Dear Friends,

It is a pleasure to welcome you again to this newsletter for April. We are having a constant increase in activities from the HER side, as we are approaching the summer period.

I am happy to welcome the new administrative assistant, Güzel Imperiale, who joined our Secretariat to provide support on administration and finance. I have had the chance to meet Güzel a couple of times since the beginning of April, and I am convinced that she will offer relevant guidance to the Association in the coming months.

We started up a new project, Hyperion, funded by the Interreg Programme. HER’s role is to support regional policymakers and stakeholders. We will transfer to them best practices and knowledge to realise new policies supporting regional ecosystems. Kristin, from our Secretariat, is directly involved in overseeing the activities of this project, together with Louis and Julia. This is a relevant initiative to foster our role in Europe beyond the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, and synergic with that.

I am thankful to all the participants in the Low TRL working group. We put in place the realisation of an updated edition of the Research Position Paper, that we aim to present at the next Hydrogen Week. This will be a cornerstone of our support to the next research priorities in Europe, complementary and feeding the revised Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), and indicating priorities in the medium-long term for the Future JU.

At the same time, we are launching a contest for the best narratives from our members on their attractive and successful research stories. You can liaise with Simona to receive more information about this. We will select the best testimonials to be published in a book presented and distributed at the upcoming Hydrogen Week. We would like to recognize and acknowledge your efforts, passion, and motivation in bringing forward research, competitiveness, skills, and sustainability in Europe in the hydrogen sector.

Finally: from the figures we have from the last call submission of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, the appetite and new ideas in support of research and innovation in Europe from you, from EU enterprises and local ecosystems is high. We had 151 proposals submitted to the last 2024 call. This is the second most participated call ever, following only the one in 2022, which was split into two different calls in spring and autumn, and had three times more available budget. So, a strong signal to EU stakeholders! My best wishes to the applicants!

HYDROGEN EUROPE RESEARCH NEWS AND ACTIVITIES

HYPERION Interregional Learning Project

The HYPERION project officially started this April. Hydrogen Europe Research is taking part as an advisory partner, providing expertise on EU policies as well as on projects and on Hydrogen technologies to the 8 regions involved. The goal of the project is to identify barriers to local hydrogen uptake and share best practices within regions to enable favourable policy changes for hydrogen activities. The project will run for four years and will include multiple on-site visits in the regions with the first one being in June in Florence, Italy. Hydrogen Europe Research will support the leading partner with workshops and analyses of the regions.

Low TRL Research Working Group’s activities

Internal meetings are taking place within Hydrogen Europe Research. Members who are interested in the topic are welcome to join the working group! Please get in touch with our Projects & Innovation Officer Kristin Schreyer (k.schreyer@hydrogeneuroperesearch.eu). The finalised Research Position Paper will be ready in October to be printed and distributed during the Hydrogen Week in November.

Hydrogen Europe Research Contest

Hydrogen Frontiers: The Future EU Landscape

"Hydrogen Frontiers" is a unique contest designed to showcase the innovative research activities and advancements in the field of hydrogen carried out by Hydrogen Europe Research members. This contest invites members from Europe to submit their testimonials along with high-quality photographs capturing their work in hydrogen-related research.

The contest will be structured into 4 categories: sustainability; value; future; skills. At least four testimonials will be chosen and printed in a publication which will be distributed during the Hydrogen Week in Brussels (November 18-22, 2024) and other important hydrogen-related events.

Hydrogen Europe Research members are invited to submit a testimonial describing their research activities, innovations, and achievements in the field of hydrogen to s.vitali@hydrogeneuroperesearch.eu before 17 June 2024!

European PHD Hydrogen Conference – PHD profiles available on the intranet!

We are thrilled to announce that few selected PHD profiles from the European PHD Hydrogen Conference 2024 are now accessible on our intranet for any Hydrogen Europe Research member organisation looking to employ brilliant minds!

