Within the H2CE project, partners worked together to analyse and address common challenges in planning and governance for hydrogen regions. By approaching these issues from regional, interregional and transnational perspectives, the partnership developed joint strategies and action plans to guide regions on their path towards becoming H2-ready. In the first stage of the project, partners jointly defined a set of common indicators that formed the basis for the regional factsheets on H2-readiness. These indicators covered essential aspects such as planning processes, governance, data availability, spatial conditions, cross-border harmonisation and funding opportunities. Based on this framework, each partner region carried out a detailed analysis which later fed into the final joint strategy and action plan for H2-ready regions. Several important baseline documents were delivered during this process. A fact sheet of indicators provided the common set of criteria developed by all project partners. A summary of regional results offered an overview of the analyses conducted in each region, highlighting challenges, needs and best practices that inspired further strategy development and pilot activities. In addition, guidelines for strategy development were prepared to support European regions in designing hydrogen strategies and action plans adaptable to local and regional contexts. As a result of this joint work, three regional strategies were developed, each tailored to specific conditions while complementing one another: 1. Transnational Strategy Prepared by the H2CE partnership, this document defined a common framework for developing H2-ready regions across Central Europe. It focused on cross-border cooperation, harmonised policies, and joint innovation pathways. 2. Interregional Strategy This strategy identified opportunities for interregional collaboration. It mapped synergies between regions, encouraged knowledge exchange, and supported coordinated investment approaches to strengthen the hydrogen value chain. 3. Regional Strategy – Ústí Region Designed by Economic an d Social Counsil of the Ústi Region, this roadmap set clear priorities, actions, and measures for the Ústí Region to establish itself as an H2-ready hub, supporting local industry, infrastructure, and communities. Foci of the Transnational Hydrogen Strategy The strategy which is currently being elaborated concentrates on three main areas of work: 1. Setting the Scene It begins with an overview of the H2CE Project and its contribution to building hydrogen-ready regions. Clear goals and objectives are defined, using two complementary approaches: a bottom-up focus on regional engagement and a top-down perspective on the role of transnational institutions in supporting regional needs. 2. Empowering Regions The second focus area looks at how regions can actively shape their hydrogen future. This includes understanding current transnational developments in infrastructure, legislation, standards, funding, and trade; identifying key actions for regional players; engaging with transnational committees and stakeholders; and learning from best practices in other regions. 3. Strengthening Transnational Cooperation Finally, the strategy addresses the role of transnational organisations in advancing the hydrogen economy. It reviews current developments at the regional level and sets out priority actions for large-scale, cross-border collaboration. Interregional Hydrogen Strategy for North-Western Croatia and the Northern Adriatic This strategy (which is currently being elaborated) sets out a clear roadmap for building a strong hydrogen economy across North-Western Croatia and the Northern Adriatic. It builds on Croatia’s National Hydrogen Development and Implementation Plan until 2050 and aligns with major EU initiatives such as the European Green Deal and REPowerEU. By adapting national hydrogen goals to regional needs, the strategy identifies key players, resources, and infrastructure pathways while bridging urban and rural perspectives. It supports cross-border collaboration and integration with wider European hydrogen initiatives through the H2CE project. Special focus is given to two high-potential areas: • North-West Region of Croatia – including Zagreb, Varaždin, and Čakovec, with strong research institutions, industrial capacities, and infrastructure for hydrogen use in industry and transport. • Northern Adriatic – home to the Northern Adriatic Hydrogen Valley, a cross-border initiative with Slovenia and Friuli Venezia Giulia, developing hydrogen production, transport, and application infrastructure. The strategy also highlights Croatia’s renewable hydrogen potential, possible applications in transport, industry, and energy storage, and the steps needed to expand infrastructure. By combining national vision with regional action, it aims to position Croatia as a leader in the European hydrogen transition. (Photo credit: Designed by Freepik)

Based on the results of the regional action plans, two joint action plans were developed within the H2CE project. These documents define the key fields of action that will support participating regions on their path to becoming fully H2-ready. A particular focus is placed on coordination measures and stakeholder involvement, ensuring that the transition towards hydrogen is guided by broad cooperation and shared responsibility. The partnership is currently working on the validation of these action plans, reviewing their content together with stakeholders to ensure their relevance, practicality, and long-term impact.

