New subsidy call for direct use of hydrogen in industry and energy
The use of hydrogen as a direct energy carrier offers concrete opportunities to decarbonize sectors where electrification is not a viable alternative, such as industrial processes with high-temperature demands and heavy transport. This requires new solutions in technology, safety, and system integration, areas already being researched within the GroenvermogenNL R&D program. With an additional call, NWO and GroenvermogenNL are today taking the next step in developing applications for the direct use of hydrogen.
Since 2023, a consortium has been working within the HyUSE project (Hydrogen technology development and assessment for accelerated use) on technologies, system solutions, and framework conditions for the direct use of hydrogen leading up to 2030. This spring, a substantive expansion of HyUSE will follow via a new call (theme/work package 3, phase 2). The focus is on the direct use of hydrogen and hydrogen carriers as fuel for direct energy production and high-temperature processes, as well as on use cases for industries that have not yet been addressed in HyUSE.
From development to application HyUSE focuses on research into technology development for furnaces, gas turbines, combustion engines, and fuel cells, and on the techno-economic aspects of various hydrogen applications. In the new call, the emphasis lies on further concretization and application. The goal is to bring the practical use of hydrogen closer and contribute to the sustainability of Dutch industry.
The new call focuses on three interrelated research directions:
- Heat processes, including the direct use of hydrogen and ammonia as fuel for high-temperature applications.
- Technologies for the direct conversion of hydrogen into energy.
- Hybrid energy storage and integration into energy systems.
Additionally, there is scope for new industrial applications, such as data centers and other energy-intensive sectors that have not yet been investigated within HyUSE.
€9 million subsidy for one consortium Approximately €9 million in subsidy is available for this call. A maximum of one consortium will be formed to develop an integrated research and innovation program.
Consortium formation takes place via a "sandpit" approach involving mandatory workshops, in which parties jointly arrive at a single, unified proposal.
About the GroenvermogenNL R&D program This additional new call for research into the direct use of hydrogen is part of the GroenvermogenNL R&D program. In total, €177 million is available for seven R&D projects and two additional projects in 2026. The R&D projects are established through a unique sandpit procedure, where parties reach a single supported proposal through workshop days.
Read more about the R&D program.
