Closed

Understanding emissions of PFAS from electrolysers and/or fuel cells under product use

HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions

Basic Information

Identifier: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-05-02
Programme: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025
Programme Period: 2021 - 2027
Status: Closed (31094503)
Opening Date: January 30, 2025
Deadline: April 23, 2025
Deadline Model: single-stage
Budget: €184,500,000
Min Grant Amount: €1,000,000
Max Grant Amount: €1,000,000
Expected Number of Grants: 1
Keywords: HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-05-02HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025Hydrogen

Description

Expected Outcome:

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of thousands of chemicals, with different properties, safety profiles and uses[[OECD, "oecd.org," 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/portal-perfluorinated-chemicals/terminology-per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances.pdf. [Accessed April 2024]]]. In January 2023, the authorities of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden submitted a proposal to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) that calls for a near complete phase-out of the manufacture, import, sale, and use of per- and polyfluorinated substances (commonly known as PFAS)[[ECHA, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://echa.europa.eu/hot-topics/perfluoroalkyl-chemicals-pfas. [Accessed April 2024]]. Transitional periods are foreseen for uses that currently have no alternatives. Within the class of PFAS chemicals included in the proposal are fluoropolymers, a subgroup of PFAS that is used in various industrial and professional applications.

Water electrolysers and fuel cells use fluorinated membranes for their unique physical and chemical properties such as elevated proton conductivity and excellent durability. However, these systems are known to emit levels of inorganic fluoride during operation of the product. In fact, the degree of fluoride release may be used as a measure of the rate of degradation of the membrane in a fuel cell or an electrolyser^[1]. Hence, component and stack manufacturers aim to minimise any inorganic fluoride release rate in order to ensure commercially viable lifetimes to their products by reducing degradation. However, until now, corresponding degradation mechanisms, the quantification of organic fluorine compounds, and their potential impact on the environment have not been understood or even investigated^[2]. There are therefore no testing protocols ready for electrolyser/fuel cell degradation with focus on PFAS release and considering the use of adequate analytics (e.g. sum parameters). In particular, there is no defined, agreed analytical technique available to reliably identify individual organic fluorine containing compounds due to their low concentrations and heterogeneity^[3] (explicitly excluding existing, regulated substances like PFOS,… and the corresponding analytical methods as described therein).

Moreover, electrolysers and fuel cells will have to rely on commonly available fluorinated membranes for the upcoming years as the few alternatives to fluorinated membranes are at low TRL (e.g. HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-05-02), and any alternatives may not become viable and scale in time. It is therefore relevant to enhance the understanding of PFAS emission based on currently used fluorinated membranes, developing pre-normative testing protocols and methods, and investigate the emission of the degradation products in applications under product use.

Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:

Allow science-based decision making for policy makers and industry players;
Enable industry, policy makers and the public to deepen their understanding of potential PFAS emissions of electrolyser and/or fuel cell systems under product use, and their impact on the environment;
Identify the emission pathway (vapour, aerosol, liquid phase);
Allow for targeted solutions to prevent potential PFAS emissions in these systems from new or existing players in the hydrogen field;
Allow industry to use a standardised method for PFAS emissions measurement under product use;
Provide mature sampling and testing methods, analytical tools to assess PFAS release to the environment, and to ensure sustainability of fuel cells and/or water electrolysis;
Pave the way to make fuel cells and/or water electrolysis more sustainable;
Provide context with the potential emissions and their potential impact, educating the public on balancing the risks of those emissions.

Scope:

This proposal is expected to focus on the fundamental understanding of the potential PFAS emissions in water electrolysers and fuel cells under product use. It aims to identify the root cause of PFAS compounds in water electrolysers and fuel cells, and to quantify the potential release of these substances into the environment during operation. Additionally, this project should propose solutions to manage and minimise emissions from current products corresponding to their amount and relevance of emission. It should include recommendations on a reduced release into the environment and propose possible mitigation options for avoidance of emissions. Considering the application-based, industrial scope of the project, subsequent non-industrial processes like subsequent biodegradation in the environment, the individual properties of persistency and incorporation into the food chain should not be contained within the scope and future possible applicants of this proposal. However, the project should support a preliminary liaison of the industrial community with these complementary aspects. Applicants are therefore expected to propose activities to build a significant state of the art collection and review of recent studies related to PFAS biodegradation. Besides, projects are expected to build further on the findings and targets of previous projects and find synergies with running projects, as well as with the novel Innovative Materials for EU co-Programmed Partnership. Specific attention should be given to Horizon Europe, Cluster 4^[4].

