Seville, Spain – Partners of the Green Hydra project, an Interreg Europe programme initiative involving ten countries – Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Poland, Norway, Latvia and Slovenia – gathered in Seville on March 11–13 (2026), for a two-day study visit focused on the green hydrogen value chain. The visit combined participation in the European Hydrogen Energy Conference 2026 (EHEC 2026) with working meetings, company visits and interactive workshops on good practices for SME inclusion in the hydrogen economy.
European Hydrogen Energy Conference 2026 visit
On the first day, participants attended the European Hydrogen Energy Conference 2026 (EHEC 2026), held on 11–13 March at the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de Sevilla (FIBES). The conference brought together leading experts, policymakers and industry representatives to discuss hydrogen’s role in the EU’s decarbonisation strategy. The event was opened by Mr Javier Brey (President of EHEC and the Spanish Hydrogen Association), with welcome remarks from Mr Maarten Wetselaar (CEO of MOEVE), Mr Jordi Garsia Brustenga (Secretary of State for Industry, Government of Spain) and Mr Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla (President of the Regional Government of Andalusia).
The Green Hydra project was also presented to the Junta de Andalucía, the Associated Policy Authority of the hosting partner, and the project partners and their stakeholders had the opportunity to meet and interact with Natalia Silvia Márquez García, the Director of the Andalusia Energy Agency.
Spain is positioning itself as a leader in green hydrogen, with ambitious targets under its updated National Energy and Climate Plan 2023–2030, aiming for 12 GW of installed electrolysis capacity by 2030. The Regional Government of Andalusia has launched a Green Hydrogen Roadmap, supported by the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Alliance of over 150 organisations, with 23 projects targeting 3.7 GW of electrolysis capacity – representing 33% of Spain’s national target.
Working Meeting on SME Opportunities in Green Hydrogen
In the afternoon, partners and stakeholders convened for a working meeting themed “From the Andalusian Hydrogen Ecosystem to European Good Practices.” Hosted at the Chamber of Commerce of Seville, the session featured five expert presentations covering the Andalusian Energy Agency’s strategy, the Green Hydrogen Cluster of Andalusia, the Port Authority of Seville’s green energy hub plans, EVO Mobility and the Hydrogen Table. The day concluded with an interactive discussion on good practices for inclusion in the Interreg Europe Policy Platform, moderated by Ms Tiziana Campisi, Community Manager of Ravenna Municipality.
Company Visits and Workshop
The second day offered hands-on experience with two leading companies in the Andalusian hydrogen sector. Participants visited H2B2 Electrolysis Technologies, where they observed first-hand the processes involved in producing green hydrogen through water electrolysis. The group then toured SAiLH2, the first green hydrogen centre in Andalusia, located in the La Isla Industrial Park. SAiLH2 hosts the region’s first public hydrogen refuelling station for cars, trucks, buses and forklifts – the first phase of an ambitious project aimed at creating a hydrogen ecosystem in the La Isla industrial area.
In the afternoon, a practical workshop at the Chamber of Commerce of Seville explored “How to get the use cases jump-started (board-game)”. Moderated by representatives of Hanze University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands (Advisory partner), the workshop involved representatives from each partner country working on key advantages, necessary legislative changes and growth opportunities in the green hydrogen sector. The results will be presented at the next project meeting.
Conclusions
The partners noted that the study visit was extremely valuable, combining cutting-edge insights from the EHEC 2026 conference with hands-on company visits and collaborative workshops. The visit reinforced the importance of inter-regional cooperation in advancing SME participation across the green hydrogen value chain and demonstrated Andalusia’s leading role in Europe’s hydrogen transition.
About the Green Hydra Project
The Green Hydra project – “Improving policies for engaging SMEs in the green hydrogen ecosystem” – is a four-year Interreg Europe programme initiative. It brings together partners from ten European countries to develop research programmes, strategies and awareness-raising schemes that enable SMEs to participate across the entire hydrogen value chain, from R&D and engineering to manufacturing, consultancy and design.
Click here to find out more about the project.
