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Hydrogen Valleys S3 Partnership

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Hydrogen Valleys S3 Partnership

Context

Decarbonisation of the economy is crucial to mitigate global warming and its effects on human societies and natural ecosystems. In this framework, the EU set up an ambitious objective: to be the first climate neutral economy by 2050. The European Hydrogen Valleys S3 Partnership falls within this context as hydrogen technologies have the potential to play a key role in this energy transition process while at the same time ensuring Europe's competitiveness. Indeed, they provide a zero-emission solution for a growing number of applications, especially in hard-to-abate sectors, when produced as renewable hydrogen and they facilitate the integration of renewables within the energy grid. At EU level, this is in line with objectives set at EU level by the EU Hydrogen Strategy, by REPowerEU and, more recently, by the Net-Zero Industry Act. At regional level, it is in line with more and more S3 strategies, where many ERDF managing authorities have identified hydrogen among their priorities. This is why the Hydrogen Valleys S3 Partnership puts forward local and regional involvement in the H2 sector and facilitates the development of H2 ecosystems involving all relevant stakeholders.

Year established: 2019

Regions (lead and partner)

  • Leading regions: Aragon (ES), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (FR), Normandie (FR), Northern Netherlands (NL)
  • Partner region(s): Partner region(s): Andalusia (ES), Arnhem/Nijmegen (NL), Asturias (ES), Baden-Württemberg (DE), Basque Country (ES), Bourgogne Franche-Comté (FR), Bretagne (FR), Castilla y Leon (ES), Castilla la Mancha (ES), Catalonia (ES), Centre-Val de Loire (FR), Drenthe (NL), East Flanders (BE), Emilia Romagna (IT), Flevoland (NL), Gavleborg (SE), Gelderland (NL), Grand Est (FR), Groningen (NL), Hamburg city (DE), Hauts de France (FR), Heide (DE), Hordaland (NO), Ile de France Region (FR), Kosice (SK), Lisbon Region (PT), Lower Saxony (DE), Modena (IT), Moravia-Silesia (CZ), Médio Tejo (PT), Møre and Romsdal (NO), Navarra (ES), Nordland County (NO), Norrbotten (SE), North Jutland (Nordjylland) (DK), Nouvelle Aquitaine (FR), Occitanie (FR), Pays de la Loire (FR), Phaistos Municipality (EL), Piedmont (IT), Pomorskie (PL), Randstad (NL), Saxony-Anhalt (DE), Scotland (UK), Sogn and Fjordane, (NO), South Holland (NL), South Region (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) (FR), South Tyrol (IT), Stara Zagora (BG), Umbria (IT), Usti region (CZ), West Flanders (BE), Western Macedonia (EL), Western Norway (Vestlandet) (NO), Wielkopolskie (PL), Zeeland (NL), Toulouse Métropole (Occitanie, FR), Noord-Holland (NL), Slovenia, Ostrobothnia (FI), Alentejo (PT), Torre Vedras (PT), Oost-Nederland (NL), Heraklion municipality (EL)

Mission

The mission of this partnership is to contribute to the ambitious objective set up by the EU of being the first climate neutral economy by 2050 by facilitating exchanges of knowledge and practices between regions, strengthening the development of hydrogen ecosystems including all elements of the European hydrogen economy and promoting the concept of hydrogen valleys, making sure that all the stakeholders of H2 ecosystems, specifically the role of local and regional authorities are taken into account and contribute to the future of European competitiveness, as the Draghi’s report has pointed out. Also, regarding the Letta’s comments on Hydrogen, this partnership can have a significant impact on “establishing a European backbone hydrogen network connecting consumer and producers across Europe.”

Objectives

The key objectives of the partnership are the following:

  • Promoting regional/local authorities’ support to the hydrogen sector
  • Networking/supporting the set-up of joint projects
    • Establishing a trust zone among the Partnership member to strengthen bonds and foster strong collaboration
    • Setting up interregional collaboration projects to support hydrogen ecosystems
    • Raising awareness about the Partnership and building new connections with actors outside the Partnership network
    • Connecting, collaborating and exchanging best practices with other S3 partnerships and European hydrogen-related initiatives and associations as well as networks of European local and regional authorities
  • Knowledge sharing and capacity-building
    • Sharing knowledge and best practices (technical and services) among the members of the Partnership to support the set-up of hydrogen valleys and ecosystems
    • Setting up (technical) thematic working groups and active ecosystem building sessions (services) to facilitate knowledge sharing among Partnership members

Main activities

Support the set-up of hydrogen ecosystems across Europe via:

  • Meetings and info sessions;
  • Exchange of practices;
  • Position papers and promotion of regional authorities’ main messages and needs;
  • Cooperation with other networks and entities such as the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, ERRIN/European Regions Research & Innovation Network and Hydrogen Europe Regional Pillar;
  • Currently 3 working groups are up and running:
    • Long-term investments in H2 projects;
    • Financing of heavy-duty vehicles;
    • Natural H2.

