrogen Valley topics as they are considered of strategic importance for the European Union ambitions to double the number of Hydrogen Valleys by 2025. For these flagship topics large amount of co-investment/co-funding of project participants/beneficiaries including national and regional programmes is expected. This applies to the following topics:
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-01-05
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-02-03
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-02-04
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-02-05
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-03-04
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-04-01
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-06-01
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-06-02
The following additional eligibility criteria apply: At least one partner in the consortium must be a member of either Hydrogen Europe or Hydrogen Europe Research.
The following additional eligibility criteria apply: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 8.00 million – proposals requesting Clean Hydrogen JU contributions above this amount will not be evaluated.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes
5. Evaluation and award:
Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes
Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual
Seal of Excellence:
For the two topics in the Call 2024 addressing Hydrogen Valleys, the ‘Seal of Excellence’ will be awarded to applications exceeding all of the evaluation thresholds set out in this Annual Work Programme but cannot be funded due to lack of budget available to the call. This will further improve the chances of good proposals, otherwise not selected, to find alternative funding in other Union programmes, including those managed by national or regional Managing Authorities. With prior authorisation from the applicants, the Clean Hydrogen JU may share information concerning the proposal and the evaluation with interested financing authorities. In this Annual Work Programme ‘Seal of Excellence’ will be awarded for the following topic(s):
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-06-01
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-06-02
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes
In addition to the standard provisions, the following specific provisions in the model grant agreement will apply:
1. Lump Sum
This year’s call for proposals will take the form of lump sums as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021- 2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). Lump sums will be used across all topics in the Call 2024.
2. Full capitalised costs for purchases of equipment, infrastructure or other assets purchased specifically for the action
For some topics, in line with the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA, mostly large-scale demonstrators or flagship projects specific equipment, infrastructure or other assets purchased specifically for the action (or developed as part of the action tasks) can exceptionally be declared as full capitalised costs. This concerns the topics below:
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-01-05
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-02-03
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-02-04
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-02-05
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-03-04
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-04-01
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-06-01
- HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-06-02
3. Subcontracting
For all topics: an additional obligation regarding subcontracting has been introduced, namely that subcontracted work may only be performed in target countries set out in the call conditions.
The beneficiaries must ensure that the subcontracted work is performed in the countries set out in the call conditions.
The target countries are all Member States of the European Union and all Associated Countries.
Purchases of equipment, infrastructure or other assets used for the action must be declared as depreciation costs. However, for the following equipment, infrastructure or other assets purchased specifically for the action (or developed as part of the action tasks): HRS and related components, costs may exceptionally be declared as full capitalised costs.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
Specific conditions
7. Specific conditions: described in the chapter 2.2.3.2 of the Clean Hydrogen JU 2024 Annual Work Programme
Documents
Call documents:
Application form
- Application form - Part B (HE CleanH2 JU RIA, IA)
- Application form - Part B (HE CleanH2 JU CSA)
Evaluation form
- Evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Model Grant Agreement (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
- Detailed budget table (HE LS)
Clean Hydrogen JU - Annual Work Programme 2024 (AWP 2024)
- AWP 2024
Clean Hydrogen JU - Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA)
Lump Sums Guidance
- Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
- Comprehensive information on lump sum funding in Horizon Europe
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 13. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual