Slovenia’s Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE), the leading partner in the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley (NAHV) project, signed a contract with the Clean Hydrogen Partnership Joint Undertaking on co-funding the project, HSE said on July 26.

The primary objective of the project is to revolutionise the value chain of renewable hydrogen, starting from production to storage and distribution, culminating in its utilisation across various sectors, including industry, land transportation and maritime operations.

The contract, which was signed last week, secured a €25mn in grants on behalf of the entire consortium, propelling the implementation of this transnational European project under the Horizon Europe programme. 

Scheduled to begin on September 1, the NAHV project will have a 72-month timeframe and encompass 17 pilot projects strategically situated across Slovenia, Croatia, and the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in Italy.

The consortium leading the project includes 37 organisations, comprising companies, universities, institutes and public institutions, all dedicated to advancing the use of renewable hydrogen.

As the largest electricity producer and trader in the country, and a prominent producer of renewable energy, HSE plays a vital role in spearheading the initiative.

Key stakeholders from the three partner countries will collaboratively develop pilot projects aimed at producing more than 5,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually from sustainable energy sources.

“We are proud that the exceptionally interesting and promising North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley project has been declared one of the best in the Horizon Europe tender and that we are a leading partner in it,” HSE's CEO, Tomaz Stokelj, said.

The ambition of the NAHV project is to create a robust renewable hydrogen market, encouraging both demand and supply, and establishing it as a competitive and sought-after energy product for the future.