H2 MO.RE interdepartmental research centre from the participative research to the upskilling
About this good practice
The Center constantly interacts with companies that need consultancy, services and collaborations for the development of new products, processes and for improving existing ones, in the sector of Green Hydrogen. In particular H2MORE plays a strategic role in in designing and implementing training courses for company staffs and schools of all levels. The Centre is part of important european projects: FCHGo project (https://fchgo.eu/) and HyAcademy.eu (https://www.hyacademy.eu/).
The Center policy owners plan specific measures every 3 years for financing research projects to be implemented together with green h2 businesses and academia.
The Center ensures a research facility to be available for common activities of academia, industry and regional SMEs. The Center activities is split in 11 topics, developed by GRITT (Industrial Research and Technology Transfer Groups). The implementation of the research activities is coordinated by a dedicated team, involving 5 University Departments, and carefully managed by the Management System Protocol. H2MoRE achieved the accreditation to the High Technology Network of the Emilia Romagna Region.
H2MoRE activities are addressed to and co-developed by all parts involved in the H2-driven study and projects such as academia, industry, and regional SMEs. The training courses are multi-stakeholders based, to foster knowledge about fuel cell and hydrogen technology in schools and beyond (up to company staff).
Resources needed
The 2023 to 2025 strategic plan of the Center provides a yearly budget of 1.3 M€, including incomes from research with competitive funding from the Region, income from research with competitive funding from the EU and Income from research with competitive financing from private sectors.
Evidence of success
The success of the good practice is embodied in the active strategic partnership of 2 key partners to support the regional H2 ecosystem development (Agreements signed). Cumulatively, since the Center activation, 10 business organizations were directly involved with H2MORE projects. More than 100 researchers from different areas, from different departments are involved daily acquiring new skills about fuel cell and hydrogen technology. It is an active part of Hydrogen europe partnership and H2IT
Potential for learning or transfer
H2MO.RE. crosscutting approach can be easily transferred to other Regional ecosystem for hydrogen deployment, or other innovative energy solutions.
The Center can contribute to the development of the hydrogen economy through collaboration among research, industry, and academia.
Different departments have indeed coordinated with each other in order to pursue an achievable target in a collaborative perspective, thereby offering a 360° service to the industrial sector, present in the territory.
From the technical point of view, the Center H2MORE is an example for the academic world to create:
- competence and knowledge gathering,
- cross-sectoral research activities/studies,
- research and industry synergy.
H2MORE is focused on one thematic and strategic sector, such as Green Hydrogen in Emilia Romagna, but the same approach can be adopted by other multi-research departments, both private and public, which want to contribute to regional Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3).