During the Industry Day of the conference, at the Hydrogen Europe Research booth, we asked interested PHDs to provide us with information on their hydrogen-related research and their skills. Our idea was to act as a “matchmaker” between PHDs open to work in the research sector, and research centres looking for capable young researchers.

If you work in one of our members’ organisations and you have a vacancy, do not miss the chance to take a look at the skills of our bright PHDs! Please visit our intranet and explore their profiles!

Hydrogen Europe Research’s meeting at Austrian embassy, 2 April 2024

On 2 April, Hydrogen Europe Research and the research institution Energieinstitut an der JKU Linz met at the Austrian Embassy in Brussels to reaffirm the co-operation between the two institutions.

This was an excellent opportunity for HER and the province of Upper Austria to further raise awareness of the importance of hydrogen in Europe.

Welcome to our new Administrative Assistant!

I'm Güzel and I'm thrilled to be joining the team at Hydrogen Europe Research as your new Administrative Assistant!

With over 20 years of experience, I've honed my skills in office management, project coordination, and process improvement across various industries. Throughout my career, I've consistently strived for excellence, streamlining operations and leading diverse teams in achieving successful outcomes.

Living and working in countries like Turkey, Germany, Belgium, USA, France, and various other European countries has equipped me with a strong understanding of international collaboration, a vital skill for Hydrogen Europe Research's mission.

Hydrogen Europe Research shares my passion for a sustainable future, and I'm particularly excited to contribute to their mission of enabling mature hydrogen technologies. Their vision aligns perfectly with my belief that ambitious research is needed all along the hydrogen value chain to achieve a fully integrated, decarbonized energy system. Leveraging my skills and experience, I'm eager to support the team in achieving this groundbreaking goal.

I look forward to meeting everyone and collaborating on these important projects in the coming months!

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to her as she embarks on this exciting journey with us!

CLEAN HYDROGEN PARTNERSHIP UPDATES

The Programme Office of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership is currently assessing the eligibility of the proposals received. Evaluations will start as of mid-June and should be finalised by end of July/beginning of August. Following the approval of the results by the Governing Board of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, successful consortia will be contacted to enter the Grant Agreement Preparation phase.

In parallel, activities surrounding the next Annual Work Plan (AWP25) are internally in full swing. Members from Hydrogen Europe Research and Hydrogen Europe are currently elaborating Research and Innovation topics, in line with the identified annual priorities. Following an iterative collaboration with the European Commission and Programme Office of the Clean Hydrogen Partnerships, these topics should be finalised by the end of the year ahead of the publication of the 2025 Call for Proposals in January. Should you wish to get involved in the process, please get in touch with our Innovation Manager, Louis Mazurkiewicz (l.mazurkiewicz@hydrogeneuroperesearch.eu).

In other news, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership is co-organizing, with the European Commission, the Hydrogen Valleys Days on Monday, June 17 and Tuesday, June 18. This event will set the stage for the launch of an EU roadmap for Hydrogen Valleys and related Facilities. More information, including registration, will be available soon.

NEWS FROM EUROPE

European Commission feedback opportunity for Horizon Europe work programme 2025

The European Commission has opened a survey to provide inputs for the development of the Horizon Europe ‘main’ work programme 2025. Responses submitted through the survey will contribute to the co-design of the work programme 2025, covering all 6 clusters, as well as research infrastructures, European innovation ecosystems, the 5 EU Missions and the New European Bauhaus facility.

The survey on Cluster 5 (climate, energy and mobility) and Research Infrastructures may be of interest to Hydrogen Europe Research members, as well as research and hydrogen stakeholders.

The feedback opportunity can be found here and is open for 3 weeks from 15 April until 6 May 2024 midday, CET.

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.

BRGM – FRENCH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

DON'T MISS THE NEXT EVENTS!

