Day 1 - 11th November 2026
EU Sovereignty & Industrial competitiveness
Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic at the intersection of EU sovereignty, industrial competitiveness and climate crisis: European challenges enabling international cooperation
Location: Gorizia
9:00
Registration and welcome coffee
Opening of the first day of the 6th HE Conference
Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic at the intersection of EU sovereignty, industrial competitiveness and climate crisis
9:30
Welcome and introduction to the programme
9:45
Institutional address
EU sovereignty and one market
10:05
The resilience and autonomy of the European energy critical infrastructure
Tom Middendorp, Chairman of the International Military Council on Climate and Security, Author “The Climate General”
10:25
One Europe, One Market and Renewable Hydrogen
10:45
Challenges of the hydrogen economy evolution and lessons from the North Adriatic
11:05
Coffee break
Enabling international cooperation through the dimensions of the EU sovereign trajectory
11:25
European partnership with OMAN and MENA
11:35
The Global Gateway strategy boosting EU international trade and investment relations
11:45
OGAB Initiative as super JV between the EU and Oman
11:55
Enabling strategic partnerships and financing European energy flexibility TBC
Innovation excellence in hydrogen economy
12:10
European innovations for clean hydrogen future
12:20
Affordable seasonal energy storage solutions unlocking raw material criticalities
12:30
Hydrogen-based technology in Danieli Group
12:40
Biohydrogen: the case of circularity and renewables in FVG
12:50
Liquid hydrogen application for the decarbonisation of maritime transportation
13:15
Buffet lunch
Framing conditions for green hydrogen uptake
14:15
Hydrogen mobility as an essential complement to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs)
14:25
Integrated European hydrogen market
14:45
21st century grid and renewable hydrogen
Aleksander Mervar, CEO, ELES
14:55
Hydrogen offtake: A global perspective
15:20
Coffee break
Intergenerational dialogue
Our futures, the foresight
Intergenerational dialogue under EU-Oman partnership for green future: H2STUDENT global
15:40
Introduction
15:50
Intergenerational dialogue
Developing foresight knowledge on hydrogen
Developing leaders for their futures
Dima Gurtcheva, professor, United World College Adriatic, Duino
Steven Libbrecht, Chief Ecosystem Development Officer, ECUBES
16:10
Our futures on hydrogen
A foresight experience
Students at the United World College Adriatic, Duino
H2STUDENT endorsed by IRENA
16:30
Moderated roundtable
16:40
Conclusions
Energy transition and the European competitiveness
16:50
Introduction
17:00
Future of European competitiveness
17:45
Conclusions and wrap up
18:00
Aperitivo
19:45
Dinner
(Compulsory registration)
Day 2 - 12th November 2026
North Adriatic Hydrogen Ecosystem, EU Competitiveness and the Resource Crisis
Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic at the intersection of EU sovereignty, industrial competitiveness and climate crisis: European competitiveness and financing transition to renewables
Location: Nova Gorica, Hotel Perla
9:00
Registration and morning coffee
Opening of the second day of the 6th HE Conference
9:30
Welcome adress
9:40
Accelerating EU’s energy transition and climate autonomy by bringing hydrogen innovation to the commercial market
9:55
Third HE report: The North Adriatic, Europe’s hydrogen gateway
Stephen Taylor, Strategic Coordinator, NAHV JWG
10:10
The North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley: Three years on
Andreja Kumer, HSE, Project Coordinator, NAHV
10:20
The role of H2READY in supporting municipalities in the transition to renewables
Suzana Vidmar Kovšča, GOLEA, Project Coordinator, H2Ready
10:30
NACHIP: Accelerating hydrogen value chains in the North Adriatic
Matija Pavlovčič, IJS, Project Coordinator, NACHIP
10:40
NASCHA: Smart communities of practice in the North Adriatic
Alberto Soraci, AREA Science Park, Project Coordinator, NASCHA
10:50
Coffee break
Panel
Policy Dialogue: Aligning Smart Specialisation Strategies with Hydrogen Deployment Priorities
11:10
Introduction: Accelerating hydrogen technologies uptake across the EU
Lessons Learned from I3 Programme
11:20
Moderated debate
Representatives of competent authorities from the NA for the Smart Specialisation Strategies from Croatia, FVG, and Slovenia
Lessons and case studies
Maximising impact through cross-fertilisation across the EU and access to finance
11:50
In the framework of the regional innovation landscape
12:00
Hydrogen strategy and implementation in Carinthia, Austria
Gerald Miklin, Carinthian Provincial Government Office, Austria
12:15
Hydrogen strategy of Vienna in the centre of the HyHope initiative
12:25
EastGate Hydrogen Valley, Kosice
12:35
HZWO Cluster Chemnitz
13:10
Lunch
14:10
Introduction and presentation of HE Listing
Panel
HE access to finance
14:20
How can we finance innovations and related infrastructure deriving from EU hydrogen valleys?
Policy-level debate and investors table
16:00
Coffee break
Pitching Session
Hydrogen innovation finals
16:20
Introduction to pitching finalists
16:30
Pitches
17:20
HE North Adriatic best proposition
Award ceremony – evaluations the pitching sessions
Representatives of investors and financial intermediaries
17:30
Conclusions of the conference
17:40
Farewell aperitivo
18:00
End of programme
Day 1
University of Trieste University Center of Gorizia
Via Alviano 18
34170 Gorizia GO
Italy
Day 2
Hotel Perla
Kidričeva ulica 7
5000 Nova Gorica
Slovenia