site.btaInnovation Ministry, European Commission Sign Memorandum of Cooperation on Green Hydrogen

Innovation Ministry's European Funds for Competitiveness Directorate General and European Commission's Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking signed a Memorandum of cooperation, the Ministry said on Tuesday. The official ceremony took place in Brussels on the sidelines of the Hydrogen Valleys' Days forum.

The Memorandum aims to establish a partnership mechanism between various European programmes aimed at supporting new technologies, including hydrogen technologies. The cooperation will significantly increase the participation of Bulgarian companies and scientific organizations in the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking's calls for funding for research and demonstration projects.

"Partnerships for the development of the hydrogen economy and supporting the transition to a green economy are extremely important for stimulating innovation, maintaining competitiveness in the future, increasing economic growth and creating new jobs," Deputy Innovation Minister Veselina Mincheva said at the signing ceremony.

The invitation to sign the Memorandum was the result of the European Commission's approval of the application of the Innovation Ministry's European Funds for Competitiveness Directorate General, as the Managing Authority of the Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Smart Transformation Operational Programme 2021-2027 (RIDST OP), under the Technical Assistance to Generate Synergies with Member States and Regions project (TA4Synergies) of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking. One of the priorities set out in the RIDST OP is the promotion of the green transition through the real implementation of sustainable policies, including the development of clean technologies, circular and low carbon economy.

With the support of Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking and RIDST OP, the first hydrogen valley in Bulgaria - the ZAHYR project - will be implemented in the Stara Zagora region. Its aim is to start building a sustainable hydrogen economy not only in the region, but across the country. A model for hydrogen production, storage, transmission and use will be developed with a view to optimizing investments as a key parameter for their financial viability, the Ministry said.