Fourth EU Clean Aviation funding proposal recognises hydrogen’s upcoming importance

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By Charlotte Bailey

Feb. 3, 2026, © Leeham News: The European Union co-funded Clean Aviation project has announced its fourth call for proposals, with an initial draft set to be followed by a formal version issued this month.

The upcoming call will provide up to €329.5m ($386m) in EU funding for disruptive new aircraft technologies, providing an estimated €824m ($966m) when combined with input from the private sector.

Speaking at the November 2025 Sustainable Aero Lab’s Future Aviation Festival in Amsterdam, EU Clean Aviation executive director Axel Krein explained that the next round will focus on technologies applicable to short-to-medium range aircraft, including regional aircraft architectures.

These will be augmented by the development of “transverse activities” (such as applicable certification standards) and other complementary “fast track areas.” The largest of five separate funding streams will be allocated to the development of ‘Ultra-Efficient Short to Medium Range (SMR)’ aircraft, with €130m ($114m) split across five projects.

Credit: Clean Aviation.

The research and technology roadmap focuses on demonstrators up to ground testing, “addressing all key technologies,” states the proposal. This will validate the performance of technologies up to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6.

Flight demonstrations could also be used to validate testing “in realistic operational conditions.” Clean Aviation expects to complete a flight test demonstrator configuration freeze by the end of 2026 to support the start of flight testing by the end of 2029. A hybrid-electric Ultra-Efficient Regional Aircraft has been proposed as the baseline concept for this 50-100 passenger regional aircraft. Clean Aviation will also award €40m ($46m) for the development of an “advanced airframe for ultra-efficient regional aircraft.”