Horizon Europe 2026/2027 best topics for "fuel cells"
Writer
Celeste Chidiac, PhD
Keywords
Microfluidic Devices, Intelligent Microfluidics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning
Opening
Dec 2025, Aug/Sep/Dec 2026, Feb/Mar 2027
Deadline
Apr/Oct/Dec 2026,
Feb/Mar/Ap/Jun/Sep/Oct 2027
Keywords
Intelligent Microfluidics
Deep Learning
Microfluidic Devices
Artificial Intelligence
Machine Learning
clean energy
PEMFC/SOFC
mobility & stationary power
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Horizon Europe 2026-2027
Calls ordered by "fuel cells" relevance
We have categorized the most relevant topics from the Horizon Europe 2026-2027 work programmes according to the impact that “Fuel cells (PEMFC/SOFC) for mobility & stationary power” can have on the calls and related topics. We are sharing our analysis in case it can help you with project funding efforts. And, of course, if our microfluidics expertise can be of use to you as a partner, we would be delighted to discuss it further.
The relevance is indicated at the beginning of the topic in square brackets.
Discover more!
Calls ordered by “Fuel cells (PEMFC/SOFC) for mobility & stationary power” relevance
[98%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-05-D5-11 – SCALABILITY OF SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS FOR WATERBORNE TRANSPORT (ZEWT & CLEAN HYDROGEN JU)
- Type of action: RIA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 05‑2026 (WP2026‑2027)
- Budget (topic, M€): 16.00
- Expected EU contribution per project (M€): ~8.00
- Estimated # projects funded: 2
- Opening date: 18 Dec 2025 • Deadline: 14 Apr 2026.
Scope. R&I to make SOFC systems maritime‑ready: larger stacks/modules, improved reliability and durability, validation/testing in marine environments, multi‑fuel operation (H₂ and derivatives), scalable manufacturing, safety, and diagnostics towards ≥100 kW building blocks scalable to ~1 MW, aligned with ZEWT KPIs; topic to be transferred to the Clean Hydrogen JU WP.
Why this finances fuel‑cell research. It directly funds core SOFC stack, BoP, controls, testing methods, and manufacturing routes specific to harsh maritime duty cycles, ideal for stacking TRL growth on fuel‑cell materials, architecture, thermal management, and system safety. It couples CHJU and ZEWT roadmaps to accelerate fuel‑cell performance, lifetime, and CAPEX reduction.
[92%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-05-D5-14 – PORTS OF THE FUTURE (ZEWT PARTNERSHIP)
- Type of action: IA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 05‑2026
- Budget (M€): 21.00
- Expected/project (M€): ~10.50
- # projects: 2
- Opening / Deadline: 18 Dec 2025 • 14 Apr 2026.
Scope. Large‑scale demonstrations of next‑gen port operations and infrastructures for zero‑emission shipping, including bunkering/handling of alternative fuels and port‑vessel energy systems integration.
Why it fits fuel cells. Enables deployment‑scale demonstrators for hydrogen & ammonia logistics, bunkering and safety, critical enablers for FC ships and aux power. Strong space for FC‑compatible port energy hubs, safety cases and permitting frameworks.
[90%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-05-D5-13 – SAFETY OF RENEWABLE LOW & ZERO‑CARBON WATERBORNE FUELS IN PORT AREAS (ZEWT)
- Type of action: CSA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 05‑2026
- Budget (M€): 2.00
- # projects: 1
- Opening / Deadline: 18 Dec 2025 • 14 Apr 2026.
Scope. Risk assessment, regulatory frameworks, and guidelines for safe bunkering/handling/storage of low‑ and zero‑carbon fuels in ports.
Why it fits fuel cells. Establishes safety regimes and harmonized guidance that de-risk hydrogen-based port operations, a prerequisite for FC ship trials and later market uptake.
[89%] HORIZON-MISS-2027-04-CIT-02 – HYDROGEN CITIES
- Type of action: CSA
- Call: Supporting the implementation of the Climate‑Neutral & Smart Cities Mission (2027‑04, single stage)
- Budget (M€): 5.00
- # projects: 1
- Opening / Deadline: 09 Feb 2027 • 07 Oct 2027.
