During the ERRIN Energy and Climate Working Group meeting dedicated to developments on Hydrogen policy (16 February 2023), the European Commission announced the publication of a European roadmap on Hydrogen Valleys, to support European stakeholders in achieving this objective. On 15 July 2023, the European Commission published a call for evidence to collect further input from multiple stakeholders for the creation of this roadmap. 

In this frame, ERRIN produced an input paper building on the work of the S3 Partnership on Hydrogen Valleys and collecting ERRIN members’ needs, challenges and solutions. A dedicated survey was created to gather those inputs, and we received answers from 25 regional and local governments, from nine countries, committed to hydrogen development in their territories. 

You may read the full contribution in the attached document. 

ERRIN and its members welcome the process of gathering feedback and inputs for the European roadmap on Hydrogen Valleys. This paper outlines how local and regional governments address hydrogen-related challenges, building on their existing local strategies and/or roadmaps. Additionally, it recognises the significance of Hydrogen Valleys as place-based innovation ecosystems bringing together key stakeholders engaged in developing hydrogen solutions. Extensive work is taking place at the local and regional levels to reinforce the research and innovation agenda for clean hydrogen, enabling the implementation of Hydrogen Valleys.  

However, it is crucial to develop those local and regional sustainable energy ecosystems further as they have an important role to play in reaching the overall objective of climate neutrality. To achieve this objective, this input paper will call for more dedicated support in setting up and implementing Hydrogen Valleys, as well as a stronger role of local and regional governments in the Clean Hydrogen Partnership.