RSE supported the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), as technical and scientific advisor, in the definition of the public call for research, development and technological innovation projects dedicated to the strategic area of hydrogen, within the Clean Hydrogen Mission of Mission Innovation 2.0 and in implementation of ministerial decree no. 386 of 17 November 2023.

With an overall budget of €82.6 million, the new call will fund industry-led research and innovation projects aimed at strengthening a national low-carbon hydrogen value chain that is sustainable and integrable into the energy system, with reference to hydrogen production, storage, transport and end uses, also taking into account the hydrogen valley value chain currently under implementation.

To maximise the effectiveness of the call, RSE promoted and coordinated two interactive consultation sessions with leading national industry and research stakeholders, held in April and May 2026. The sessions involved more than 200 participants from companies, associations, consortia and research centres, with the aim of:
• providing potential applicants with a comprehensive overview of the opportunities for applying hydrogen technologies, in order to encourage the submission of high-quality research and innovation project proposals and maximise participation in the call;
• gathering the development needs of the national hydrogen value chain, with particular attention to production, storage, transport and end uses in the hard-to-abate sectors;
• contributing to the definition of a technical specification structured into four thematic areas, consistent with Italy’s PNIEC 2030, the 2024 National Hydrogen Strategy and the 2022–2024 Action Plan of the Clean Hydrogen Mission.

The outcomes of the stakeholder consultation supported the preparation of the technical specification. RSE also provided significant support for the finalisation of the administrative and procedural aspects of the call, building on the experience gained from previous calls, under the guidance of MASE and in cooperation with CSEA. The process was completed with two information sessions dedicated to presenting the objectives of the call, the thematic areas, the expected impacts, the participation conditions and the selection criteria.