IURC Regions CoP Developing Hydrogen Market & Industry Cooperation

The second meeting of the IURC Community of Practice (CoP 3) on Hydrogen Market & Industry took place online on 12 February 2026. The session connected partner regions from Europe and Asia–Australasia to exchange experiences and explore practical pathways for advancing hydrogen markets, supporting industrial decarbonisation, and enabling more sustainable mobility solutions.

Participating regions included Île-de-France (Coordinator), Catalonia, Chungcheongnam-do, Jeju-do, Christchurch and Taranaki.

From funding pathways to research collaboration

A key focus of the discussion was how to translate policy dialogue into concrete cooperation through joint research and funding opportunities. Aïda Díaz (Catalonia) highlighted the importance of connecting CoP activities with European funding instruments, noting that Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ could provide practical pathways for mobility and partnerships. She underlined Catalonia’s readiness to support partner regions in navigating EU funding mechanisms, including calls under the Clean Hydrogen Partnership.

Building on this, Frédérique Vinay (Île-de-France) stressed that excellence and alignment among research centres would be critical to securing competitive European funding. Participants agreed to prioritise the mapping of research institutions and thematic strengths across regions as a foundation for future joint projects. Research actors also began connecting directly, including Jeju National University’s Green Hydrogen research centre, expressing interest in collaboration with European hydrogen research hubs.

Strategic themes: transport, infrastructure and aviation

The meeting underlined several shared priorities shaping the hydrogen transition:

• Hydrogen transport and storage, including ammonia, methanol and synthetic methane
  
• Infrastructure development and last-mile distribution, particularly in regions where new pipelines or reconversion of existing networks are required
  
• Decarbonisation of aviation and heavy transport, including hydrogen applications at airports and sustainable aviation fuels
  
• Pablo Gándara (IURC) emphasised the strategic relevance of sustainable hydrogen transport and cost-effective distribution/storage for the existing EU–Asia/Australasia hydrogen energy cooperation (Japan, New Zealand). He noted the different forms of hydrogen energy shipping (ammonia, methan, LOHCs), and the challenges/pathways to integrate it into the existing energy pipelines across Europe. Participants agreed that these themes should be further explored through dedicated thematic sessions and linked to study visits and demonstration sites.

Sustaining cooperation beyond the project

Christchurch proposed exploring the co-design of a formal hydrogen network to ensure continuity of cooperation beyond the IURC project timeframe. The idea is to connect cities, research centres, public authorities and industry in a long-term platform for knowledge exchange, joint R&D and commercialisation pathways, while also supporting talent development and international mobility in the hydrogen sector. The proposal was welcomed as a way to anchor longer-term collaboration and complement existing Hydrogen Valley initiatives.

Towards practical outcomes

The meeting reaffirmed the role of the IURC Community of Practice as a platform for turning shared challenges into practical cooperation. By linking funding pathways, research excellence and real-world demonstration projects, participating regions aim to accelerate the development of resilient and competitive hydrogen ecosystems. Follow-up work will focus on refining joint activities, connecting research and industry partners, and aligning thematic workshops with study visits to maximise learning and impact. Regions discussed the possibility of joining the EU Hydrogen Week 2026 in Brussels (26-30 October 2026).