ExpectedOutcome:
Energy Intensive and Specialty Chemical Industries consumes about a quarter of energy in Europe and significantly emits GHG. Most processes are powered with fossil fuels, and the role that clean hydrogen can play in decarbonising these sectors is widely recognised, together with circularity and efficiency through demand-side management and digitisation, as per illustrated in the Masterplan for a Competitive Transformation of EU EIIs. Early demonstrators, acting as de-risking initiatives, can pave the way towards industrial-scale demonstrations, where the impact in terms of GHG emission reduction is massive. It is a key opportunity to generate highly qualified jobs as well while addressing the ambitious targets set by the European Commission in its EU H2 strategy and REPowerEU plan.
This topic focuses on the production of clean hydrogen and its integration into those industries, within a circular approach. The long-term target (proposals should contribute to it) is to ensure continuous supply of clean hydrogen to those industries, at competitive costs compared to incumbent technologies. It is open to any production technology, and even combination of production technologies, as long as they operate from renewable input. This topic is suitable, but not limited to, a further expansion of a successful smaller project, a demonstration into a sector not yet covered by on-going initiatives, or an innovative demonstration of clean hydrogen production technology (or combination of technologies). Proposals should build on and avoid overlaps with past and on-going projects supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and its predecessor the FCH2-JU, the Processes4Planet (P4P) partnership and the Innovation Fund.
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
The topic is open to any renewable hydrogen production route. Accordingly, projects are expected to address the following objectives and related KPIs:
Scope:
The scope of this topic is to demonstrate the integration of clean hydrogen production and supply to Energy Intensive and/or Specialty Chemical Industries for any combined applications (e.g. feedstock, heat and power generation, amalgamation with CO2, CO or N2 to generate synthetic fuels or hydrogen carriers, etc.) within a prism where circularity and sustainability are central, thereby considering transformation of waste into feedstock and/or capture and integration of any by-products from hydrogen production.
Proposals should cover the following aspects:
Proposals should demonstrate how the circularity approach (e.g. use of by-products, transformation of a waste into a feedstock) is tackled, together with sustainability aspects such as, but not limited to, water management. The use of artificial intelligence and any other digital tools aiming at increasing safety and optimisation of operations is encouraged. Performance should be measured mainly against energy savings and GHG emission avoidance.
Costs for the development and integration of clean hydrogen technologies allowing supply of hydrogen/oxygen/by-products/ etc to the industries targeted are in the scope of the topic and may be funded. Any upstream (such as renewable energy technologies) or downstream processes (such as production of e-fuels, ammonia, chemicals) are in the scope of the topic within the circularity approach but will not be funded. For the downstream processes applicants are encouraged to seek synergies with the Processes4Planet (P4Planet) Partnership or other programmes.
Proposals should provide a preliminary draft on ‘hydrogen safety planning and management’ at the project level, which will be further updated during project implementation.
The costs for the construction and commissioning phase of the hydrogen production technology/ies maybe funded while costs related to the operation of the hydrogen production plant (e.g., electricity for electrolysers) will not be funded.
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.
It is expected that Guarantees of origin (GOs) will be used to prove the renewable character of the hydrogen that is produced. In this respect consortium may seek out the issuance and subsequent cancellation of GOs from the relevant Member State issuing body and if that is not yet available the consortium may proceed with the issuance and cancellation of non-governmental certificates (e.g CertifHy).
For activities developing test protocols and procedures for the performance and durability assessment of electrolysers and fuel cell components proposals should foresee a collaboration mechanism with JRC (see section 2.2.4.3 "Collaboration with JRC"), in order to support EU-wide harmonisation. Test activities should adopt the already published EU harmonised testing protocols to benchmark performance and quantify progress at programme level.
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 10.00 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): hydrogen production plant (e.g electrolyser), its BoP, and any other hydrogen related equipment essential for the implementation of the project (e.g. hydrogen storage), 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: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 10.00 million – proposals requesting Clean Hydrogen JU contributions above this amount will not be evaluated.
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.
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): hydrogen production plant (e.g electrolyser), its BoP, and any other hydrogen related equipment essential for the implementation of the project (e.g. hydrogen storage), 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