Funding for Grants for International Projects on Green Hydrogen

The funding program supports a wide range of actors in Germany who wish to participate in international research projects on green hydrogen. This includes companies, universities, non-university research institutions, and legal entities under public and private law, including municipal bodies. The funding aims to internationally network the German research landscape and advance sustainable innovations along the entire hydrogen value chain.

The program funds international projects for research into green hydrogen along the entire value chain, from basic research to experimental development. Support is provided in various modules covering different cooperation constellations and research priorities, such as networking measures, pilot projects, collaborative research with industry and science, internationalization of innovation clusters, establishment of competence centers, EUREKA technology cooperations, and accompanying scientific projects.

The program offers financial support in the form of non-repayable grants. Funding rates vary depending on the applicant and the type of activity, with universities and non-university institutions potentially receiving higher rates. For companies, specific EU state aid regulations apply.

Specific legal and organizational conditions apply to participation in the program, particularly regarding cooperation partners, EU state aid rules, and the utilization of project results. A key prerequisite is the existence of a German operational facility or institution.

The application procedure is two-stage, starting with the submission of a project outline and, upon positive evaluation, an invitation to submit a formal funding application. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) Project Management Agency is commissioned with the supervision.

The funding program is based on a specific directive of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, which regulates the funding of international green hydrogen projects. It is embedded in the national high-tech and hydrogen strategy as well as the German government's internationalization strategy and is subject to the relevant budgetary and European state aid regulations.