Scope. Twinning Hydrogen Valleys with cities to deploy hydrogen applications for hard-to-abate sectors (industry, heavy‑duty, maritime/aviation interfaces), creating communities of practice and CHJU synergies; heating is out of scope.
Why it fits fuel cells. Funds city‑scale ecosystems where mobility, port/airport services, and industrial sites can adopt FCs, building bankable pipelines (permits, CAPEX/OPEX models, multi‑actor governance) that accelerate FC deployments.
[88%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-11-D3-04 – DE‑RISKING RENEWABLE FUEL TECHNOLOGIES THROUGH TRANSNATIONAL PRE‑COMMERCIAL PROCUREMENT OF RENEWABLE FUEL INDUSTRIAL VALUE CHAINS
- Type of action: PCP
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 11‑2026
- Budget (M€): 40.00
- # projects: 1
- Opening / Deadline: 04 Aug 2026 • 01 Dec 2026.
Scope. Pan‑EU procurement to de‑risk essential renewable fuel value chains (incl. hydrogen‑based) toward commercial fuel production beyond 2030 – improving access to finance, competitiveness, and market uptake.
Why it fits fuel cells. Addresses upstream bottlenecks (supply chains, industrial manufacturing) for renewable hydrogen and derivatives that feed FC mobility and stationary applications; powerful lever to mature FC‑compatible fuels and logistics at scale.
[85%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-09 – CO‑FUNDING SET‑PLAN RENEWABLE FUEL VALUE CHAINS AT EU/NATIONAL/REGIONAL/LOCAL LEVEL
- Type of action: COFUND
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 02‑2027
- Budget (M€): 30.00
- # projects: 1
- Opening / Deadline: 03 Dec 2026 • 31 Mar 2027.
Scope. Programme‑level co‑fund to coordinate and scale renewable‑fuel value chains via SET‑Plan, aiming at deployment/industrialization.
Why it fits fuel cells. Helps Member States/regions co‑finance hydrogen corridors and FC use‑cases (ports, logistics, industry), linking FC demand creation with upstream investments.
[84%] HORIZON-MISS-2027-04-CIT-01 – INNOVATIVE MICROGRIDS AND ENERGY COMMUNITIES IN CITIES
- Type of action: IA
- Call: Cities Mission (2027‑04)
- Budget (M€): 20.00
- Expected / project (M€): ~7.00
- # projects: 3
- Opening / Deadline: 09 Feb 2027 • 07 Oct 2027.
Scope. City‑scale demonstrations of resilient microgrids and energy communities integrating diverse DERs.
Why it fits fuel cells. Creates real‑world arenas for FC‑based micro‑cogeneration, islanding backup and sector coupling (H₂‑to‑power) integrated with storage and EV fleets.
[82%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-22 – NOVEL SOLUTIONS FOR OFF‑GRID STORAGE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES
- Type of action: RIA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 03‑2026
- Budget (M€): 12.00
- Expected /project (M€): ~4.00
- # projects: 3
- Opening / Deadline: 18 Dec 2025 • 14 Apr 2026.
Scope. Innovative storage for critical sites operating off‑grid/weak‑grid.
Why it fits fuel cells. Targets H₂‑to‑power microgrids where FCs provide long‑duration, resilient backup as part of hybrid storage architectures at hospitals, data centers, etc.
[80%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-19 – ONBOARD RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS & ENERGY‑SAVING MEASURES TO REDUCE SHIP FUEL CONSUMPTION ≥55% (ZEWT)
- Type of action: IA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 03‑2027
- Budget (M€): 8.00
- # projects: 1
- Opening / Deadline: 15 Dec 2026 • 14 Apr 2027.
Scope. Integrates onboard renewable energy and efficiency measures toward drastic fuel cuts in real operations.
Why it fits fuel cells. Demonstration space for FC‑based auxiliary propulsion/hotel loads with hybrid energy management delivering measurable fuel savings.
[78%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-06-TWO-STAGE-D5-10 – DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS FOR ENERGY SAVING ONBOARD LONG‑DISTANCE SHIPS (ZEWT)
- Type of action: RIA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 06‑2026 (two‑stage)
- Budget (M€): 15.00
- Expected / project (M€): ~5.00
- # projects: 3
- Opening / Deadlines: 18 Dec 2025 • 14 Apr 2026 (Stage 1), 08 Oct 2026 (Stage 2).
