Four Motors for Europe hold a Reverse Hydrogen Mission in Catalonia

On 12 and 13 November, the Four Motors for Europe carried out their reverse Hydrogen Mission in Barcelona and Tarragona under the Catalan Presidency. The initiative was led by the Ministry for Research and Universities of the Government of Catalonia, in collaboration with ACCIÓ – the Catalan Agency for Business Competitiveness, and the Ministry for European Union and Foreign Action of Catalonia.

The mission brought together institutional and technical representatives, research organisations, technology centres and companies from the four regions. The institutional delegation was headed by Montserrat Pulido, Catalan Minister for Research and Universities; Florian Haßler, State Secretary for Political and European Coordination of Baden-Württemberg; Antoine Le Roux, Deputy Director General for Economy, Higher Education, Innovation, Training and International Relations of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes; technical delegates from Lombardy Region, on behalf of the Regional Ministries for Local Authorities, Mountains, Energy Resources, Water Resource Use and for Infrastructures and Public Works presented the Regional Strategy on Hydrogen, focussing, respectively, on the hydrogen valleys initiative and on the ongoing projects for hydrogen mobility in the railway sector. Throughout the mission, representatives underlined the strategic importance of renewable hydrogen as a driver of decarbonisation, industrial transformation and technological innovation, and highlighted the need for strong cooperation among European regions to accelerate progress.

The programme began with the Hydrogen Innovation Summit at the World Trade Center in Barcelona, which gathered participants from public institutions, research centres and industry. The seminar explored regional hydrogen strategies, research and innovation challenges, and industrial pathways for the deployment of clean hydrogen technologies. Following the summit, attendees visited several leading sites within Catalonia’s Hydrogen Valley, including the Port of Barcelona, TMB’s hydrogen bus facilities, Eurecat, ICIQ and Repsol’s industrial complex in Tarragona. These visits provided an opportunity to observe first-hand the advances being made in renewable hydrogen production, mobility solutions and industrial applications.

The reverse mission reinforced the Four Motors for Europe’s commitment to deepening interregional cooperation and promoting concrete, shared progress in the green transition.

 

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