The 10th Central and Eastern Europe Hydrogen Summit, held on 25–26 February 2026 in Prague, brought together policymakers, industry representatives, infrastructure developers and researchers to discuss how accelerate the deployment of hydrogen technologies and projects.
H2START joined the discussion on how Central and Eastern Europe is building a functioning hydrogen ecosystem. During the summit, Prof. Daria Vladikova, H2START Executive Director, presented Bulgaria’s role in the South-Eastern Hydrogen Corridor and how the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Hydrogen Technologies in Stara Zagora and support its development.
The H2START Centre of Excellence can play a key role in the planned Stara Zagora hydrogen hub, helping the region focus on innovation, economy growth, and brain gain. By strengthening research capacity and connecting academia with industry and infrastructure initiatives, the project supports the foundations of a broader hydrogen ecosystem in the region.
The key takeaways from the summit emphasized the pertinence of initiatives like H2START:
- Implementation is now the priority: many CEE countries already have hydrogen strategies and roadmaps in place; the focus is shifting to concrete projects and infrastructure.
- Regional cooperation is decisive: cross-border collaboration between governments, industry and research organizations will shape how quickly hydrogen markets develop in the region.
- Infrastructure must become value chains: the European hydrogen backbone is an important starting point, but successful deployment will depend on connecting production, transport and end-use applications.
- Investment and regulation remain key challenges: bankable projects, clearer regulatory frameworks and coordinated policies will be necessary to unlock large-scale hydrogen deployment.
The role of Central and Eastern Europe is growing. The region is increasingly seen as both a future hydrogen producer and an important transit corridor within the European hydrogen system.
Through initiatives such as H2START, Bulgaria is positioning itself as an active contributor to the emerging hydrogen landscape in South-East Europe.
The conversation will continue later this year at the CEE Connect event in Sofia in December 2026, where stakeholders from across the region will make the next step in building opportunities for cooperation in hydrogen technologies and infrastructure.