The H2CE project addresses one of the most pressing challenges for Central Europe: integrating hydrogen solutions and renewable energy sources into regional energy transition processes. Unlike traditional approaches that primarily focus on project developers and industry, H2CE places regional and local public authorities at the centre of its activities, recognising their crucial role in strategic planning, governance, and investment decisions. By strengthening the capacities of administrations and equipping them with innovative tools, the project supports more effective deployment of hydrogen infrastructure and ensures that funding resources are channelled into sustainable, future-oriented solutions. One of the project’s key innovations is the strategic decision support tool, which combines GIS-based data analysis with advanced energy modelling techniques. Co-designed with partners from Styria, the Veneto Region, and the City of Lübben, the tool was piloted in diverse regional contexts to test its usability and relevance. It provides public authorities with a powerful platform for evaluating hydrogen potential in their territories, covering aspects such as production capacity, demand forecasts, and distribution networks. By enabling analysis at multiple territorial scales, the tool helps identify opportunities and challenges, while supporting the preparation of sound strategies and action plans for hydrogen deployment. The tool is fully integrated into the H2CE digital collaboration platform, serving not only as a planning instrument but also as a driver of transnational knowledge exchange and capacity building. This ensures that decision-makers are empowered with evidence-based insights and practical mechanisms to coordinate the hydrogen transition in a way that is strategically aligned, inclusive, and sustainable. The final deliverable has been completed, marking a significant milestone in building long-term regional capacity and supporting Central Europe on its path towards becoming fully H2-ready.

A common framework for virtual regional Competence Centres has been developed and successfully tested within H2CE to strengthen the understanding of existing and required hydrogen-related capacities and expertise across Central Europe. The framework includes the co-design and validation of transnational hydrogen expert profiles, which provide a structured basis for identifying skills, roles and qualifications needed in the hydrogen transition. Building on this, initial training concepts and capacity-building materials were prototyped and piloted in the regional contexts of Zagreb and Styria, allowing the partnership to test both content and methodology in practice. These pilots demonstrated the value of targeted training paths for public authorities as well as private actors, showing how regional stakeholders can be empowered to contribute actively to the hydrogen transition. To ensure quality and transferability, the approach has been peer-reviewed by project partners and external experts, confirming its potential for uptake in other regions. All results have been consolidated and integrated into the H2CE digital collaboration platform, where the Competence Centre framework now serves as a shared resource and learning environment accessible to the wider community of stakeholders. The final deliverable has been completed under D.2.2.3.

Within the H2CE project, a transnational network of empowered Central European regions has been established. This network brings together a broad range of stakeholders from all relevant sectors to foster cross-border knowledge exchange and cooperation. The network serves as a platform to accelerate hydrogen-based energy transition measures, enabling regions to share experiences, pool expertise, and jointly ramp up efforts towards becoming H2-ready.

The H2CE handbook is designed as an adaptive tool to support regions in making their first strategic decisions on hydrogen implementation, building on the results of the GIS tool and the Energy Cells Model. The GIS platform, currently under development, will provide a decision-support and strategic planning system for public authorities at European, national, regional and local levels. In parallel, the modelling of an energy cell, piloted in Lübben in Germany, is being developed within a pilot action that tests a combined GIS data-based and energy modelling approach for regional public authorities in H2-ready regions. This modelling, based on real-life information from a typical medium-sized region, represents the smallest unit of a local, integrated and sector-coupled energy supply system using regional resources, and is intended to deliver blueprints that can be replicated in other Central European regions. The handbook will be integrated into the H2CE Collaboration Platform, which will be maintained by the partner network through joint ownership and voluntary contributions, while also cooperating with established initiatives such as Hydrogen Europe and Hydrogen Valleys (fostering dissemination of data, information and knowledge, and providing training, networking and matchmaking opportunities with hydrogen experts and other Central European regional networks to address the current lack of hydrogen-related know-how at the regional and local level).

As part of its joint activities to advance hydrogen-readiness in Central Europe, the H2CE partnership has developed a common framework for analyzing challenges in planning and governance processes. By approaching these questions from regional, transregional and transnational perspectives, partners created the foundation for joint strategies and action plans that guide regions on their path towards becoming H2-ready. In the initial stage of the project, a set of common indicators was defined to serve as the basis for regional factsheets on hydrogen readiness. These indicators address aspects such as planning processes, governance, data availability, spatial conditions, cross-border harmonisation and funding opportunities. Building on this shared framework, regional analyses were carried out, allowing partners to compile factsheets that present their specific situation and progress. This work has already resulted in several baseline documents. The fact sheet of indicators sets out the agreed criteria for assessing hydrogen readiness. The summary of regional results consolidates the findings from all partner regions and highlights challenges, needs and best practices that provide orientation for further development. The guidelines for strategy development offer a flexible methodology to support European regions in preparing hydrogen strategies and action plans in line with their specific contexts. Based on these joint efforts, three regional strategies have been prepared and adopted by the partners, reflecting their distinct conditions while complementing one another. In addition, two joint action plans have been elaborated to outline the main fields of action that will enable regions to strengthen their position as hydrogen-ready territories in the future. H2CE Digital Platform: The H2CE digital platform is now ready and will function as a central hub for coordination, knowledge exchange, and capacity building among H2-ready regions. To ensure coherence and lasting impact, the platform integrates key strategic insights from the initial project phase, making it a practical and future-oriented resource for regional authorities, stakeholders, and partners. (Photo credit: Designed by Freepik)