An integral step of the project is the development of a uniform testing (operation, sampling and analysis) protocol for PFAS emissions under product use. The results should further be additionally validated by means of statistics, and repetitive sample taking and evaluation.

As a guideline, project proposals should define the process of test sample taking, considering e.g.:
- Transport conditions, sampling devices, sample probing, and sample taking conditions (beginning of life, run-in units) at different sites in a system (fuel cell or electrolyser) under product use conditions (e.g. temperature, hydrodynamic conditions, product water emission or air taken, …);
- Establish comparable and robust results for the samples, and a measure of proper data representation (statistics, relevance, database, reference, administration…);
- Define harmonised test protocols for fuel cells and electrolysers during which samples are taken for analysis, providing a procedure how, when, and where the samples are taken (gas, liquid and aerosols).
Establish a comprehensive analytical methodology:
Establishing a list of relevant substances for targeted analysis of the corresponding samples^[5];
- Defining method(s) for analysis based on selected samples;
- Investigating the limits and restrictions of the applied analytical method(s): limits of detection (LOD), limits of quantification (LOQ), mass determination and selectivity, etc.;
- Evaluating possible impurities and misinterpretations of generated analytical results.

As a recommendation for upcoming analytical methods, it should be highlighted that while analysing PFAS at parts per trillion (ppt) concentrations, superior sampling, hygiene and laboratory handling procedures, and repetition of measurements are essential to ensure statistically validated results. Proposals should thus additionally establish a standard sampling process with appropriate sample hygiene instructions for fuel cell and/or electrolyser effluents. As indicated, an understanding of the sources of emissions should be tackled within the scope of the project.

It is further suggested that an analysis should answer the question of the proper combination of targeted residuals analyses, balancing non-targeted residuals analyses of both fluorinated and non-fluorinated compounds, and methods for quantification as Total Organic Fluorine (TOF) or Total Organic Carbon (TOC). The project scope should not exclude certain chemistries from the scanning exercise, as results might be mispresented if the protocol is biased.

Projects should explore at least the following innovations:

Representative sample taking from Low Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (LT- PEMFC) and Low Temperature - Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysers (LT- PEMWE) in application, providing an adequate statistical approach including e.g. blind samples, reference samples, multiple-sample taking, and sample redundancy;
Development of sampling methods and hygiene protocols for emission analyses from hydrogen systems under product use;
Development of a combination of targeted, non-targeted, and TOF, TOC or other total parameter analysis techniques for system manufacturers to understand the sources of potential PFAS emissions under product use;
Development of a combination of targeted and non-targeted analysis techniques for policy makers to understand the amount of potential PFAS emissions of electrochemical hydrogen systems.

Proposals are encouraged to contribute to the activities of EURAMET - European Metrology Networks for Pollution Monitoring^[6] which addresses the challenges of measuring chemical pollutants including PFAs.

For activities developing test protocols and procedures for the performance and durability assessment of electrolysers and fuel cell components proposals should foresee a collaboration mechanism with JRC^[7] (see section 2.2.4.3 "Collaboration with JRC"), in order to support EU-wide harmonisation. Test activities should adopt the already published EU harmonised testing protocols^[8] to benchmark performance and quantify progress at programme level.

Proposals are expected to contribute towards the activities of Mission Innovation 2.0 - Clean Hydrogen Mission. Cooperation with entities from Clean Hydrogen Mission member countries, which are neither EU Member States nor Horizon Europe Associated countries, is encouraged (see section 2.2.6.7 International Cooperation).

For additional elements applicable to all topics please refer to section 2.2.3.2.

The JU estimates that an EU contribution of maximum EUR 2.00 million would allow these outcomes to be addressed appropriately.

The conditions related to this topic are provided in the chapter 2.2.3.2 of the Clean Hydrogen JU 2025 Annual Work Plan and in the General Annexes to the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023–2025 which apply mutatis mutandis.

[1] M. C. a. A. Z. W. Ahmet Kusoglu, "Effect of Mechanical Compression on Chemical Degradation," ECS Electrochemistry Letters, vol. 3, no. 5, pp. F33-F35, 2014

[2] J. W. R. K. J. M. F. B. a. V. V. Dharmjeet Madhav, "A Review of Proton Exchange Membrane Degradation Pathways, Mechanisms, and Mitigation Strategies in a Fuel Cell," Energies, vol. 17, no. 5, p. 998, 2024

[3] M. Bodner et al. “Determining the Total Fluorine Emission Rate in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Effluent Water”, ECS Trans. 80 559, 2017 https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1149/08008.0559ecst

[4] Including results of 2025 calls (e.g. HORIZON-CL4-2025-INDUSTRY-01-51: Development of safe and sustainable by design alternatives to PFAS (IA))

[5] S. H. K. e. al., "A critical review of the application of polymer of low concern regulatory criteria to fluoropolymers II: fluoroplastics and fluoro-elastomers," Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, vol. 2, no. 19, p. 326–354, 2023.

