From 9 to 11 April, over 150 young researchers will take part in the event organised by the University of Trieste and Hydrogen Europe.
Trieste, 5 April 2025 – From 9 to 11 April in Trieste, the future of European hydrogen research will be discussed part of the 2025 edition of EPHyC, the European PhD Hydrogen Conference that will be hosted at the Generali Convention Centre and Magazzino 26 in Porto Vecchio.
The event, organised by the University of Trieste in cooperation with Hydrogen Europe Research – Europe’s leading hydrogen research organisation, which brings together more than 150 international universities and research centres – will welcome PhD students from across the European Union engaged in innovative projects related to clean fuel.
More than 150 young researchers from 85 academic institutions and research centres from 21 European countries will meet in Trieste for three days of scientific debate. The initiative is part of the development of the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley (NAHV), a strategic project promoted by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Slovenia and Croatia to accelerate the energy transition.
EPHyC 2025 is distinguished by its innovative format: PhD students themselves will organise and coordinate the scientific sessions, presenting their studies with the aim of receiving feedback, stimulating interdisciplinary collaborations and triggering new lines of research.
Conference topics will cover the main challenges in the field, from hydrogen production and storage to economic and regulatory aspects. Representatives of energy companies are also expected to attend, interested in both the conference content and the profiles of the participating young researchers.
The opening of EPHyC 2025 will be held on Wednesday 9 April, at 9 a.m., in the Sala Luttazzi of Magazzino 26, with institutional greetings, the presentation of the partners involved, and keynote lectures by international experts such as Mirela Atanasiu, former Executive Director of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, the partnership involving the European Commission. At 10.30 a.m., at the Sea Museum’s Curators’ Room, there will be a presentation of the projects financed in the framework of the regional notice dedicated to the support, creation, and modernisation of research infrastructures in the renewable hydrogen sector, for which the regional administration has earmarked an allocation of EUR 11 million.
In this framework, the University of Trieste reaffirms its commitment to clean fuel research, an area in which it has been active for over twenty years with international working groups and European projects dedicated to the development of hydrogen technologies. Research activities, both basic and applied, take place in a multidisciplinary context, involving engineers, chemists, physicists, geologists and lawyers, in collaboration with public and private partners. With this in mind, UniTS was one of the first Italian universities to join the Hydrogen Europe Research network.
The commitment of the University of Trieste also extends to education in the field of energy transition: since last year, the Master’s degree course Engineering for the Energy Transition has been active, entirely in English, aimed at training professionals capable of managing the transition to clean and renewable energy in the civil and industrial sectors.
“The organisation of EPHyC 2025,” says Professor Rodolfo Taccani, the Rector’s delegate for technology transfer and business relations, “confirms the role of Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia and the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley as an international hub for research and innovation in the sustainable energy sector, thanks also to the contribution of the University of Trieste. The conference is not only an opportunity to learn more about research and technology, but also has a strong symbolic value, bringing together some of Europe’s best young scientists engaged in research on energy transition and hydrogen. The University of Trieste, through EPHyC, contributes to outlining a common vision for the future of the European Union in the energy sector in which basic and applied research play a fundamental role”.
“EPHyC 2025 perfectly embodies the mission of Hydrogen Europe Research: to support and connect the European scientific community to accelerate innovation in the hydrogen sector. This event gives young researchers the opportunity to present their work, create synergies and lay the foundations for the next generation of scientists and innovators. We are proud to support this initiative, which strengthens the link between academic research and industry, helping to build an increasingly robust and integrated European ecosystem,’ said Luigi Crema, President of Hydrogen Europe Research.
The event is also realised with the contribution of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and under the patronage of the Italian Thermotechnical Association – Friuli Venezia Giulia Section, the Maritime Technology Cluster FVG and Confindustria Friuli Venezia Giulia.
For more information visit the official website: ephycconference.com
Original press release (Italian): Università di Trieste