On 15–16 January 2026, BGH2A – the Bulgarian Hydrogen Association for Fuel Cells and Energy Storage took part in the Kick-off meeting in Birmingham (United Kingdom) of the European project PermittHy. During the event, BGH2A met with the project partners and contributed to working discussions across the different work packages. The Birmingham Kick-off also brought together partners from Italy, Germany, Poland, and Portugal, highlighting the project’s strong international scope and expertise.
The project is coordinated by experts from the University of Birmingham, led by Principal Investigator Prof. Robert Steinberger-Wilckens and Co-Investigator Yousif Al-sagheer.
During the working sessions, the consortium agreed on the initial timelines and priorities for the first months of the project, ensuring a coordinated start and timely delivery of the tasks planned for 2026. The meeting laid the groundwork for effective collaboration and for practical next steps aimed at improving the way hydrogen projects are evaluated, licensed, and permitted.
PermittHy addresses a key challenge facing the accelerated deployment of hydrogen solutions across Europe: the need for clearer regulatory approaches and stronger local expertise in permitting, including licensing procedures and hydrogen safety assessment. In this context, BGH2A’s participation is important because it ensures that Bulgaria is represented by an active partner in the initiative and that project outcomes can reach Bulgarian organisations, municipalities, and public institutions, as well as international stakeholders.
Among the main planned results of PermittHy are the development of educational materials in 18 official EU languages and the delivery of trainings across 25 EU Member States. This is significant because it supports broader access to practical guidance and knowledge, helping authorities and stakeholders apply more consistent, efficient, and safe permitting practices for hydrogen projects across Europe.
BGH2A will continue to share updates on the project’s progress and the opportunities it provides for strengthening permitting capacity and supporting the safe, timely implementation of hydrogen initiatives.
PermittHy (Training Permitting Staff in Hydrogen Technologies) is a project under HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025 (No. 101251722) with a duration of 30 months, addressing a key challenge for the deployment of hydrogen projects in the EU: the lack of sufficient expertise and a shared understanding in the processes of assessment, licensing, and permitting for hydrogen installations.
