After three years of transnational cooperation, the H2CE – Empowering H2-ready Regions in Central Europe project has come to an end. Working across nine regions in seven countries, the project helped public authorities and regional stakeholders move from hydrogen ambitions towards practical planning, stronger regional capacities and concrete implementation pathways.
From hydrogen strategies to practical implementation
H2CE addressed a common challenge across central Europe: regions recognise the potential of hydrogen, but often lack the planning tools, institutional capacities, knowledge and coordination mechanisms needed to translate this potential into action.
The project responded by developing and testing a connected set of solutions, including:
- strategies and action plans for H2-ready regions, providing pathways for integrating hydrogen into regional development;
- GIS-based planning tools in Styria and Veneto, supporting evidence-based assessment of hydrogen infrastructure and development opportunities;
- the Energy Cells approach in Lübben, exploring integrated regional energy systems combining renewable energy, hydrogen and sector coupling;
- the Hydrogen Voucher mechanism in the Ústí Region, supporting the preparation of hydrogen-related projects and cooperation between regional actors;
- the concept of Regional H2 Competence Centres, tested through different approaches in Zagreb and Styria to strengthen training, advisory support, knowledge transfer and stakeholder cooperation;
- practical capacity-building activities and resources helping regional actors improve their hydrogen knowledge and readiness.
Two solutions bringing the H2CE experience together
The project consolidated its experience into two transferable solutions: the Handbook for Strategic Decision-Making and the concept of Regional H2 Competence Centres.
The Handbook brings together practical approaches for regional hydrogen planning and decision-making. The competence-centre concept provides regions with a flexible approach to developing structures for hydrogen knowledge, training, advisory services and cooperation. Experience from Zagreb and Styria was further translated into a dedicated Guide for Setting up Regional H2 Competence Centres, supporting replication in other territories.
The Report on H2CE Solutions evaluates both solutions, their practical application, stakeholder benefits, transferability, sustainability and potential for wider uptake.
The results remain available through the H2CE Collaboration Platform
A key result of the project is the H2CE Collaboration Platform, which brings the project’s knowledge and practical resources together in one place.
Explore the H2CE Collaboration Platform
Users can access strategic planning resources, tools and services, regional examples, capacity-building materials and information on Regional H2 Competence Centres. The Platform also provides a basis for continued knowledge exchange and cooperation beyond the project lifetime.
What did H2CE learn?
One of the main lessons from H2CE is that hydrogen readiness is not only a technological challenge. Regions also need appropriate planning capacities, accessible expertise, cooperation between public authorities, businesses and research organisations, and mechanisms that can turn strategies into realistic projects.
The project also demonstrated that there is no single pathway for every region. Tools and support structures need to be adapted to local energy systems, institutional capacities and levels of hydrogen maturity. The different approaches tested across H2CE therefore provide examples that other regions can adapt rather than fixed solutions to replicate unchanged.
H2CE results beyond the project
Although the project has ended, its results remain available for public authorities, regional agencies, energy stakeholders, businesses, researchers and other organisations working on hydrogen and regional energy transition.
The H2CE Collaboration Platform will continue to provide access to the project’s solutions and resources, while the cooperation established between H2CE regions provides a foundation for further exchange and uptake of the project results.
The project has ended, but the next step is implementation: using the strategies, tools, knowledge and cooperation developed through H2CE to support hydrogen-ready regions across central Europe.
H2CE continues through HyAdvanCE
The H2CE experience will be taken forward through HyAdvanCE – Advancing Hydrogen Planning in Central Europe, a new project selected under the 4th Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE call, focused on capitalisation. HyAdvanCE will build on and further develop results from H2CE and other Interreg projects, moving towards more integrated and cross-border hydrogen planning.
Starting in September 2026, the project will adapt existing planning tools, test them in four pilot actions and develop joint approaches for hydrogen infrastructure across regional and national borders. Importantly, it will also further develop the H2CE Collaboration Platform, extending the practical use and reach of the results created through H2CE.