National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Program Phase II (NIP)

Commercial enterprises, innovation clusters, universities and non-university research institutions. In justified exceptional cases, projects of territorial bodies as well as other legal entities can also be supported. In particular, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to apply.

The applicants must have the professional qualifications and sufficient capacity to successfully carry out the tasks described in the project. In addition, they must have a business or branch office in Germany at the time of payment of the subsidy.
Research institutions that are funded by the federal government and/or the states can only be granted project funding for their additional project-related expenses or costs under certain conditions in addition to their institutional funding.

Grants will be provided for measures in the following areas:

• Development, market preparation and procurement of hydrogen and fuel cell technology for use in transport - for example in cars, buses, rail and commercial vehicles and as onboard power supply for ships and aircraft
• Measures for hydrogen production from renewable energies
• Integration of hydrogen into the fuel portfolio Grant focus through thematic calls, including in the areas of sustainable mobility, public transport, vehicle fleets, hydrogen filling stations, trains and ships with fuel cell propulsion.

Subsidy.

• R&D projects within the scope of industrial research, up to 50% of eligible expenses
• R&D projects within the scope of experimental development, up to 25% of eligible expenses
• Investments for the establishment of innovation clusters as well as investment and operating costs of the innovation clusters, up to 50% of eligible expenses
• Acquisition, validation, and defense of patents, up to 50% of eligible expenses
• Universities and non-university research institutions, up to 100% of eligible expenses
• Local authorities and other legal entities, up to 80% of eligible expenses

Two-stage funding process:
In the first stage of the procedure, project outlines are to be submitted using the electronic application system easy-Online.