Funding of projects within the strategic project support with Japan involving industry and science (2+2 projects) on the topic "Sustainable Hydrogen Economy: Technical, Ecological, Economic, and Social Analyses"

The funding measure supports bilateral 2+2 research and development projects between Germany and Japan to analyze technical, ecological, economic, and social aspects of a sustainable hydrogen economy. Companies as well as educational and research institutions based nationwide are eligible for a grant. Within the framework of a two-stage procedure, project outlines must be submitted by 07.01.2026 (09:00 CET / 17:00 JST) via the outline portal easy-Online. German applicants must nominate a cooperating partner from Japan. English outlines may be submitted but require a one-page summary in German. The subsequent formal application takes place after a positive evaluation of the project outline in the second stage of the procedure.

The award is based on the quality of the German-Japanese cooperation, the scientific excellence, and the strategic relevance to the future topic of “green hydrogen technologies.” Experts from industry and science thus have the opportunity to unlock cross-border innovation potentials and contribute to the implementation of the national hydrogen strategies of both countries. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space Travel (BMFTR), with the DLR Project Management Agency responsible for administrative management and evaluation. Through the networking of research institutions and companies, pioneering technologies can be developed and tested in a global context along the entire value chain – from production through storage and logistics to application.