Scope. Breakthrough energy-saving tech and concepts for long-distance ships.
Why it fits fuel cells. Opens the door to FC‑hybrid architectures (SOFC/PEMFC + batteries), waste‑heat integration and control strategies to cut fuel use and emissions.
[70%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-21 – HYBRID AI‑CONTROL FRAMEWORK FOR NEXT‑GEN GRID‑SCALE ENERGY STORAGE & SYSTEM INTEGRATION
- Type of action: IA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 03‑2026
- Budget (M€): 14.00
- Expected /project (M€): ~7.00
- # projects: 2
- Opening / Deadline: 18 Dec 2025 • 14 Apr 2026.
Scope. AI‑based control for grid‑scale storage and integration.
Why it fits fuel cells. Enables advanced EMS/dispatch for FC‑hybrid plants (dynamic load tracking, degradation‑aware operation), improving life and LCOE of FC systems.
[65%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-19 – GRID‑FORMING CAPABILITIES FOR MORE RESILIENT, RES‑BASED ELECTRICITY GRIDS
- Type of action: IA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 03‑2026
- Budget (M€): 20.00
- Expected /project (M€): ~10.00
- # projects: 2
- Opening / Deadline: 18 Dec 2025 • 14 Apr 2026.
Scope. System‑level innovations for RES‑dominated grids with grid‑forming assets.
Why it fits fuel cells. Though not FC‑specific, results and testbeds can include FC‑hybrid converters and black‑start services, improving integration prospects of FC power.
[62%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-25 – LARGE‑SCALE OPERATIONAL VALIDATION & UPSCALING OF (GENERATIVE) AI TOOLS FOR A NEXT‑GEN DIGITAL ENERGY SYSTEM
- Type of action: IA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 02‑2027
- Budget (M€): 20.00
- Expected/ project (M€): ~10.00
- # projects: 2
- Opening / Deadline: 03 Dec 2026 • 31 Mar 2027.
Scope. Operational pilots to validate AI tools across energy value chain.
Why it fits fuel cells. Provides funding logic for AI‑enabled O&M, forecasting and digital twins of FC plants and H₂ hubs to cut downtime and optimize dispatch.
[60%] HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-17 – INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR MITIGATING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF WATERBORNE TRANSPORT (ZEWT)
- Type of action: RIA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 03‑2027
- Budget (M€): 14.00
- Expected /project (M€): ~7.00
- # projects: 2
- Opening / Deadline: 15 Dec 2026 • 14 Apr 2027.
Scope. Solutions to reduce waterborne environmental impacts.
Why it fits fuel cells. Creates a pathway to validate FC retrofit/auxiliary concepts and emissions benefits as part of wider environmental packages onboard.
[58%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-05-D5-12 – SHIPYARDS OF THE FUTURE (ZEWT)
- Type of action: IA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 05‑2026
- Budget (M€): 21.00
- Expected /project (M€): ~10.50
- # projects: 2
- Opening / Deadline: 18 Dec 2025 • 14 Apr 2026.
Scope. Digitalized, modular and greener shipyard processes and integration.
Why it fits fuel cells. Supports industrial readiness to integrate FC modules, ventilation/safety systems, and H₂ piping within newbuild/retrofit workflows.
[55%] HORIZON-CL4-2027-02-MATERIALS‑PRODUCTION-32 – EFFICIENT ENERGY INPUT FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES & ENERGY MANAGEMENT IN THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES (P4P & IAM4EU)
- Type of action: RIA
- Call: INDUSTRY‑two‑stage (2027‑02)
- Budget (M€): 60.00
- Expected/project (M€): 7.00-9.00
- # projects: 8
- Opening / Deadlines: 22 Sep 2026 • 02 Feb 2027 (Stage 1), 02 Sep 2027 (Stage 2).
Scope. Energy‑efficiency & renewable integration in process industries.
Why it fits fuel cells. Supports FC‑compatible manufacturing and test lines (e.g., high‑temperature processes for SOFC cells/stacks) and smart energy management in FC component production.
