News

On Thursday, 19 February 2026, the professional event Hydrogen 2026 will take place in Šoštanj, bringing together companies from the region to prepare and submit development projects in the field of hydrogen technologies.

The event will focus on shaping concrete project ideas, building consortia, and identifying opportunities for national and international funding calls.

When? Thursday, 19 February 2026, from 9:00 to 13:00
Where? NEXTISTENCE – Competence Center for Advanced Energy Technologies (KENT)
Address: Termoelektrarna Šoštanj d.o.o., Cesta Lole Ribarja 18, 3325 Šoštanj

Clear Goals: From Vision to Funding Application

The opening session will define the objectives of the event and present the importance of cooperation between industry, research institutions, and support organizations in developing the hydrogen economy.

First Thematic Session

Topics will include:

• The current state of hydrogen technology development and deployment
• Opportunities arising from EU cohesion policy and the region’s Just Transition process
• The environmental impact of hydrogen production and co-combustion, as well as effects on product cost structures

Second Thematic Session

Focused on development potential and business models, with special attention to:

• Reducing limitations and risks of hydrogen storage in urban environments
• Economic and environmental impacts of fuel cell vehicle (FCEV) fleets in the EU
• Development and production of critical hydrogen technology components (fuel cells, electrolyzers, compressors, pressure equipment)

Participating companies will present their products, technical and human resource capacities, and development ambitions, creating a strong basis for targeted partnerships.

Practical Session: Consortium Building and Project Development

The central part of the event will be dedicated to group work and the creation of concrete project concepts across three thematic areas:

1. Energy renovation with integration of hydrogen technologies into storage and co-/tri-generation systems
2. Development of digital twins for evaluation and optimization of existing fuel cell vehicle fleets in the EU
3. Organizational and technological solutions for improving the economic efficiency of hydrogen technology deployment

The Hydrogen 2026 event represents a concrete step toward accelerating hydrogen project development in the region and strengthening cooperation among key stakeholders of the energy transition.