Between 18 and 20 March 2026, a three-day professional workshop on hydrogen technologies took place, organised as part of the cross‑border project H2GreenFUTURE (Interreg Slovenia–Austria). The workshop brought together researchers, industry representatives, students, and the education sector, offering an excellent opportunity for an in‑depth exploration of current trends in green hydrogen, practical demonstrations, and networking with experts from the region and beyond. The event was organised by the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (CUAS)and Forschung Burgenland (FB) from Austria and National Institute of Chemistry (NIC) from Slovenia.
Day 1
The first day of the workshop offered a comprehensive online programme featuring expert presentations from leading hydrogen specialists in Slovenia and Austria. Dr. Blaž Likozar from the National Institute of Chemistry (Slovenia) introduced participants to the fundamentals of hydrogen technologies. Christian Seidl from Forschung Burgenland (Austria) then presented their hydrogen-related education activities. Dr. Gasan Osojnik from the National Institute of Chemistry (Slovenia) outlined the training and industry-focused support capabilities available at Center DUBT, while Alexander Berndt from Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (Austria) introduced H2GreenFUTURE WP3, which focuses on the development of competences and skills for students. Nataša Grošelj provided insights into the technological and educational perspectives of the Preplet – Education Hub from Zasavje. The session concluded with a presentation of the day two on-site demonstrations in Slovenia and Austria, giving participants a clear overview of the practical components of the workshop.
Day 2
On the second day of the workshop, participants engaged directly with real hydrogen technologies through parallel on-site demonstration programmes in Slovenia and Austria. They connected theory with practice during live demonstration exercises at the Center DUBT in Kisovec (Slovenia) and Forschung Burgenland centre in Pinkafeld (Austria), gaining direct insight into advanced research infrastructure and interacting with leading experts in the field. These hands-on sessions showcased state-of-the-art hydrogen research environments and provided an invaluable practical learning experience for all participants.
Day 3
The third day of the workshop concluded with the online Interregional Congress, which brought together regional and international experts to explore the broader hydrogen innovation ecosystem. The day began with presentations on strategic initiatives such as the HI2 Valley by Margherita Matzer from Austria and financing opportunities within hydrogen value chains NACHIP and others presented by Dr. Jurij Giacomelli (META Circularity). This was followed by insights into the HyPA-Community from Austria by Dr. Frederik Schäfer, an overview of multi-level risk typologies in green hydrogen infrastructure by Petrisa Čanji Vouri (University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business), and a technical presentation of the Hydroman project by Maj Rudolf Vahtar and Žan Podvratnik (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering). Further contributions included Dr. Ana Varlec from Steklarna Hrastnik on hydrogen applications in glass manufacturing and associated technical challenges, and Dr. Kostja Makarovič from KEKO Oprema and Cerasynth on advanced materials, solid oxide cells, and different production technologies. The day ended with a closing discussion summarising the key takeaways, highlighting collaborative opportunities, and reinforcing the importance of cross-border knowledge exchange in advancing hydrogen technologies.
🤝 A heartfelt thank you by organisers goes out to all the speakers, partners, institutions, and participants, who contributed to the success of this three-day H2GreenFUTURE workshop. Their expertise, engagement, and commitment to advancing hydrogen technologies made this event an inspiring platform for knowledge exchange, cross-border collaboration, and future innovation. Through the H2GreenFUTURE project, partners are building bridges between science, industry, and educational institutions with the goal of co-creating a green future with hydrogen technologies. The organisers look forward to continuing this journey together in the coming stages of the H2GreenFUTURE project. 🌱 🔋
