Innovation Fund Large Scale Projects - Innovative electrification in industry and hydrogen

Topic description

Objective:

The objective of this topic is to support projects on innovative electrification in industry and innovative hydrogen production and use, in support of the 2030 targets for renewable hydrogen established in the REPowerEU Action Plan, and to decrease the use of and dependency on imported fossil fuels.

The following activities can be funded under this topic (industry is defined as the activities listed in Annex I of the EU ETS Directive 2003/873):

A. Activities that support the innovative direct electrification of industry replacing conventional fossil fuels use, both in sector-specific and cross-sectoral uses.

B. Activities that support innovative hydrogen production and applications (i.e. hydrogen use as an energy carrier, or hydrogen as a reducing agent, or as a feedstock) in industry.

Targeted activities are:

B.1 those where the main innovation lies in the use of hydrogen in industrial applications. As the focus in this topic is to reduce the use of and the dependence on fossil fuels, the use of fossil fuel-based hydrogen is excluded from this topic.

B.2 those where the main innovation lies in renewable hydrogen production and production of hydrogen-derived renewable fuels (i.e. renewable fuels of non-biological origin) and feed-stocks.

Projects can include either one or both of the activities described under B.1 and B.2.

Innovation in hydrogen transport or storage as a part of an integrated hydrogen project with renewable hydrogen production can also be funded. This approach should facilitate the development of projects that cover several aspects of the hydrogen supply chain.

Innovation in renewable hydrogen production for industrial use is targeted but hydrogen production can also be funded if renewable hydrogen produced is destined for use in buildings or transport or in several sectors as it helps to develop supply side and provides flexibility for suppliers to look for potential off-takers.

Excluded activities: projects whose main innovation lies solely in hydrogen use in transport or buildings or power generation or combined power and heat or storage) .