·       The Spring Summer School JESS 2024, 15-21 September 2024, Greece

The 21st edition of the Joint European Summer School – JESS2024 - will again take place close to the beautiful city of Athens on the coast of the Aegean Sea. It will provide six high-level modules on selected topics in fuel cell, electrolyser, battery and related technologies. JESS addresses newcomers to the field, graduate students, and young professionals working at the forefront of electrical energy and hydrogen technologies.

Please register by 31 July 2024 to secure your place in the School!

You can find more information here.

International Webinar “Living on Hydrogen” - 2024 - Microbial Influence on Hydrogen Underground Storage, 7 May 2024

With great success and attendance of many from academia, industry and governmental institutes, the “Living on Hydrogen” webinar will continue in 2024. More and more data and knowledge are now obtained by researchers around the world on the topic of hydrogen underground storage in general, and specifically the role of microbes. This free online seminar is aimed towards cross-disciplinary scientists, operators and industry members, interested in understanding microbial risks and working on this fascinating topic.

If you want to hear and discuss the latest results please register here! You will receive the Zoom link one week before the event.

All scientific fields will be considered, but your work should have implications for microbiology.

8^th International Hydrogen Technologies Congress (IHTEC-2024), May 12-15, 2024 in Diyarbakir, Turkiye

The 8^th International Hydrogen Technologies Congress (IHTEC-2024) will be held between May 12-15, 2024 in Diyarbakir, Turkiye, an ancient cultural metropolis that connects the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea to Mesopotamia. IHTEC-2024 is a multi-disciplinary international conference hosted by Dicle University and coordinated by National Hydrogen Association, Türkiye.

The congress will cover a broad range of topics related to hydrogen technologies, including, among others, hydrogen economy, hydrogen infrastructure, hydrogen management, safety, production, and transformation. The conference will concentrate on a variety of hydrogen-related technologies and will include both inspiring technical programs as well as enjoyable social events. The technical part of the IHTEC-2024 will include sessions where keynote and general speakers will deliver talks on their work and research in hydrogen energy. The social events will include a welcome reception, a gala dinner, and an organized tour of historical places.

Morocco Energy Week, 11-13 June 2024, Morocco

We are delighted to announce that Hydrogen Europe Research is supporting the Morocco Energy Week, co-organised by MASEN on 11-13 June!

Over +300 attendees will gather under the same roof for the launch of this premier event set to invest in Morocco’s Solar, Wind and Green Hydrogen current and upcoming projects, business opportunities, technical showcases and roundtable discussions. The Morocco Energy Week Summit & Exhibition is the official platform of the country’s Green Energy sector, with 1:1 access to decision-makers and investors involved in one of the most promising energy hubs in the region.

Members of Hydrogen Europe Research can claim an exclusive 10% discount for the official platform for the Green Energy sector in the country!

H2science - Advancing Hydrogen for Net Zero, 18-19 June, Trondheim, Norway

Launching in 2024, H2science is a leading conference dedicated to the latest scientific and technological advancements in hydrogen research. This biennial conference is hosted by the Centre for Environment-friendly Research (FME) HYDROGENi, under the auspices of SINTEF.

Their mission is to provide a hub that facilitates discussions on hydrogen technologies and their societal impacts and fosters collaboration between researchers and industry professionals in the field.

H2science is designed to tackle the current challenges related to hydrogen and anticipate future research trends. The conference covers the entire hydrogen value chain, from production to application, and emphasises the vital role of ongoing research and development in shaping the hydrogen economy.

5th International Symposium on Catalysis for Clean Energy and Sustainable Chemistry, 21-23 July 2024, Bilbao, Spain

The Organizing Committee cordially invites you to submit your abstract for oral or poster presentation to the 5th International Symposium on Catalysis for Clean Energy and Sustainable Chemistry to be held in Bilbao, Spain, from 21 to 23 July 2024!

Click on the Author Area of the official website of the Symposium, log in and read the submission rules before submitting an abstract. The Scientific Committee will award the Best Oral Talk and Best Poster.

Selected communications will be published in a special issue in Catalysis Today.

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