The Senate of the German Research Foundation (DFG) established the Priority Program SPP 2419 (“HyCAM”) to advance the scientific use of hydrogen-based energy sources in high-temperature thermochemical processes. The program will run for a total of six years and is now entering its second three-year funding phase. The aim is to systematically combine basic and applied research in the fields of combustion and additive manufacturing in order to simultaneously improve the efficiency, flexibility, and emission behavior of novel energy conversion processes.

Hydrogen-Containing Fuels as a Key Technology
Hydrogen and ammonia are considered key components of a climate-neutral energy supply. Compared to conventional fossil fuels, they have significantly different combustion properties, for example in terms of flame velocity, ignition energy, stability limits, and pollutant formation. These differences require new strategies for the design of gas turbines, industrial burners, and process heating systems. In particular, the flexible mixing of hydrogen with natural gas opens up opportunities for a gradual transition to a carbon-free energy economy.

Interdisciplinary Approaches Through Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM) plays a central role in the program. It opens up new degrees of freedom in the design of burner geometries, allows the integration of sensor technology, and enables the production of complex, temperature-resistant structures. At the laboratory level, this allows the development of special burner concepts that enable a deeper understanding of flame dynamics and fuel behavior. At the same time, AM offers the possibility of transferring findings to the system scale—for example, for the development of scalable industrial burners or gas turbines with high fuel flexibility.

Objectives of the Second Funding Period
The new round of calls for proposals aims to deepen and methodically develop the foundations laid in the first phase. The focus is on, among other things:

• hierarchical design optimization of additively manufactured, fuel-flexible burners based on experimental and numerical analyses,
• automatic optimization methods for industrial applications with up to 100% hydrogen or hydrogen-ammonia mixtures,
• development of temperature-resistant 3D-printed burner structures made of high-temperature materials,
• laboratory demonstrations of new AM-based concepts,
• expansion of sensor-integrated measurement technology,
• scalable simulation methods for turbulent hydrogen combustion,
• provision of comprehensive, standardized data sets for burner configurations.

Joint projects that combine experimental, theoretical-numerical, and additive manufacturing expertise are particularly welcome. Typically, projects should consist of three sub-projects: an experimental and a simulation or modeling part from combustion research, and an AM focus.

Submission of Applications
Project proposals must be submitted in English via the DFG's electronic elan portal. The deadline is 31 March 2026. Registration on the portal is required by 24 March 2026, at the latest. Special procedures apply to applicants who are already receiving funding under the priority program for the extension of existing projects. The review colloquium is expected to take place in Aachen in mid-June 2026.

Detailed information on the SPP 2419 priority program and the application procedures can be found here. The FAQ about preparing a proposal may also be helpful.