Dear Friends,

This month we are entering into an exciting period of proposal's preparation for the Clean Hydrogen Partnership 2025 Call. We participated in a nice event organised by the JU at the Hotel in Brussels - the INFO DAY (with a brokerage event) - on 22 January. I wish you all the best for your projects!

During this time, the European Commission is fully active, managing many initiatives focused on improving profitability, industrial development, research and innovation, and skills training. There is also a strong focus on the environmental impact within a logic of market growth. These topics have been central to the Green Deal from the start, though there is now a slight shift in priorities.

Hydrogen is one of the sectors where Europe can simultaneously develop a decarbonization strategy while maintaining important industrialization assets. It is crucial, and I will continue to emphasise this in various discussions, to provide consistent support for research and innovation, even at the lowest TRL.

The various areas of interaction that we have recently approached concern the Clean Hydrogen Mission program, in Mission Innovation, and the topic of Skills in Europe. I would like Hydrogen Europe Research to take on a leading role in shaping research priorities, identify open challenges and developing a strategic program to support goals in performance, cost, and competitiveness that can keep our skills, our industrial system, the economy leading global challenges.

An important initiative, highlighted in this newsletter, focuses on collaboration with Africa. This as an extraordinary opportunity for joint growth, with growth as a prerequisite for growth. It aims to grow capacities, skills, infrastructures, with a long-term perspective. The plan is to launch training and development activities of joint programs, of capacity building, in African universities, with a development program of a Mediterranean Hydrogen Academy.

With Africa, as demonstrated by the development of a joint artery such as the Southern Constellation of the European Hydrogen Backbone, we will strengthen a long-term collaboration perspective, which in the field of training, research and innovation sees a context of more than 160 universities between the various shores of the Mediterranean. We are working so that this possibility can become a reality, not limited to sporadic events and a few handshakes, but to structural, lasting, effective initiatives.

As a last point, I take this occasion to warmly welcome Dominik Richter in Hydrogen Europe Research! I’m really happy for this new collaboration and looking forward to having his enthusiasm, competences and passion for the sector contributing to grow the value of the hydrogen research in Europe.

HYDROGEN EUROPE RESEARCH NEWS AND ACTIVITIES

Low TRL Research Working Group: 2025 activities

After an internal consultation, 14 topics are currently being developed into concise, topic-specific position papers by working group members, who will be credited as co-authors. These papers address the entire hydrogen value chain. While they do have a primarily low TRL focus, high TRL topics are also included.

The position papers will be added as an appendix to the Research Position Paper and will be released during the European Hydrogen Week 2025.

The working group always welcomes new members! If you are interested in contributing, please contact Kristin at k.schreyer@hydrogeneuroperesearch.eu!

Welcome, Dominik!

The team at Hydrogen Europe Research is evolving! Julia Cora has left to pursue new opportunities, and we want to thank her for all the energy, commitment, and great work she brought to our organisation. We will miss her and wish her all the best in her next chapter!

At the same time, we are excited to welcome Dominik Richter as our new Project Manager!

Previously, he spent 4 years at Hydrogen Europe, where he worked in the Innovation Team, which coordinates the efforts of the private partner in the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, and the International Relations Team, which is in charge of the international agenda of Hydrogen Europe.

We are looking forward to having him on board and to everything we will achieve together. Welcome, Dominik!

Do not hesitate to get in touch with him at d.richter@hydrogeneuroperesearch.eu!

CLEAN HYDROGEN PARTNERSHIP UPDATES

All the details can be found on the website of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, via this link. 

Following the publication, the annual Info Day took place on Wednesday, 22 January, with around 200 participants joining the in-person event in Brussels. This was a good opportunity for stakeholders to gain first-hand information on the topics included, call conditions and to identify potential partners. All presentations and the recording of the event can be found here.

Looking ahead, activities surrounding the preparation of the Annual Work Plan 2026 have started internally. Should you be a Hydrogen Europe Research member interested in participating, do not hesitate to get in touch to be kept informed of all the upcoming communications!

MEMBERS NEWS

WELCOME TO HYDROGEN EUROPE RESEARCH NEW MEMBERS!

We welcome new members interested in joining the European research and innovation ecosystem focused on hydrogen! If you are not part of the Hydrogen Europe Research membership, and you would like to have more information on how to join us, contact us at secretariat@hydrogeneuroperesearch.eu!

Click here to discover more about our membership criteria. 

University of Duisburg-Essen

Nearly 75% of its workforce is dedicated to research, making it a thriving hub of academic inquiry. The university's research focuses on key areas such as biomedicine, nanosciences, urban systems, societal transformation and water research.

