As part of the Innovation Fund, the European Commission has published the following call for proposals: “Fixed premium auction call for RFNBO hydrogen”.

This is an auction notice, i.e. a notice that is awarded on the basis of a competitive bidding procedure on the sale price of hydrogen and is therefore subject to specific conditions. Auctions are more cost-effective for technologies moving from commercial demonstration to scale-up.

The call for proposals includes the following topics:

• Fixed Premium Auction for RFNBO hydrogen production;
• Fixed Premium Auction for RFNBO and/or electrolytic low-carbon hydrogen production;
• Fixed Premium Auction for RFNBO and/or electrolytic low-carbon hydrogen production for the maritime and aviation sectors.

The auction will be managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).

The objective of this call is to support the new production of non-biological hydrogen (RFNBO) in a cost-effective manner., as defined in Renewable Energy Directive 2018/2021 and in its delegated acts, in support of the objectives supported by the plan REPowerEU, from Industrial Green Deal Plan and from Communication on the European Hydrogen Bank. With regard to the maritime sector, The call for proposals aims to provide specific support for the production of RFNBO hydrogen for use by operators in the maritime sector.

The main advantages of the auction tool are as follows:

• the technological and development risks of the project are addressed by the project promoter through payments based solely on certified green hydrogen production;
• reduced administrative burdens;
• greater efficiency and precision in the allocation of subsidies, as the sale price of hydrogen is determined by the market, and therefore by the actual cost of production. Subsidies are therefore not predetermined by the call for proposals.

The total budget for the call for proposals is €1.3 billion., distributed as follows:

• RFNBO hydrogen production: 600 million euros;
• RFNBO and/or electrolytic low-carbon hydrogen production: €400 million;
• RFNBO and/or electrolytic low-carbon hydrogen production for the maritime and aviation sectors: €300 million.

The deadline for submitting projects is 19 February 2026, 5:00 p.m.