H2SK FORUM International Hydrogen Conference: How to develop a hydrogen ecosystem in Slovakia
On Tuesday, October 2021, 2025, the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic (MoE SR), in cooperation with Slovak National Hydrogen Association (SNHA), organized the first international conference on the hydrogen ecosystem in Slovakia – H2SK Forum. The aim of the event was to present forecasts for the development of the hydrogen sector, discuss national and European policies, and strengthen cooperation between government, industry, research, and foreign partners.
The opening speeches were given by State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, Szabolcs Hodosy, by CEO of Hydrogen Europe, Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, and by the Executive Director of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, Valerie Bouillon-Delporte, who presented the upcoming challenges for 2026. Szabolcs Hodosy gave special recognition to young and successful developers of hydrogen-powered RC racing car models, thanked them for successfully representing Slovakia at H2 Grand Prix 2025 world finals in Chemnitz, and highlighted the inspiring approach of the project organizers to supporting the younger generation.
The first block of the conference was focused on the use of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) in industry, where representatives of Slovnaft and Duslo discussed the decarbonization of industrial hydrogen consumers.
The second block, with the participation of the Chairman of SNHA, Ján Weiterschütz, was devoted to an analysis of the document Development of the Hydrogen Ecosystem in Slovakia, including medium- and long-term production scenarios until 2050, which is part of the 7th payment of the Slovakia’s Recovery and Resilience Plan and sets realistic goals and scenarios for the development of the hydrogen sector in accordance with RED III. This was followed by a moderated “quadruple helix” discussion with representatives of the MoE SR, SAPI, industry and academia, as well as a presentation by EY on financing opportunities for hydrogen projects for the period 2025-2035.
The afternoon part of the conference was devoted to comparing the development plans of the V4 countries and Austria. Representatives of their national hydrogen associations discussed the goals, timelines, and forms of financial support in each country. The panel was followed by a lecture on green ammonia as a realistic path to decarbonization. Practical examples were also presented, including Gabčíkovo project, the EastgateH2V Hydrogen Valley, and the ElevateCEE initiative. The conference concluded with a panel discussion entitled “The Hydrogen Ecosystem after 2030: Acceleration or stagnation?” with the participation of representatives from ministries, national associations, and experts from Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The conference was attended by more than 150 representatives from state, public, research and business sectors from Slovakia and abroad. The event strengthened the dialogue on the future of the hydrogen economy in Central Europe and confirmed the interest in the coordinated development of the hydrogen ecosystem in the region.
The Press Department of MoE SR