[6] https://www.euramet.org/european-metrology-networks/pollution-monitoring/pollutants/chemical-pollutants

[7] https://www.clean-hydrogen.europa.eu/knowledge-management/collaboration-jrc-0_en

[8] https://www.clean-hydrogen.europa.eu/knowledge-management/collaboration-jrc-0/clean-hydrogen-ju-jrc-deliverables_en

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Eligibility & Conditions

General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

Page limit for Innovation Actions: For all Innovation Actions the page limit of the applications are 70 pages.

2. Eligible Countries

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

3. Other Eligibility Conditions

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Additional eligibility condition: Maximum contribution per topic

For some topics, in line with the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA, an additional eligibility criterion has been introduced to limit the Clean Hydrogen JU requested contribution mostly for actions performed at high TRL level, including demonstration in real operational environment and with important involvement from industrial stakeholders and/or end users such as public authorities. Such actions are expected to leverage co-funding as commitment from stakeholders. It is of added value that such leverage is shown through the private investment in these specific topics. Therefore, proposals requesting contributions above the amounts specified per each topic below will not be evaluated:

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-04: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 6.00 million

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-06: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 8.00 million

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-02-03: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 6.00 million

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-04-01: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 5.00 million

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-06-01: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 20.00 million

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-06-02: The maximum Clean Hydrogen JU contribution that may be requested is EUR 9.00 million

Additional eligibility condition: Membership to Hydrogen Europe / Hydrogen Europe Research

For the topics listed below, in line with the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA, an additional eligibility criterion has been introduced to ensure that one partner in the consortium is a member of either Hydrogen Europe or Hydrogen Europe Research. This concerns topics targeting actions for large-scale demonstrations, flagship projects and strategic research actions, where the industrial and research partners of the Clean Hydrogen JU are considered to play a key role in accelerating the commercialisation of hydrogen technologies by being closely linked to the Clean Hydrogen JU constituency, which could further ensure full alignment with the SRIA of the JU. This approach shall also ensure the continuity of the work performed within projects funded through the H2020 and FP7, by building up on their experience and consolidating the EU value-chain. In the Call 2025 this applies to: demonstration of efficient electrolysis coupling with variable renewable electricity and/or heat integration, demonstration of innovative hydrogen and solid carbon production from renewable gases/biogenic waste processes, demonstration of scalable ammonia cracking technology, and demonstration of stationary fuel cells in renewable energy communities. This will also apply to the Hydrogen Valley (flagship) topics as they are considered of strategic importance for the European Union ambitions to double the number of Hydrogen Valleys by 2025. For the Hydrogen Valleys topics a large amount of co-investment/cofunding of project participants/beneficiaries including national and regional programmes is expected.

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-04

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-06

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-02-03

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-04-01

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-06-01

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-06-02

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion

described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds

are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes

are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

STEP (Sovereignty) Seal

For the topics below topics the STEP Seal (so called “Sovereignty Seal” under the STEP Regulation) will be awarded to proposals exceeding all of the evaluation thresholds set out in this Annual Work Programme. The STEP Seal is a label, which aims to increase the visibility of quality projects available for funding and help attract alternative and cumulative funding for quality projects, and simultaneously to provide a potential project pipeline for regional and national programmes

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-04

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-06

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-02-03

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-04-01

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-06-01

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-06-02

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement

described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].

described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

In addition to the standard provisions, the following specific provisions in the model grant agreement will apply:

1. Lump Sum

This year’s call for proposals will take the form of lump sums as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021- 2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025).

Lump sums will be used across all topics in the Call 2025.

2. Full capitalised costs for purchases of equipment, infrastructure or other assets purchased specifically for the action

For some topics, in line with the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA, mostly large-scale demonstrators or flagship projects specific equipment, infrastructure or other assets purchased specifically for the action (or developed as part of the action tasks) can exceptionally be declared as full capitalised costs. This concerns the topics below:

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-04

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-06

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-02-03

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-04-01

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-06-01

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-06-02

3. Subcontracting

For all topics: an additional obligation regarding subcontracting has been introduced, namely that subcontracted work may only be performed in target countries set out in the call conditions.

