NASCHA
The North Adriatic Smart Communities Hydrogen Accelerator (NASCHA) is a pioneering initiative aimed at accelerating the development and integration of renewable hydrogen (H₂) technologies within European value chains, with a particular focus on the North Adriatic Hydrogen Ecosystem.
Leveraging the Regional Innovation Valley status of the well-developed Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region in Italy as a leader in innovation, NASCHA fosters a collaborative ecosystem that supports economic transformation and innovation in neighbouring regions of Croatia and Slovenia. The project is designed to strengthen the capacity of two Slovenian and two Croatian regions—each recognized as Regional Innovation Valleys—to harness the potential of hydrogen technologies.
These regions benefit directly from structured guidance and capacity-building activities led by FVG, improving their readiness to adopt H₂ technologies and integrate into the European Union’s Green Transition strategy. NASCHA builds upon the successful framework of the existing smart specialization partnerships in the green hydrogen sector and further strengthens regional collaboration between Croatia, Slovenia, and FVG to establish a robust hydrogen ecosystem in the North Adriatic macro-region.
The initiative draws on the achievements of the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley (NAHV) , which aligned cross-regional innovation efforts in hydrogen technologies and was funded under Horizon Europe in 2023. In 2024, the NACHIP project received funding from I3 to further advance hydrogen technologies and establish a Zero-Emission Mobility Corridor across the North Adriatic macro-region.
NASCHA capitalizes on the progress made by these initiatives by strengthening transnational collaboration, fostering innovation, and integrating the hydrogen ecosystems across Croatia, Slovenia, and FVG. Together, these efforts position the North Adriatic as a leading innovation hub in the field of hydrogen, driving the region forward as a key player in the European hydrogen economy.
ECUBES is part of NASCHA as a consortium partner, actively involved in three testbeds, bringing forward practical demonstrations of hydrogen technologies and strengthening the regional hydrogen value chain.
