The seventh international meeting of partners within the EU Green Hydra project, implemented under the Interreg Europe programme, was held in Zagreb on 24 and 25 September 2026. The meeting, entitled “Upscaling innovations in the Green H2 Ecosystem – Opportunities for SMEs”, brought together project partners and experts to exchange experiences, present innovative solutions in the field of green hydrogen and strengthen opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises to become involved in the development of the green hydrogen ecosystem.
The central part of the programme focused on Croatian projects and initiatives that provide concrete examples of the development and application of hydrogen technologies. At the beginning of the programme, participants were welcomed by Marijan Krpan, President of the Management Board of the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency, after which the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley (NAHV), the application of hydrogen in roof tile production by NEXE Dilj, the HERMES project – an innovative hydrogen system for railways, the LOOPER project for hydrogen production from waste, and Čaporice Energy Park, which integrates renewable energy sources and hydrogen technologies, were presented.
A special part of the programme consisted of study visits to Croatian companies and research institutions. At KONČAR – Electrical Engineering Institute, participants were introduced to a microgrid management and monitoring system integrating renewable energy sources and hydrogen technologies, while Patria Composite presented the production of Type IV pressure vessels for hydrogen and CNG applications. They also visited the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture at the University of Zagreb, specifically the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Laboratory, where a hydrogen-powered bicycle was demonstrated.
On the final day of the meeting, the partners took part in the “From Root Causes to Action” workshop led by Hanze University of Applied Sciences. The programme continued with the presentation of new good practices within the Green Hydra project, a Steering Committee meeting, a review of project progress and the presentation of the draft programme for Maribor.
The Green Hydra project, funded through the Interreg Europe 2021–2027 programme, aims to improve policies and create an enabling environment for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to participate in the development of sustainable energy solutions. The Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency continues to actively contribute to the project with the aim of strengthening the role of SMEs in the energy transition and enhancing their position in the green hydrogen sector.