The beneficiaries must ensure that the subcontracted work is performed in the countries set out in the call conditions.

The target countries are all Member States of the European Union and all Associated Countries.

4. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), background and results, access rights and rights of use (article 16 and Annex 5 of the Model Grant Agreement (MGA))

An additional information obligation has been introduced for topics including standardisation activities: ‘Beneficiaries must, up to 4 years after the end of the action, inform the granting authority if the results could reasonably be expected to contribute to European or international standards’. These concerns the topics below:

- HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-02-01

Specific conditions

described in the chapter 2.2.3.2 of the Clean Hydrogen JU 2025 Annual Work Programme

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):

Application form templates

Application form - Part B (HE CleanH2 RIA, IA)

Application form - Part B (HE CleanH2 CSA)

Evaluation form templates

Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)

Standard evaluation form (HE CSA)

Guidance

HE Programme Guide

Model Grant Agreements (MGA)

Lump Sum MGA

Call-specific instructions

Detailed budget table (HE LS)

Clean Hydrogen JU - Annual Work Programme 2025 (AWP 2025)

- AWP 2025

Clean Hydrogen JU - Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA)

- SRIA Clean Hydrogen JU

Lump Sums Guidance

- Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"

- Comprehensive information on lump sum funding in Horizon Europe

Additional documents:

HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025 – 1. General Introduction

HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025 – 13. General Annexes

HE Programme Guide

HE Framework Programme 2021/695

HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764

EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509

Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment

EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement

Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual

Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions

Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Support & Resources

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Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe.

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CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal.

The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers.

Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.

Latest Updates

Last Changed: August 8, 2025

CALL UPDATE:

An overview of the evaluation results for the call HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025 is now available. More information can be found in this document: FLASH EVALUATION RESULTS

Last Changed: April 24, 2025

CALL UPDATE: PROPOSAL NUMBERS

Call HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025 has closed on the 23/04/2025.

212 proposals have been submitted.

The breakdown per topic is:

RENEWABLE HYDROGEN PRODUCTION

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-01: 21 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-02: 10 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-03: 11 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-04: 9 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-05: 8 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-06: 14 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-07: 15 proposals

HYDROGEN STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-02-01: 9 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-02-02: 10 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-02-03: 7 proposals

HYDROGEN END USES: TRANSPORT APPLICATIONS

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-03-01: 9 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-03-02: 7 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-03-03: 7 proposals

HYDROGEN END USES: CLEAN HEAT AND POWER

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-04-01: 19 proposals

CROSS-CUTTING

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-05-01: 7 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-05-02: 8 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-05-03: 6 proposals

HYDROGEN VALLEYS

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-06-01: 16 proposals

-HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-06-02: 19 proposals

Evaluation results are expected to be communicated in August 2025.

Last Changed: April 15, 2025

Notice to Applicants (15/04/2025)

Please note that we will no longer be accepting questions regarding the current call for proposals HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025. We appreciate your interest and encourage you to refer to the published documentation for any remaining clarifications.

Last Changed: April 15, 2025

Errata Notice - Topic HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-05

The correct text for topic HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-01-05 stipulates:

"Furthermore, project results are expected to contribute to the following KPIs, targeted at co-electrolyser scale, specific for three high temperature co-electrolysis technologies: Oxide and Proton conductive Solid Oxide electrolysers (SOEL, PCCEL) and Molten Carbonate Electrolyser (MCE):

Oxide conductive Solid Oxide electrolysers (SOEL)

Power to syngas efficiency: 0.9 kWLHV /kWe
Degradation in operating conditions: 0.8 %/1000h @1A/cm²
Unit cost: 500 €/kW

Proton Conductive Ceramic electrolysers (PCCEL)

Power to syngas efficiency: 0.9 kWLHV/ kWe
Degradation in operating conditions: 0.8 %/1000h @0.75A/cm²
Unit cost: 500 €/kW

Molten Carbonate electrolysers (MCE)

Power to syngas efficiency: 0.93 kWLHV/ kWe
Degradation in operating conditions: 0.5 %/1000h @0.5A/cm²
Unit cost: 500 €/kW

KPIs are defined for the main high temperature co-electrolysis techniques, derived from the SRIA and from results of previous EU funded projects."

Last Changed: April 3, 2025

Errata Notice – Topic Conditions

We appreciate your attention to this information. Please be advised that the Topic Conditions are provided below, as they were not displayed correctly under each topic. These conditions apply to all topics across the entire call.

We kindly ask you to refer to the information below and in the AWP2025 to ensure compliance with the applicable requirements.