The UDE holds excellent expertise in hydrogen-related research endeavors, such as electrochemistry & Functional Materials; Storage & Transportation; Measurement & Simulation; Automation, Security & AI; Mobility; Scenarios & Energy Economics; Fuel Cell Systems.

EVENTS ATTENDED BY HYDROGEN EUROPE RESEARCH

Sustainable Energy Reimagined conference in Brussels, 15 January 2025, Brussels, Belgium

The event brought together experts from Finland, the Nordics, and across Europe to discuss how regional and European collaboration can accelerate the green transition while ensuring a sustainable and competitive future for Europe.

A key highlight was the focus on hydrogen technologies as a cornerstone for decarbonization in the region. Particularly noteworthy was the presentation by Hannu Mäntymaa of Wärtsilä, a leading player in the maritime industry. Wärtsilä invested €260 million in 2023—equivalent to approximately 4.3% of its net sales—into R&D, with hydrogen playing a prominent role in its innovation strategy.

There were also insightful panels on resilient energy systems, digital transformation, and regional partnerships featured contributions from Wärtsilä, VTT, and the European Commission.

JUST-GREEN AFRH2ICA final Stakeholders' event, 16 January 2025, Rabat, Morocco

On 16 January, in Rabat, the Stakeholders' event of the project JUST GREEN AFRICA took place. The event has been participated by our President, Luigi Crema and other project partners and experts, among which: Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, Hydrogen Europe; Nizar Mazini, Masen; Firdaous EL GHAZI, PhD., ONHYM - National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines; Younes Haffane, MGH Energy; Hatim Ksissou, GIZ Maroc; Abdessamed Faik, UM6P - University Mohammed VI Polytechnic.

The event has been organized by the project partner IRESEN - Institut de Recherche en Énergie Solaire et Énergies Nouvelles. At the event we had the participation of two of our Board members: Julie Mougin from CEA and Javier Dufour from IMDEA Energy.

Key highlights from the project:

🔸Development of sustainable hydrogen solutions tailored to Africa's unique needs and opportunities.

🔸Building strong partnerships across academia, industry, and government.
🔸Promoting innovation and inclusivity, ensuring a just transition for all stakeholders.
🔸Fostering knowledge exchange, paving the way for future collaborations.

Discover more about the project here!

EVENTS YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS!

JP e3s and FCH joint workshop "Impact of hydrogen technologies on the society", 26 March 2025, University of Turin, Italy

EERA’s Joint Programmes on Economic, Environmental and Social Impacts of the Energy Transition (e3s) and Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH) are organising a joint workshop to analyse hydrogen’s potential contribution and the obstacles to its effective use in achieving a just and sustainable energy transition.
 
Join the event at University of Turin on March 26 to explore the societal impacts of hydrogen technologies and discuss the necessary steps to effectively oversee its role in the clean energy transition.
 
And that’s not all! A call for abstracts is now open for contributions until 31 January.

Learn more and register here!

5th International Conference on Electrolysis 2025, 25-29 August 2025, Fribourg, Germany

We are excited to announce the fifth International Conference on Electrolysis (ICE) in 2025. This event has rapidly become a key platform for PhD students, academic researchers and technical experts from industry to share breakthroughs in electrolysis technology, particularly in its role in energy conversion and green hydrogen production.

Following the success of previous editions in Denmark, Norway, the United States, and South Africa, ICE 2025 will continue to focus on advancing electrolysis technologies crucial for the global energy transition. It will take place from August 25-29, 2025 in Freiburg, Germany.

Become part of ICE 2025 and submit an abstract (PDF file, 1 page) on your latest and groundbreaking results in the field of electrolysis!

Due to popular demand, the abstract submission deadline has been extended until January 31, 2025, at 23:59 (CET).

Please find the abstract template here.

Discover more about the conference here.

European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen "PIERO LUNGHI CONFERENCE" 2025, 17-19 September 2025, Capri, Italy

The European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Piero Lunghi Conference 2025 (EFCH₂ 2025), now in its 11th edition, will take place in Italy in the beautiful setting of Capri and is recognized as one of the most important international conferences in the field of hydrogen technologies and fuel cells. EFCH₂ 2025 provides a unique opportunity to showcase the latest technical advancements, establish new contacts, and promote the exchange of technical, industrial, and commercial information.

The event will bring together academics, researchers, industry professionals, and public sector representatives to share experiences and research outcomes, covering all aspects of hydrogen technologies, fuel cells, and clean energy.  It serves as a premier interdisciplinary forum, bringing together participants to showcase and discuss cutting-edge innovations, emerging trends, and critical challenges in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, as well as clean energy. It also highlights the practical solutions being implemented in these fields. By fostering the exchange of ideas and strategies, the event promotes collaboration aimed at addressing the most pressing needs in the energy sector.

Discover more here!

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