BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 3. The European Commission has launched two new funding calls and a hydrogen auction, totaling 3.4 billion euros, to advance net-zero technologies and accelerate decarbonization efforts in Europe, Trend reports.
The first call, worth 2.4 billion euros, targets a range of net-zero technologies, including renewable energy components, energy storage, heat pumps, and hydrogen production. The second call, with a 1 billion euro budget, focuses on supporting electric vehicle (EV) battery cell manufacturing and innovative production techniques. Both initiatives are funded through the EU’s Innovation Fund, leveraging revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).
The Commission is also launching a 1.2 billion euro auction under the European Hydrogen Bank to boost renewable hydrogen production in the European Economic Area. The auction will receive additional support of over 700 million euros from three Member States, reflecting a collaborative approach to scaling up clean energy technologies.
For the first time, the calls include resilience criteria to reduce dependence on single suppliers, ensuring the EU’s industrial competitiveness and supply chain security.
Additionally, the Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced a 200 million euro loan guarantee through the InvestEU program to support battery manufacturing projects, further strengthening Europe's clean energy transition.
These measures are central to the EU’s goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 while enhancing its global industrial competitiveness.