Call for proposals 2026 – OPEN

The Call addresses key priorities (identified by the Strategic Research Agenda) within different areas of research and innovation, with direct and quantified impact towards the achievement of the objectives of the Clean Hydrogen JU.

16/02/2026 12:29: Topic Update: Explanation of Costs in the Lump Sum "Detailed Budget Table"

If your lump sum budget contains any cost items in cost category C and/or D, please make sure to justify these items in the ‘Any comments’ sheet of the Excel detailed lump sum budget table.

The reason is that we simplified the proposal template, removing this information from Part B and bringing it closer to the relevant budget items.

Specifically, you must include justification in the ‘Any comments’ sheet if you are in any of the following situations:

• If the sum of the costs for ’travel and subsistence’, ‘equipment’, and ‘other goods, works and services’ (i.e. the purchase costs) exceeds 15% of the personnel costs for a participant. If this is the case, justify the most expensive cost item(s) up to the level that the remaining costs are below 15% of personnel costs.
• If other cost categories (e.g. internally invoiced goods and services) are used.
• If in-kind contributions are used (non-financial resources made available free of charge by third parties, which must be included as direct costs in the corresponding cost category, e.g. personnel costs or purchase costs for equipment).

21 topics available

6 topics – 16M€ funding - Renewable Hydrogen Production
4 topics – 17.5M€ funding - Hydrogen Storage and Distribution
4 topics – 25M€ funding - Transport
3 topics – 16M€ funding - Heat and Power
2 topics – 5.5M€ funding - Cross-cutting
2 topics – 25M€ funding - Hydrogen Valleys

The Call for Proposals has an indicative total budget of EUR 105 million. 

This includes EUR 25 million allocated to the two Hydrogen Valleys topics.

The topics are grouped into 4 Innovation Actions (IA), 15 Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and 2 Coordination and Support Action (CSA). 

The Call for Proposals 2026 is implemented using lump sum grants.

Synergies with other European partnerships and programmes, as well as with Member States and regional programmes are at the core of a number of topics.

How to submit your proposal

You can find the details of the call on the Funding and Tender portal: Call HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026. 

Deadline date: 15 April 2026, 17:00 (CEST)

Submission System will be opened from end February 2026. The submission must be done entirely via the portal. 

Additional documents

More information about the scope and details of the partnership's activities for the year 2026 can be found in the Clean Hydrogen Partnership Annual Work Programme and the Clean Hydrogen Partnership Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA).

Details of the application process and the award criteria will be presented as well during the Info Day 2026.

Get Support 

Please read carefully all provisions below before the preparation of your application.

Lump Sums Guidance

• Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
• Comprehensive information on lump sum funding in Horizon Europe

Application form

• Application form - Part B (HE CleanH2 RIA, IA)
• Application form - Part B (HE CleanH2 CSA)

FAQ 

• Specific FAQ document from call HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2026
• Question not already covered? Submit it here: Call 2026 - Question