NASCHA
By aligning with European strategies for decarbonisation and smart specialisation, NASCHA will:
- Strengthen the transnational hydrogen value chain.
- Support the standardisation and transfer of green hydrogen technologies across regions.
- Lay the groundwork for a sustainable, competitive hydrogen economy in Europe’s cross-border territories.
Map of the pilot locations.
The pilots
NASCHA pilots solutions for H2 value chain, advancing bankability and investor readiness through 3 Smart Communities of Practice, 2 cross-cutting pilots on hydrogen storage and retail distribution and 1 feasibility study.
Main goals and a wider impact
NASCHA aims to accelerate transnational innovation in the North Adriatic Hydrogen Ecosystem by validating and demonstrating renewable hydrogen (H2) technologies in 3 territories: Croatia, Slovenia, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy).
It pilots solutions for H2 value chain, advancing bankability and investor readiness through:
- 3 Smart Communities of Practice, demonstrating hydrogen applications via local actor networks;
- 2 cross-cutting pilots on hydrogen storage and retail distribution, scalable across the communities;
- 1 feasibility study.
NASCHA builds on the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley (NAHV) and NACHIP initiatives, targeting 3 value chains: transportation & mobility, urban areas and sustainable irrigation.
Consortium and collaboration
The consortium involves 20 private and public organisations spanning Slovenia, Croatia, and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region (FVG), Italy, led by Area Science Park.
Other partners of the consortium are:
STEMwise, CTS H2, Cres, OTRA, ECUBES, Inkubator Sežana, IJS, MOC, Energetika Celje, Incom, ETRA, Ajdovščina, PRA Porin, SIST, Patria, IBAN, UNIZG – FER, META Group, META Circularity
NASCHA includes and involves actors of the quadruple helix innovation actors from the involved territories with a different level of development and innovation performance, with shared or complementary smart specialisation areas.
Co-financing and time frame
NACHIP is co-financed by the European Union through the I3 Instrument implemented by EISMEA – the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency. It was granted under the Call Interregional Innovation Investments Strand 2a (I3-2024-INV2a).
The three-year initiative will use its grant award to co-finance projects across the North Adriatic region.
The total co-financing provided by NASCHA amounts to (an estimated amount of) EUR 7.9 million, out of which 63% is destined to finance the implementation of 5 pilot projects.
Altogether, 74% of the total co-financing requested will be destined directly to the maturation of the technologies, including the gap fulfilment process supported by Cascade Financing.
Almost 80% of co-financing is destined for SMEs, the predominant part of the Cascade Funding will be channelled to SMEs in the less developed regions of the target territories, including Eastern Slovenia, Mediterranean Croatia and Central Croatia, which will receive 57.7% of the total financing requested.
Contact
Lead partner, coordinator:
Area Science Park, AREA
Alberto Soraci
NASCHA Coordinator
alberto.soraci@areasciencepark.it
Communication and dissemination manager:
META Circularity, METAC
Jurij Giacomelli
NASCHA Communication & Dissemination
jurij.giacomelli@meta-circularity.eu