[54%] HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS‑PRODUCTION-47 – PILOT ACCESS SCHEMES TO TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURES FOR EUROPEAN STARTUPS, SCALEUPS & INNOVATIVE SMES
- Type of action: CSA
- Call: INDUSTRY 2027‑01 (single stage)
- Budget (M€): 5.00
- Expected /project (M€): 1.50-2.50
- # projects: 2
Scope. EU‑wide pilot access to technology infrastructures.
Why it fits fuel cells. Lowers barriers for FC startups to access pilot lines, test benches, and metrology, accelerating stack/component validation and scale‑up.
[50%] HORIZON-INFRA-2027-SERV-01-02 – ACCESS TO RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES TO ENABLE R&I ADDRESSING EU PRIORITIES & EMERGING CHALLENGES
- Type of action: RIA
- Call: Research Infrastructures 2027 (HORIZON‑INFRA‑2027‑01)
- Budget (M€): 35.00
- Expected / project (M€): ~6.00
- # projects: 5
- Opening / Deadline: 09 Mar 2027 • 15 Jun 2027.
Scope. Transnational/virtual access to world‑class RIs and services.
Why it fits fuel cells. Funds transnational access to FC‑relevant labs (electrochemistry, materials, H₂ safety), de‑risking early research and benchmarking under FAIR data practices.
[48%] HORIZON-INFRA-2027-TECH-01-01 – TESTING & OPTIMISING MODELS OF CO‑CREATION OF ADVANCED RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGIES
- Type of action: RIA
- Call: Research Infrastructures 2027 (HORIZON‑INFRA‑2027‑01)
- Budget (M€): 30.00
- Expected /project (M€): 10.00-15.00
- # projects: 2
- Opening / Deadline: 09 Mar 2027 • 15 Jun 2027.
Scope. Co‑creation with industry for next‑generation RI technologies.
Why it fits fuel cells. Opportunity to develop advanced FC test & metrology platforms (e.g., high‑temp operando characterization, safety rigs) via RI‑industry co‑creation.
[45%] HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D3-23 – AI‑DRIVEN FORECASTING ALGORITHMS FOR GRID & CONSUMER‑FRIENDLY ENERGY SHARING – SOCIETAL READINESS PILOT
- Type of action: IA
- Call: Cluster 5 Call 03‑2026
- Budget (M€): 12.00
- Expected /project (M€): ~6.00
- # projects: 2
- Opening / Deadline: 18 Dec 2025 • 14 Apr 2026.
Scope. AI forecasting to enable energy sharing and consumer‑centric flexibility.
Why it fits fuel cells. Supports digital layers for neighborhood microgrids where FCs provide firm power within peer-to-peer energy models.
Notes on additional, cross‑cutting support to hydrogen/fuel cells in CL5
The CL5 WP also foresees blending operations under InvestEU’s Green Transition product, explicitly highlighting renewable hydrogen demonstration and end-use applications, complementing grants with loans/quasi-equity; this can strengthen business cases of FC deployments emerging from the above topics.
What microfluidics can bring to fuel cells
- Catalyst‑layer discovery at scale: High‑throughput microreactors to screen inks (ionomer content, solvent systems), accelerating PEMFC/PAFC/SOFC electrode optimization.
- Water and gas management: Microchannel architectures to study two‑phase flow, droplet dynamics and GDL hydrophobicity; de‑risk flooding/dry‑out maps and operating windows.
- Membrane diagnostics: In‑situ micro‑sensors for humidity, crossover, and local current density to correlate degradation with local conditions.
- Reformer & pre-condenser microsystems (SOFC): Micro‑reformers for methanol/ ethanol/ammonia cracking studies with controlled residence times and thermal profiles.
- Thermal management: Micro‑heat exchangers and embedded temperature sensing to design stack/BoP thermal control loops with minimal parasitics.
- Contaminant tolerance: Microfluidic dosing platforms to quantify FC performance impact of NH₃, H₂S, CO, particulates – building robust poisoning mitigation strategies.
- Durability protocols: Rapid stress‑test cycling in microcells to emulate load transients and start-stop; connect to AI-based prognostics for lifetime models.
- Manufacturing scale‑up: Inline micro‑rheology and micromixing QA to stabilize ink and coating processes (slot‑die/spray) before scale‑up to pilot lines.
[1] Qasem, N. A., & Abdulrahman, G. A. (2024). A recent comprehensive review of fuel cells: history, types, and applications. International Journal of Energy Research, 2024(1), 7271748.
