ANEL participated at the GREEN HYDRA 2nd Interregional event, which took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, from March 25-27, 2025. The event gathered all project partners and focused on exploring the conditions needed to expand the use of hydrogen, involving SMEs across 10 participating countries. Experts and stakeholders shared insights on the challenges and opportunities for SMEs within the green hydrogen ecosystem and examined best practices from the partner regions.

GREEN HYDRA’s main objective is to improve policies in 10 regions at national, regional, and local levels to support SMEs’ access to green hydrogen development projects. These initiatives span research programs, development strategies, awareness campaigns, and pilot investments, with a focus on the entire hydrogen value chain, from R&D and manufacturing to human resources upskilling.

Over the three-day event, participants analyzed the barriers to green hydrogen adoption by SMEs, led by experts from Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen. The partners also held a workshop to discuss the role of SMEs in green hydrogen production, transmission, mobility, and applications in the energy sector and buildings. The event included presentations of good practices and discussions on regulatory challenges, funding, and public awareness.

A key highlight was the visit to Bulgaria’s first hydrogen refueling station at the Integral Energy Systems Laboratory, followed by a tour of Hydrogenera Ltd., a Bulgarian SME that integrates the entire hydrogen supply chain. These visits provided inspiration for partners to incorporate successful practices into their own regions.

Through the seminar, workshops, and study visits, the Green Hydra partners gained valuable insights to help ease SME access to green hydrogen projects and strengthen their involvement across the entire hydrogen value chain, with many innovative ideas emerging for future development.