New EU funding opportunities
🚀 On 4 December 2025, the European Commission has launched three major new funding opportunities under the EU Innovation Fund, mobilising €5.2 billion from EU ETS revenues to support the scale-up of net-zero technologies, clean hydrogen production, and industrial heat decarbonisation.
✅ Main Funding Opportunities:
🔹 IF25 Net-Zero Technologies Call – €2.9 billion
📌 Supporting innovative, mature decarbonisation projects across various scales, including manufacturing of components for:
- Renewables & energy storage
- Heat pumps
- Hydrogen production
- EV batteries
📌 Projects are assessed on GHG reduction potential, innovation, maturity, replicability, and cost efficiency.
📌 A new bonus point is introduced for projects led exclusively by SMEs, recognising their role in driving innovation.
📅 Info Day: 16 December 2025
🔹 3rd Auction of the European Hydrogen Bank – €1.3 billion
📌 Scaling up production of RFNBO hydrogen and electrolytic low-carbon hydrogen, including a new topic for aviation and maritime off-takers.
📌 Support is provided via a fixed premium per kg of verified hydrogen produced for up to 10 years, increasing price certainty and bankability for projects.
📅 Info Day: 10 December 2025
🔹 1st Auction for Decarbonising Industrial Process Heat – €1 billion
📌 The auction dedicated to industrial process heat, targeting one of Europe’s largest unaddressed emissions sources.
📌 Supported technologies include:
- Heat pumps & electric boilers
- Resistance & induction heating
- Solar thermal & geothermal heat
- Hybrid solutions
📌 Funding is granted as a fixed premium per unit of verified decarbonised heat for up to 5 years, awarded to the most cost-effective CO₂ abatement projects.
📅 Info Day: 16 December 2025
Member States can complement EU funding for high-scoring projects that miss out due to budget limits:
📌 Germany: additional €1.3 billion for RFNBO hydrogen projects
📌 Spain: €465 million total:
- €415 million for hydrogen
- €50 million for industrial heat decarbonisation
☑️ What’s next?
📌 Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the Info Day.
📌 Signing of grant agreements:
- NZT projects – expected Q1 2027
- Auction projects – within 9 months of call closure.