Hydrogen is often described as a technology of the future. For a region like Stara Zagora, however, question is practical: what needs to happen now for that future to come closer — and to become a real economic, industrial and energy opportunity?
This question was at the heart of the interactive seminar “Hydrogen in Stara Zagora: Your Questions – Clear Answers”, held on 26 March 2026 at the BTA Press Centre in Stara Zagora. The event brought together representatives of business, the public sector, academia and institutions to discuss not whether hydrogen has a future in general, but what stands in the way of its deployment in the region — and what solutions could help overcome these barriers.
The seminar was organised by the H2START Centre of Excellence in Hydrogen Technologies – Trakia University, Stara Zagora, based on a methodology developed by CNR-ITAE – Institute for Advanced Energy Technologies, Messina, in partnership with the Bulgarian Hydrogen, Fuel Cell and Energy Storage Association, and as part of the Connecting Hydrogen conference.
What participants said: there is interest, but knowledge, connections and trust need to grow
The questionnaires completed during the seminar showed a positive attitude towards hydrogen, but also a clear need for more practical knowledge. Most participants assessed their own level of knowledge as basic or intermediate, while the available information was seen as insufficient or only partially adequate.
At the same time, interest in training and capacity-building initiatives was high. This is an important signal for the region: hydrogen is no longer a distant or abstract topic, but the next step must be more practical — more expertise, more demonstrations and stronger links between the actors in the local ecosystem.
The results also showed that connections between different stakeholders remain limited. This makes formats like the seminar valuable not only as events, but as a way to gradually build trust and a shared direction between science, business and institutions.
Recommendations for institutions and policy
The results of the seminar highlighted four priority areas:
- Targeted and stable medium- and long-term support is needed for hydrogen installations and infrastructure, giving local actors greater predictability.
- Hydrogen needs to become more visible through concrete applications in sectors such as transport, agriculture and energy, where its benefits can be more easily understood by business and society.
- Procedures for small pilot projects should be simplified and accelerated, enabling a gradual path from demonstrations to larger-scale solutions.
- Systematic information, training and communication activities are needed to explain not only the potential of hydrogen, but also its limitations and the conditions for safe deployment.
The role of H2START: a scientific mediator and driver of the local ecosystem
One of the key conclusions from the seminar is that research institutions should play an active role not only in developing technologies, but also in turning knowledge into applicable solutions.
For H2START, this means acting as a technical and scientific mediator — providing reliable information, supporting public debate, connecting industry with scientific expertise, developing demonstration activities and helping adapt technologies to local industrial and regional conditions.