Catalyst: Strategic – New Zealand-Germany Green Hydrogen research partnerships

This Catalyst: Strategic Call for Proposals is for joint research partnerships covering six green hydrogen topics between New Zealand and Germany.

MBIE and the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) have agreed to support collaborative research in green hydrogen – an area of mutual importance. Projects selected for funding will demonstrate the ability to develop enduring science and innovation partnerships with world-class German counterparts.

MBIE will fund up to three proposals with up to $2,000,000 (GST excluded) available for each project over three years. Proposed research projects must be in one of the following six green hydrogen sub-topics:

• Production of green hydrogen through electrolysis, including direct photocatalysis
• Production of hydrogen from biomass by gasification or fermentation
• Thermochemical water splitting using high-temperature solar collectors
• Research on system and sector integration of green hydrogen, including hydrogen use in urban settings and heating systems, and hydrogen integration into gas grids
• Logistics and transport media including life-cycle assessment and synthetic transformations (e.g. liquid organic carriers, ammonia and other options)
• Material science: fuel cell technology and electrolysis considering efficiency and sustainability.

Applicants’ German counterparts must apply for their own funding through the BMBF’s parallel Call for Proposals.

Please check the German application dates carefully as these may vary from the New Zealand Call.

Please read the investment priorities and assessment criteria in the Call for Proposal carefully. This investment will support joint research projects in the bilateral priority areas, with the overarching objective of developing enduring science and innovation collaboration partnership with world-class German counterparts.

Catalyst: Strategic is one of the four funding streams within the Catalyst Fund. The Catalyst Fund supports activities that initiate, develop and foster collaborations building on international science and innovation for New Zealand’s benefit.

Who can apply?

This Call is open to New Zealand research organisations. For the purposes of this investment, a research organisation is defined as an organisation that has internal capability for carrying out research, science or technology, or related activities.

You are welcome to contact MBIE at internationalscience@govt.nz if you have any questions about eligibility or the Call for Proposals more generally.

The application and assessment process

Download the Catalyst: Strategic Call for Proposals for full details on the application, assessment and contracting process.

Catalyst: Strategic Call for Proposals [DOCX, 351 KB]

The Call opens in New Zealand on 29 March and proposals must be submitted by 4 June 2020.  You must meet the deadline for submitting your proposal.  Late proposals will not be considered except in exceptional circumstances beyond the applicant’s control.

Contact us

For more information, email internationalscience@mbie.govt.nz.