On June 1, 2025, the H2READY project was launched to prepare Italian and Slovenian municipalities for the transition to green hydrogen. In the first six months, eight pilot municipalities will be involved, selected to represent different types of urban, tourist and rural contexts. In each municipality, energy needs and local opportunities will be analyzed, with a focus on strategic sectors such as public transport, energy supply for public buildings and the development of refueling infrastructure.
At the same time, the partnership will identify the main barriers that currently slow down the introduction of hydrogen technologies: different rules and procedures between Italy and Slovenia, technological barriers, financial difficulties or administrative challenges. The analysis will lead to concrete recommendations and practical guidelines designed to support municipalities and facilitate effective energy planning.
These first activities will lay the foundation for the following steps, including the training of local experts and the drafting of actual action plans for the hydrogen transition. This will enable municipalities to face the upcoming energy challenges with greater awareness and adequate tools.
The project is part of a broader European context of accelerating renewable energy and, in particular, green hydrogen. A clear sign of this comes from Friuli Venezia Giulia, where on September 18, 2025, the construction of the Green Hydrogen Hub in Trieste was officially launched – a center destined to become a reference infrastructure for the production and use of renewable hydrogen in the Northern Adriatic area. H2READY contributes to this same trajectory, strengthening cross-border cooperation and preparing local communities to fully seize the opportunities of the energy transition.
