An H2CE partner participated in the “Hydrogen: Power, Production and Materials 2025” conference, held at TechTower in Pilsen, Czechia, from 11 to 13 March 2025.
The three-day programme brought together technical experts, industry representatives and policymakers to discuss hydrogen production, storage, fuel cells, energy systems and industrial applications.
Topics addressed
The conference covered:
- green and blue hydrogen production;
- hydrogen’s role in future energy systems;
- industrial applications;
- fuel-cell technologies;
- hydrogen storage;
- policy and regulatory frameworks;
- market development; and
- scaling hydrogen solutions.
H2CE perspective
H2CE contributed a regional-development perspective, drawing particular attention to the situation of the Ústí Region.
The discussion connected hydrogen development with wider transformation needs in regions affected by the decline of coal and carbon-intensive industries, including:
- economic diversification;
- education and skills;
- employment;
- research and development; and
- a socially fair transition.
Lessons for implementation
The event highlighted that hydrogen deployment depended on regional conditions. Inland regions such as those in Czechia faced different infrastructure and market constraints from coastal or major industrial hydrogen hubs.
Participants also identified access to funding and complex regulation as barriers to implementation. The exchange reinforced H2CE’s view that regional strategies needed to combine technical planning with economic, institutional and socio-economic considerations.