Dear Readers,

Hydrogen has been a topic of discussion in Europe and the Czech Republic for many years. While just a few years ago the debate was dominated primarily by visions, discussions about the future of energy and strategic documents, today we are increasingly entering a period focused on preparing specific projects, investments and practical solutions. The ability to turn good ideas and ambitious strategies into real investments will determine, in the years ahead, which regions succeed in the ongoing economic transformation and which remain merely observers.

The Moravian-Silesian Region has a unique starting position in this respect. It has a strong industrial tradition, a high-quality research base and innovative companies. At the same time, however, it is a region that must actively seek new drivers for its future development and competitiveness. This is precisely where hydrogen technologies have a natural role to play.

Since its establishment, the Moravian-Silesian Hydrogen Cluster has sought to ensure that hydrogen is perceived not merely as a technological vision, but as a genuine opportunity for the region’s development. Our role is to bring together public authorities, industrial companies, the transport sector, research and educational institutions, and to create the conditions for projects that will deliver real economic benefits. This is why we are increasingly focusing on project development, the preparation of investment plans and support for specific initiatives that can contribute to the development of the hydrogen ecosystem.

Cross-border cooperation with Poland has become an exceptionally important area for us. Our region and those of our northern neighbours face very similar challenges associated with the transformation of industry and the energy sector. We therefore believe that the future of the hydrogen economy cannot be built in isolation within the administrative borders of individual countries, but rather through intensive cooperation and the joint development of projects. I am convinced that cross-border cooperation with Poland will be one of the key factors in the success of the entire region in the years ahead.

Equally important, however, is systematic work to create the right conditions for research, development and innovation. The Cluster has long advocated the need for specialised support instruments that would enable the development of hydrogen technologies. I am therefore very pleased that we have succeeded in securing the launch of such a call under the Just Transition Operational Programme (OP ST). This represents an important milestone not only for hydrogen, but also for the region’s future competitiveness. It is thanks to these efforts that the CEETe H2 project is now being developed, creating a unique facility for testing and demonstrating hydrogen technologies.

In two years’ time, the first hydrogen buses will be operating in our region – specifically, four buses operated by the Moravian-Silesian Region and two by the Ostrava Public Transport Company. This is a significant step towards the practical use of hydrogen in transport and, at the same time, proof that the region is capable of turning strategic thinking into concrete, implemented projects.

Another important milestone is our increasingly strong international position. We have become a partner in the AMPHORA project, our first Horizon Europe project, opening up new opportunities for cooperation with leading European players. At the same time, we have successfully secured support through the Project Development Assistance programme, implemented by the European Commission. This support is available only to selected European hydrogen valleys and provides access to top-level expertise for the further development of projects. The Moravian- Silesian Region has thus become the first region in the history of the Czech Republic to receive this form of European support.

Our ambitions do not end there, however. We are currently preparing further projects aimed at strengthening the region’s position among Europe’s leading centres for hydrogen technologies. One of these is a plan to establish a regional hydrogen hub that would bring together industry, the public sector and investors within a single, functioning system.

Although expert debate about the future shape of the hydrogen economy is still ongoing, one thing is already clear. Success will not depend on technology alone. What will be decisive is the ability to collaborate, share experience, develop high-quality projects and find solutions that are economically viable and sustainable in the long term. This is where I see the main mission of our Cluster and the key challenge for the years ahead.

I believe that the stories, projects and experiences presented on the following pages will demonstrate that our region has all the prerequisites to become one of the leaders in hydrogen development in Central Europe.