NASCHA Consortium meets in Cres

Cres Smart Community of Practice

The Cres pilot introduces a containerised hydrogen storage system that integrates solar energy, hydrogen production and fuel cells. The system is designed to provide a stable, year-round energy supply and to serve as an energy hub for local transportation and emergency needs.

This approach supports the ambition to position Cres as a role model for energy-resilient islands. The system is planned as a fully replicable model for other EU islands facing similar challenges related to energy independence, seasonal demand, renewable energy storage and transport emissions.

The Cres Smart Community of Practice also contributes to NASCHA’s wider environmental ambition. By supporting cleaner local mobility and reducing dependence on fossil-based transport solutions around sensitive island ecosystems, the pilot aims to reduce transport emissions by at least 250 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year by three years after the end of the project. The baseline will be set at the beginning of the project.

NASCHA – Accelerating Hydrogen Innovation in Smart Communities

NASCHA, the North Adriatic Smart Communities Hydrogen Accelerator, accelerates transnational innovation in the North Adriatic Hydrogen Ecosystem by validating and demonstrating renewable hydrogen technologies in Croatia, Slovenia and Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy.

The project builds on the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley (NAHV) and North Adriatic Clean Hydrogen Investment Platform (NACHIP) initiatives and focuses on three target value chains: transportation and mobility, urban areas and sustainable irrigation. Through three Smart Communities of Practice, two cross-cutting pilots on hydrogen storage and retail distribution, and one feasibility study, NASCHA supports the maturation, scaling and wider uptake of hydrogen-based solutions.

In addition, NASCHA will support at least 20 SMEs through cascade funding and capacity-building activities, helping them become part of emerging hydrogen value chains and strengthening their investment readiness.

The NASCHA consortium involves 20 private and public organisations from Slovenia, Croatia and Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, led by Area Science Park. The partners are Area Science Park, CTS H2, Cres, OTRA, ECUBES, Inkubator Sežana, IJS, MOC, Energetika Celje, Incom, ETRA, Ajdovščina, PRA Porin, STEMwise, SIST, Patria, IBAN, UNIZG – FER, META Group and META Circularity.

Funding and Strategic Framework

NASCHA is co-financed by the European Union through the Interregional Innovation Investments I3 Instrument, implemented by EISMEA – European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency. It was granted under the Call Interregional Innovation Investments Strand 2a (I3-2024-INV2a).

The project has a duration of three years and contributes to the development of a sustainable and competitive hydrogen economy in Europe’s cross-border territories. Its results are designed to remain available to public authorities, SMEs, innovation actors and other European regions seeking replicable models for hydrogen-based energy resilience, clean mobility, agriculture and smart community development.