Submissions open for IEA Hydrogen TCP Awards of Excellence

The IEA Hydrogen TCP Awards of Excellence seeks to promote innovation in hydrogen technologies and applications. As a collaborative effort between the IEA Hydrogen TCP and the Clean Energy Ministerial Hydrogen Initiative (CEM-H2I), the Award recognizes outstanding hydrogen technology projects globally and offers a platform to highlight the winning initiatives.

Theme

• The theme for the 2025 Award of Excellence competition is “Hydrogen Innovations and Technologies for Hard-to-Decarbonize Sectors and Sustainable Fuels”, and the award will be presented during CEM16 in Busan, South Korea.

Benefits

• Winner(s) will be granted a limited individual license to advertise and promote the award granted to the project and a limited right to use and refer to the H2 TCP Award of Excellence mark (i.e., the logo) and the phrase “Hydrogen TCP Award of Excellence 2025 Winner”.
• Access to the CEM-16 will be granted and the Award will cover travel costs to personally attend the ceremony and receive the prize. Projects that do not secure first place but are deemed noteworthy will be highlighted and promoted through the IEA Hydrogen TCP’s social media platforms and website.

Eligibility Criteria

• Award may be given to a private or public entity, a team, a group, or an individual.
• The Hydrogen TCP encourages applications from public and private energy companies, start-ups, universities, and research institutions. Any entity or team of entities may apply, but only one submission per project will be allowed.

Evaluation Criteria

• The application must be supported by evidence to allow the Evaluation Committee to make an accurate judgment measured against the following evaluation criteria:
  • Innovation and Originality (30 points)
    • The degree of novelty and creativity demonstrated in the project, focusing on its capacity to address the challenges of decarbonizing sectors that are difficult to decarbonize. The sectors to be considered, including but not limited to, are the following:
      • Shipping
      • Aviation
      • Heavy-duty road mobility
      • Steel
      • Cement
      • Fertilizers
      • Power sector
    • The project should demonstrate a significant advancement in the clean energy transition.
    • How does the proposal present new methods, processes, or technologies to address challenges in hard-to-decarbonize sectors?
    • How does it overcome barriers such as lack of low-carbon alternatives or technological challenges?
    • How does the project position itself to disrupt or improve existing technologies and practices?
  • Technological and environmental impact of the project (25 points)
    • Related to the impact of the design, approach, and functionalities of the project:
      • How does the project reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to the business-as-usual scenario?
      • Has the project achieved any efficiency gains (such as specific energy reduction, hydrogen production yields, etc.) compared to existing solutions?
    • Potential for replication and scaling-up (15 points)
      • Related to the level of applicability, adaptability, and scalability of the project:
      • How is the project replicable in other environments or countries?
      • How can the solution be scaled up to meet the needs of larger installations? Can it be applied in other industries?
      • How could the project be implemented in different climates or environmental conditions, and how would it adapt to other regulatory frameworks, to ensure scalability and replicability?
    • Technological Advancing (15 points)
      • Related to the project’s technological progress, from the conceptual stage to practical demonstration.
    • Collaboration (10 points)
      • Does the project involve collaboration with other entities (e.g., governments, companies)? If so, how?
      • Does the project foster interdisciplinary collaboration between different sectors or expertise areas? If so, how?
      • Is the project the result of collaboration within the IEA Hydrogen TCP? If so, how?
    • Other benefits (5 points)
      • How does your project align with the UN SDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals)?

For more information, visit IEA Hydrogen TCP.