Franco-Irish Cooperation on Hydrogen: From World Hydrogen Technologies Convention 2025 to European Calls in 2026

In October 2025, Dublin will host the World Hydrogen Technologies Convention (WHTC 2025), bringing together researchers, industry leaders and policymakers to discuss the future of clean hydrogen. For Ireland, this is an opportunity to highlight its ambitions in offshore wind and green hydrogen. On the French side, the recently updated National Hydrogen Strategy (2025) provides the broader framework that will guide the participation of French stakeholders at the event and frame future opportunities for cooperation.

Both countries bring complementary strengths to the table. Ireland’s strategy places a strong focus on linking its exceptional offshore wind potential—with a target of 20 GW by 2040—to the development of green hydrogen for domestic decarbonisation and future export. Several pilot initiatives, including the SH2AMROCK Hydrogen Valley in Galway, demonstrate Ireland’s first steps in building integrated hydrogen ecosystems, but the country’s broader ambition lies in scaling production at the interface of offshore renewables and energy-intensive sectors.

France, for its part, is scaling up hydrogen valleys not only around major industrial ports such as Nantes–Saint-Nazaire, Dunkirk and Marseille, but also across inland regions including Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. These projects combine industrial decarbonisation, mobility and storage solutions, complementing Ireland’s focus on renewable hydrogen production. Together, they create a balanced picture: Ireland leveraging renewable resources, and France consolidating demand and industrial ecosystems.

This complementarity will also be reflected at WHTC 2025, with the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between France Hydrogène and Hydrogen Ireland at the French Residence in Dublin. The MoU will formalise a basis for cooperation, particularly on topics such as hydrogen valleys, ports and maritime corridors, while leaving open the scope for future projects and collaborations to develop progressively.

🔎 Horizon Europe & EU Calls: where to look in 2026

Building on these national strategies, European funding opportunities offer a platform to translate ambition into joint projects. Instead of focusing on individual call titles that may still evolve, the key entry points for hydrogen in 2026 are clear:

Horizon Europe, Cluster 5 (Climate, Energy & Mobility): particularly through Destination D3 – “Sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply”, where topics on hydrogen production, storage, energy system integration, ports and offshore renewable coupling are expected.

Clean Hydrogen Partnership (European Joint Undertaking): with annual calls typically opening in January and closing in April, covering hydrogen valleys, electrolysers, fuel cells, and hydrogen use in maritime and aviation.

CETPartnership (Clean Energy Transition Partnership): through its joint call module “Hydrogen & Renewable Fuels”, which supports collaborative R&D and demonstration projects linking hydrogen      with renewables.

Cross-mission opportunities: for example, joint initiatives under the Cities Mission or dedicated calls on offshore renewable integration, which often embed hydrogen dimensions.

Together, these programmes provide a structured ecosystem of funding, connecting research, demonstration and large-scale industrial deployment. For more information on related Horizon Europe calls, please contact the National Contact Point for Cluster 5 Energy Philip Cheasty. 

Looking Ahead

With Ireland’s offshore wind ambitions directly tied to hydrogen, France’s diverse portfolio of valleys and industrial projects, and the forthcoming MoU between France Hydrogène and Hydrogen Ireland, the stage is set for Franco-Irish cooperation at European scale.

By aligning their strengths—Ireland as a producer of renewable hydrogen and France as a driver of industrial demand and systems integration—both countries are well positioned to respond to European calls in 2026. This cooperation should help shape future hydrogen valleys, support industrial decarbonisation projects, and gradually build cross-border trade corridors and maritime pathways, reinforcing Franco-Irish engagement in Europe’s hydrogen transition.