EIT-H2CITIES · EIT Hydrogen Cities

EIT-H2Cities is a XKIC collaboration driving industry-led systemic innovation for the uptake of hydrogen (H2) applications in mobility. EIT UM, EIT-M and CKIC will collaborate with industry actors to create Hydrogen Living Labs in two RIS cities. Together with the local community, innovators will test new products and changes in the energy chain. Hereby, EIT-H2Cities will break the circular conundrum of high production cost, low demand, no infrastructure, and address cities’ lack of capacity to build a replicable roadmap for local authorities looking to integrate hydrogen into their net-zero strategies. On budgetary division, in EIT-H2Cities the three KICs aim to consume less than 20% of the total costs. Defined innovation partners cover 48% of total costs and new legal partners will cover 32% of total costs. The decision to have legal partners within the XKIC is innovative in itself but also drives up co-financing and ensures city and industry full engagement in the initiative with a higher likelihood of financial success. Furthermore, EIT-H2Cities will build on programmes such as the Mission Platform and aims to become an umbrella association for wider engagement beyond the project lifespan, including for example district heating systems and local generation and storage. Our open partnership model will deliver EIT core KPIs on marketed innovation and SME/ Start-ups created, while a commercial pipeline and city replications will result from the experience of EIT-H2Cities. Dissemination, communication and exploitation activities will aim at inspiring follower cities and exposing citizens to the benefits of H2 applications in the mobility sector. Overall, EIT-H2Cities is a unique opportunity for a highly relevant XKIC that responds to community needs and enables EU companies to gain skills, capacity and market share in a rapidly growing economic sector.