Croatia – City of Zagreb & North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency (REGEA)
Zagreb Hydrogen Competence Kick-off

Overview

In February 2025, the City of Zagreb, supported by the North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency (REGEA), launched the country’s first Hydrogen Competence Centre initiative through the Zagreb Hydrogen Competence Kick-off at ZgForum. Organised within the Interreg Central Europe project H₂CE – Empowering H₂-Ready Regions, the event marked the beginning of a coordinated national effort to build hydrogen knowledge and infrastructure in Croatia.

 

The hybrid workshop gathered more than 45 participants, including representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia, public authorities, academia, industry, and transport operators. It provided a forum to discuss Zagreb’s hydrogen potential and outline the roadmap for creating a Hydrogen and Sustainable Energy Competence Centre.
This early engagement laid the foundation for the Zagreb Energy Centre (ZEC), officially opened in May 2025, which now serves as Croatia’s first Hydrogen One Stop Shop and a key driver of capacity building for the green transition.

 

Implementation and key activities

The City of Zagreb and REGEA implemented a structured process combining analysis, stakeholder collaboration, and institutional setup:

• Stakeholder identification and engagement:
  The initiative engaged ZET (public transport), the University of Zagreb, SMEs, the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency, and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MoESD).
  Their joint participation ensured both technical and policy coherence, positioning hydrogen as a core enabler of decarbonisation in public transport, mobility, and energy systems.

• Regional framework and mobility analysis:
  REGEA led an in-depth baseline study of urban hydrogen demand—assessing fleet duty cycles, refuelling needs, renewable energy potential, and regulatory readiness.
  The analysis aligned Zagreb’s energy planning with the Croatian Hydrogen Strategy 2021–2050 and the forthcoming Hydrogen Development and Implementation Plan Study commissioned by the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency.

• Kick-off workshop (ZgForum, February 2025):
  The professional event presented analytical results, introduced the concept of the hydrogen competence centre, and featured experts from Croatia, Austria, and Italy.
  The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development contributed insights on policy implementation and regulatory frameworks, reinforcing the connection between national strategy and local action.
  Demonstrations from the JIVE hydrogen bus roadshow showcased hydrogen in urban mobility, while breakout sessions addressed fleet conversion, infrastructure planning, and investment opportunities.

• Establishment of the Zagreb Energy Centre (ZEC):
  Building on the workshop outcomes, the City of Zagreb established the Zagreb Energy Centre, opened in May 2025 at Maksimirska 51. Designed as a Hydrogen and Sustainable Energy One Stop Shop, ZEC includes flexible training and exhibition spaces and an accessible consulting office.A dedicated staff member is present on-site at all times, supported by a representative from the City Office for Economy, Environmental Sustainability, and Strategic Planning.
  All staff were trained under the H₂CE project, ensuring professional advisory capacity on hydrogen, sustainability, and energy-transition topics.  

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Results and policy impact

The Zagreb Hydrogen Competence Kick-off and subsequent opening of ZEC established a permanent, knowledge-based infrastructure for hydrogen development in Croatia. ZEC now operates both on-site and online (zec.zagreb.hr) and serves as a central hub for hydrogen information and education.

Visitors have access to an extensive library including the Croatian Hydrogen Strategy (2021–2050), the Hydrogen Development and Implementation Plan Study, expert reports, brochures, and training materials from European partners such as HyCentA and the Styrian Energy Agency.
Through its Hydrogen Corner, the Centre provides expert advice and connects local actors with EU hydrogen networks, contributing directly to the implementation of Croatia’s decarbonisation goals under the EU Green Deal ad Fit for 55 packages.

 

Transferability and lessons learned

Based on this experience, the City of Zagreb and REGEA developed a practical “Guide for Setting Up a Regional Competence Centre for Hydrogen and Energy” (October 2025), designed to serve as a reference tool for other regions wishing to establish similar centres. The guide translates Zagreb’s tested approach into a replicable European model, offering step-by-step instructions on stakeholder engagement, governance structures, financing mechanisms, and digital integration. It builds directly on the lessons learned through the H₂CE project, demonstrating how coordinated action between municipalities, regional energy agencies, and academic institutions can create a sustainable foundation for hydrogen competence development.

 

Key lessons from Zagreb include:

• Link policy, analysis, and demonstration from the earliest stage to ensure credibility and alignment.

• Maintain a permanent physical presence supported by an online platform to reach diverse audiences.

• Ensure trained staff and academic backing, securing long-term expertise within public institutions.

• Establish a fully operational physical and online centre – the Zagreb Energy Centre (ZEC) – providing open access to hydrogen knowledge, training, and advisory services for citizens, businesses, and public institutions.

• Foster cross-border partnerships to exchange knowledge and accelerate innovation.

• Align with national and EU hydrogen strategies to reinforce policy coherence and funding eligibility.

• Key success factors

• Institutional backing from the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia, providing policy alignment and national visibility.

• Leadership by the City of Zagreb, embedding hydrogen in local climate-neutrality goals.

• Analytical and communication expertise from the North‑West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency (REGEA), ensuring stakeholder trust.

• Cross-border collaboration with Austria’s Green Tech Valley Cluster and HyCentA Research GmbH, enabling knowledge transfer and excellence.

• Support from the academic sector — notably through Associate Professor Ankica Kovač (FSB, University of Zagreb), a leading figure in hydrogen and fuel-cell research in Croatia, University of Zagreb Faculty of Science

• Trained, approachable staff and accessible centre design, ensuring the Zagreb Energy Centre (ZEC) functions as both an information hub and community space.

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For more information, visit:
🔗 https://zec.zagreb.hr / Konzorcijski sastanak projekta H2CE – Jačanje regija spremnih za vodik u Srednjoj Europi – ZEC