Organisations involved

Belgium

  • Regional Council of East-Flanders (BE)

Bulgaria

  • Municipality of Stara Zagora (BG)

Czechia

  • Hydrogen Cluster of Moravia Silesia (CZ)
  • Economic and Social Council of Usti Region (CZ)
  • Regional Chamber of Commerce of the Ústí Region (CZ)
  • Innovation Centre of the Ústí Region (CZ)

Denmark

  • Hydrogen Valleys (DK)

Finland

  • Regional Council of Ostrothnia (FI)
  • West Finland EU Office (FI)

France

  • Regional Council of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes (FR)
  • Tennerdis (FR)
  • CARA (FR)
  • CNR (FR)
  • Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (FR)
  • Pole véhicule du future (FR)
  • Bourgogne-Franche-Comté University (FR)
  • Regional Council of Bretagne (FR)
  • Bretagne Developement Innovation (FR)
  • Regional Council of Centre-Val-de-Loire (FR)
  • Grand Est Europe (FR)
  • Regional Council of Hauts-de-France (FR)
  • Ile-de-France Europe (FR)
  • Next move (FR)
  • Regional Council of Normandie (FR)
  • Normandie Energies (FR)
  • Normandie Maritime (FR)
  • Normandie AéroSpace (FR)
  • INSA Rouen (FR)
  • CORA laboratory (FR)
  • Regional Council of Nouvelle Aquitaine (FR)
  • Agency of Innovation Development (FR)
  • (ADI) for Nouvelle Aquitaine (FR)
  • Occitanie Europe (FR)
  • Toulouse metropole (FR)
  • IEM Montpellier (FR)
  • Agency of Economic Dvp (AD’OCC) (FR)
  • Regional Council of Pays de la Loire (FR)
  • Europe Technologies – CIAM (FR)
  • Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur (FR)
  • French Automotive and Mobility Network (FR)

Germany

  • E-mobil BW (DE)
  • Department of Economy and Innovation (DE)
  • EEHH/Hydrogen cluster Hanburg (DE)
  • HySOLUTIONS GmbH (DE)
  • Renewable Energy (hydrogen) Hamburg (DE)
  • Regional council of Heide (DE)
  • Lower Saxony Ministry for Federal and European affairs (DE)
  • Ministry of Economy, Science and Digitalisation (DE)
  • Energy Agency (DE)

Greece

  • CluBE/Cluster of Bioeconomy and Environment of Western Macedonia (GR)
  • University of Western Macedonia (GR)

Italy

  • Emilia-Romagna Region (IT)
  • Municipality of Spilamberto (IT)
  • Università di Bologna (IT)
  • Greentech Cluster (IT)
  • Arco fuel cells (IT)
  • Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia (IT)
  • Energy and Sustainable Development Agency (IT)
  • Provincia di Modena (IT)
  • Piemonte region (IT)
  • Istituto per Innovazioni Tecnologiche di Bolzano (IT)
  • Regione Umbria (IT)
  • Università di Perugia (IT)

Norway

  • Møre and Romsdal regional authority (NO)
  • Hub for Ocean (NO)
  • Vestland County Council (NO)
  • West Norway EU Office (NO)
  • Nordland County Council (NO)
  • Arctic cluster (NO)

Poland

  • Regional Pomeranian Chamber of Commerce (PL)
  • Cluster of Hydrogen Technologies – Pomeranian Hydrogen Valley (PL)
  • Pomorskie Region (PL)
  • Marshal Office of the Wielkpolska Region (PL)

Portugal

  • Alentejo Brussels Office (PT)
  • IrRADIARE (PT)
  • Medio Tejo21 (PT)
  • Municipality of Torre Vedras (PT)

Slovakia

  • Kosice Region (SK)

Slovenia

  • Kemijski Institut (SI)
  • Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Štajerska (SI)
  • Slovenian Business & research Association (SI)

Spain

  • Andalusia Regional Government (ES)
  • Aragon Exterior (ES)
  • Aragon Hydrogen Foundation (ES)
  • Font Corporation (ES)
  • Asturias EU office (ES)
  • Fundacion Asturiana de la Energia (ES)
  • INCAR - INSTITUTO DE CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGÍA DEL CARBONO (ES)
  • Basque Country EU Office (ES)
  • SPRI-Basque Business Development Agency (ES)
  • Basque Country Energy Agency (ES)
  • Castilla la Mancha regional government (ES)
  • Castilla y Leon regional government (ES)
  • CIDAUT - Foundation for Research y Development in Transportation and Energy (ES)
  • Catolonia Regional Government (ES)
  • Catalonia EU Office (ES)
  • Eurecat Centre Tecnologic (ES)
  • Navarra regional government (ES)
  • Andalusia Regional Government (ES)
  • Asociación de la Industria Navarra (ES)

Sweden

  • Norrbotten regional authorirty (SE)

The Netherlands

  • Arnhem Nijmegen City Region (NL)
  • Drenthe Province (NL)
  • Flevoland Province (NL)
  • Gelderland Province (NL)
  • Groningen Province (NL)
  • SNN (NL)
  • New Energy Coalition (NL)
  • Province of South Holland (NL)
  • Province of North Holland (NL)
  • Amsterdam (NL)
  • East Netherlands Region (NL)
  • Province of Zeeland (NL)

United Kingdom

  • Scotland Europa (UK)
  • Scottish government (UK)
  • Highlands & Islands Enterprise (UK)
  • Scottish Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Association (UK)
  • Scottish Entreprise (UK)

Shared smart specialisation areas

Renewable hydrogen production; energy storage and distribution; zero-emission mobility; production of renewable energies; decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries and transport; green and digital transition; safety and risk management; enhancing hydrogen skills.

Related projects

Hy2Market Project selected and awarded with the I3 grant: The scope of the 3-year project involves a total budget of EUR 14 million. Hy2Market will start off in February 2023 and conclude at the end of January 2026. The Hy2Market project connects regions across Europe in working on various innovations to boost production, transport, and use of green hydrogen for energy-intensive industries and mobility. The project builds on the knowledge of European frontrunner regions such as Upper Austria and Rhône-Alpes, the first European Hydrogen Valley in the Northern Netherlands and the HEAVENN project. For more information see Hy2market project (https://hy2market.eu/)

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