FAQ – Horizon Europe 2026–2027: Best Topics for Fuel Cells
What’s the big picture for 2026-2027?
Fuel cells have plenty of room, particularly in real-world applications. The most powerful ones are waterborne transport (ZEWT), hydrogen-ready ports and cities, resilient microgrids, and AI-driven operations. Most calls prefer a combined demo over an isolated component.
Choose one flagship topic: what is it?
SOFC scaling to waterborne transport. It is heavy on research, but highly practical: larger stacks/modules, marine-grade, fuel flexibility (hydrogen and derivatives), and proven ≥100,000 kW building blocks. Considering that you specialize in SOFC materials, thermal management, and safety, this is the best TRL-lifting ground.
Does it have deployment-scale other than SOFC?
Yes. It is operation-oriented: alternative-fuel logistics, marine bunkering, and port-vessel energy nexus. Not exactly a pure FC call, but it works with port energy hubs, where fuel cells work with auxiliary power and safety by design.
So, what about hydrogen safety and port regulations?
There is a CSA on the safety of renewable low- and zero-carbon fuels in port settings, considering risk models, uniform guidance, and the use of toolkits. This is an excellent de-risking add-on if your maritime FC demo depends on safe bunkering/storage.
Any city-level openings in 2027?
Two good ones: an IA (on innovative microgrids/energy communities) and a Cities Mission CSA on “Hydrogen Cities” (twinning with Hydrogen Valleys). Ideal in connecting depots, port/airport services, and municipal micro-CHP, in which FCs provide resilience, low noise, and clean backup power.
Aiming at immobile power and permanence, what suits?
Seek out the RIA on new off-/weak-grid storage of essential infrastructure. It embraces hybrids in which fuel cells provide long-term backup for hospitals, data centers, and other such facilities, precisely when batteries do not suffice.
Topics in maritime efficiency where FCs fit?
Yes. FC-hybrids can be hosted in ZEWT with onboard renewables and energy-saving, and two-stage calls on disruptive energy-saving for long-distance vessels, including hotel loads, thermal integration, heat recovery, and smart energy management with quantifiable fuel reductions.
At what point does AI/digitalization find fuel cells?
Throughout multiple calls: an IA on the hybrid AI control of grid-scale storage and another one on large-scale validation of (generative) AI of digital energy. Natural degradation-aware dispatch, digital twins of stacks/BOP, predictive maintenance, and fleet scheduling fit FC-plant.
Does it have any levers to increase scale?
Two useful ones: a COFUND to align/co-finance value chains based on renewable fuels with the SET-Plan (useful in corridors and demand creation), and industry/infra calls to provide SMEs with pilot access and test-bench services, which are useful in metrology, QA, and validation before you scale.
In what ways would you use microfluidics to accelerate FC R&D?
- Microreactors to rapidly screen catalyst inks and ionomer ratios.
- Microchannel experiments to trace two-phase flow, GDL hydrophobicity, flooding/ dry-out.
- In-situ microsensors for on-site humidity, crossover, and local current density.
- Thermal-controlled micro-reformers (e.g., ammonia cracking) of SOFC feeds.
- Stack thermal loop micro-heat exchanger.
- Contaminant-tolerance dosing (NH3, H2S, CO) with precise exposure profiles.
- Increased cell life in microcells associated with prognostic AI.
- In-line micromixing/micro-rheology QA to control in-pilot coating operations.
What is a competitive consortium like?
Balanced team: stack/material leads (PEMFC/SOFC), BOP/safety, shipyards/port authorities (ZEWT/port calls), city utilities/DSOs (microgrids), AI/s-digital-twin partners, certification/regulatory. Early include end users, secure test assets, and demonstrate a clear path from prototype to real-world validation, including permits and safety cases.
What is the position of the Microfluidics Innovation Center (MIC)?
Three concrete roles:
- R&D partner for microfluidic testbeds, embedded sensing, and accelerated durability protocols to de-risk stack options.
- Bridge to pilot-line, ink quality, coating stability, metrology, and thermal/flow integration at the micro-level.
- Accomplished Horizon participant to form work plans, influence, and exploitation. We have found that introducing a hands-on microfluidics SME increases the likelihood of selection, as the fields of lab science, manufacturability, and field validation align on day one.
