Programme

Introduction

The purpose of the Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic Conference is to bring together the parties creating an unprecedented phenomenon of cross-regional cooperation in the transition towards a clean energy future based on clean hydrogen. The goal of the 3^rd conference is to accelerate activities related the development of North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley (NAHV) project, the first Transnational Hydrogen Valley project in the EU in 2023 and to boost other already ongoing projects developed by industry towards a regional hydrogen ecosystem to accelerate regional and European energy transition, to scale innovations. Industrial partners, universities, and society leaders from participating countries: Croatia, Italy – Friuli-Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region, and Slovenia, are working together to explore further development opportunities and accelerate already envisaged projects.

8:00 Registration

Networking breakfast buffet

9:00 Welcome by organisers

Introduction and Moderation: Jurij Giacomelli

Franc Muzič, Mayor of Goriška Brda (welcome address)

Bart Biebuyck, Former Executive Director Clean Hydrogen Partnership Joint Undertaking, EU Commission

Aleksander Gerbec, CEO, ECUBES

9:15 Welcome by organisers - Industry Institutions representatives

Nevenka Volk Rožič, Director, Northern Primorska Chamber of Commerce, Nova Gorica – (Host)

Danica Maljković, President of Hydrogen Group at Croatian Chamber of Economy, Croatia

Ivan Herak, Member of the Board Finance,HR & Law, ACI, Advisor to the Minister of Tourism, Croatia

Michelangelo Agrusti, President, Confindustria Alto Adriatico, Italy

Anna Mareschi Danieli, Vice President, Confindustria Udine, Italy

Vesna Nahtigal, Executive Director, Chamber of Commerce of Slovenia

9:45 Welcome by Governmental representatives

Ivo Milatić, State Secretary at the Ministry for Economy and Sustainable Development of Croatia

Sergio Emidio Bini, Regional Minister for Productive Activities and Tourism, Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region, Italy

Bojan Kumer, Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy of Slovenia

10:15 Transnational cooperation and cross-regional dimension of the NAHV

Luigi Crema, President at Hydrogen Europe Research, Vice President at the Italian Association for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells – H2IT

Paolo Guglia, Hydrogen Europe, Chair of the Water Transport Group

Bart Biebuyck, Former Executive Director Clean Hydrogen Partnership Joint Undertaking, EU Commission

REpower EU through regional hydrogen ecosystems EU best practices

Tinne van der Straeten, Minister of Energy, Belgium – (in videostreaming)

Maxime Saliez, Conseiler at Minister Tinne van der Straeten Cabinet, Belgium

Sarah Neuman, Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Policy advisor, Austria

Ratislav Trnka, Governor of Košice Region, Slovakia

Katharina Bouchaar, ENERCY, CEO, The Netherlands

11:10 REpower EU through regional hydrogen ecosystems - NAHV nascent cases

Moderated by Aleksander Gerbec

Tomaž Štokelj, CEO, Holding Slovenske Elektrarne, Slovenia

Massimiliano Fantuzzi, VP R&D, Danieli Centro Combustion, Italy

Giuseppe Giacomini, Chief Sustainability and Strategy VISION, ABS Spa, Italy

Vesna Kučan Polak, Business Development and new technologies Director, Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency, Croatia

Tobias Puklavec, CEO, GASFIN, Croatia

Tomaž Vuk, Salonit Anhovo, CEO, Slovenia

Q&A

12:00 H2STUDENT Evolution

Matjaž Knez, Faculty for Logistic, University Maribor

Launch of H2STUDENT tour through MENA and GULF countries for COP 28 2023
Launch of action for young generation from ADANA province, area hit by earthquake in Turkey

12:10 Group photography

12:30 Lunch Break

Launch of H2STUDENT^TM Grand Prix – Hydrogen cars racing competition (Villa Courtyard)

Introduction by: Matjaz Knez, University Maribor

14:00 Research, Innovation and Investment: Visionaries of the North Adriatic Hydrogen Ecosystem

Designing an ecosystem through a nexus of innovation pathways

Stephen Taylor, Strategic Coordinator, Joint Working Group, North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley

Hydrogen Visionaries Selection and Award

Jurij Giacomelli, CEO, META Circularity

14:15 Panel I: Introduction into research

Introduction and Moderation: Fabio Tomasi, Projects Development and Management Unit Manager, Area Science Park, Italy

Rodolfo Taccani, Delegate for the technological transfer and relations with the enterprises, University of Trieste, Italy

Fausto Ferraccioli, Director of Geophysics Department, National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS, Italy

Matjaž Valant, Vice-Rector for Sustainable Development and Technologies, University Nova Gorica, Slovenia

Vedran Kirinčić, Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka; Croatia

Marko Maver, Specialist for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage; Secretary, Cabinet Member at the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia