Call Module 2026-05: Hydrogen and renewable fuel

Hydrogen and renewable fuels will play a key role in achieving climate neutrality, particularly in hard-to-electrify sectors such as industry, aviation, shipping, and heavy-duty transport. Continued innovation is needed to reduce costs, improve performance and enable large-scale deployment of these technologies.

This call module supports research and innovation on technologies for the clean, safe and efficient production, storage, distribution and use of hydrogen and renewable fuels, including advanced biofuels and synthetic renewable fuels such as electrofuels (e-fuels).

Proposals should address the advancement and deployment of hydrogen and renewable fuel solutions. Key challenges include:

• Sustainable and competitive production: scaling up production from diverse feedstocks and renewable electricity at costs competitive with fossil alternatives.
• Value chain development: integrating production, storage, transport, and end use across sectors.
• Infrastructure readiness: developing infrastructure, including pipelines, storage systems, and distribution networks.
• Safety and reliability: ensuring safe handling, storage and transport of hydrogen and renewable fuels.
• System integration: managing intermittency and ensuring interoperability with energy systems.
• Market, regulatory and societal aspects: addressing certification, regulation, business models, and social acceptance.

Proposals may address hydrogen and renewable fuel pathways across the value chain, including production, storage and transport technologies, end-use solutions, pilot and demonstration installations, and power-to-X integration.

This call module complements Call Module 9, which focuses on industrial energy system integration. Projects addressing research and innovation on the hydrogen and renewable fuels value chain, rather than site-specific industrial integration, should apply under Call

Proposals should demonstrate measurable progress towards cost-effective hydrogen and renewable fuel technologies, including safe storage and transport and advanced end-use technologies enabling fossil fuel substitution.

Projects are expected to:

• End at TRL 5 or higher
• Achieve an increase of at least +1 TRL
• Include at least one industrial partner

Contact point: TRI3@cetpartnership.eu

Attention: This is just an introduction to the call module. Make sure to read the full call text before applying, including the detailed scope, requirements, and eligibility conditions, which will be published this summer.