The Clean Hydrogen Partnership will once again recognise its leading projects and beneficiaries for their outstanding achievements at an Awards Ceremony on 2 December 2026, during the H2 Research and Innovation Days.
This annual event celebrates excellence in hydrogen research and innovation, honouring the people and projects that drive Europe’s clean energy transition.
The Awards include the following categories:
- Best Innovation and Best Success Story – winners will be chosen by public vote
- Best Outreach
- European H2 Valley of the Year
- Women in H2 Innovation Award
Each category highlights exceptional accomplishments contributing to the growth of a sustainable hydrogen economy across Europe.
Categories
The Best Innovation Award highlights how collaboration among research institutions, industry, and policymakers can deliver world-class solutions and speed up the transition to a decarbonised economy.
Each shortlisted innovation demonstrates the tangible impact of Clean Hydrogen Partnership projects in advancing cutting-edge hydrogen technologies. The award is presented to the project partners behind the winning innovation.
The Best Success Story Award celebrates the most significant breakthroughs across the hydrogen value chain. These stories show how collaboration among research institutions, industry, and policymakers within a European partnership drives meaningful innovation in a rapidly evolving, highly challenging sector.
Each success story demonstrates the vital role of research and innovation (R&I) in turning ideas into market-ready solutions, highlighting how ambitious and forward-thinking companies thrive through Clean Hydrogen Partnership projects.
Together, these stories reflect the strength of the Partnership’s portfolio approach, supporting low-carbon, sustainable technologies and opening new market opportunities for European hydrogen solutions.
Because a single success story often involves multiple projects, all projects featured in the winning story will be recognised. This year, two stories highlight specific project beneficiaries, who will receive individual recognition if selected through the public vote.
Explore the shortlisted success stories up for public vote!
Two more success stories of 2026 are now published.
These generalist stories about the Partnership successes are not included in the public vote:
The Best Outreach Award celebrates excellence in public engagement and communication. It encourages EU-funded project beneficiaries to share their achievements creatively and strategically, raising awareness of hydrogen innovation among diverse audiences.
The winner will be selected by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership Programme Office.
The European H2 Valley of the Year Award recognises outstanding achievements in developing and implementing Hydrogen Valleys.
The Clean Hydrogen Partnership and its predecessor, the FCH JU, began supporting Hydrogen Valleys in 2017 through the Regions Initiative. Since then, the concept has grown substantially, with over 100 Valleys in progress across 36 countries, as tracked by the H2V Platform under Mission Innovation.
The award will consider progress in project implementation, value chain coverage, hydrogen production and use, stakeholder involvement, and the level of innovation to identify Europe’s Valley of the Year.
The Women in H2 Innovation Award recognises the outstanding achievements and contributions of a female researcher in hydrogen research and innovation.
Following the success of its first edition in 2024 - organised in collaboration with Women in Green Hydrogen - the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and its Programme Office will once again honour a remarkable woman driving progress in this transformative field.
