The hydrogen economy is a rapidly developing part of the green transition, and its importance is growing quickly both in Finland and internationally. At the same time, there is an increasing need for expertise that covers the entire hydrogen value chain from production to distribution and utilization. This need is addressed by the H2Excellence project, in which Merinova is a partner. The Finnish partners also include the project coordinator Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (VAMK) and Vamia.

H2Excellence is a large-scale international Erasmus+ funded project with a total budget of around 5 million euros, running from 2023 to 2027. The project brings together over 20 European partners and one Canadian partner from various educational and industrial sectors.

Building Competence for the Green Hydrogen Value Chain

The main goal of the project is to ensure the availability of skilled professionals throughout the hydrogen economy’s value chain. To achieve this, the project is building a European network of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) in the field of green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The network brings together educational institutions, research organizations, companies, and public actors to develop training programs, learning materials, and professional development solutions that meet the sector’s evolving needs.

The hydrogen economy is developing rapidly, but without skilled professionals it cannot reach its full potential. H2Excellence ensures that in the future, we will have enough experts for every stage of the value chain, says Kari Valkama, the project manager at Merinova.

One of the project’s key elements is highlighting the crucial role of vocational education and training in advancing the hydrogen economy. The industry of the future needs not only researchers and designers but also a large number of practical professionals who install, monitor, and maintain new technologies, making the implementation possible. The green transition does not happen on its own; it is enabled by educated and skilled people.

International Collaboration and a New Network of Expertise

The scope of the project is extensive. Among its key activities, H2Excellence has mapped the competence needs of the industry and is developing corresponding educational solutions. The project has also established an Industrial Advisory Group, which brings together hydrogen sector experts from various countries and supports the project’s direction and development work.

In addition, H2Excellence is developing a mobility program that enables students, industry professionals, and teachers to travel between European CoVE partner countries to learn from each other and build professional networks. Through these exchanges and joint training events, the project strengthens a European community of expertise that supports the green transition and sustainable industrial growth.

Merinova’s Role and Regional Impact

In addition to supporting national objectives, Merinova brings a regional development perspective to the project. EnergyVaasa is the largest energy technology cluster in the Nordic countries and plays an important role in Finland’s emerging hydrogen economy. H2Excellence supports this development by strengthening local expertise and collaboration between education and industry. Through the project, the Vaasa region can ensure that its competence base meets the growing needs of the hydrogen economy.

Merinova acts as a link between regional companies, educational institutions, and international partners. Through this collaboration, a strong foundation is built for sustainable growth and innovation that supports both regional competitiveness and Europe’s green transition.

Towards a Sustainable Future

The long-term goal of the H2Excellence project is to create a permanent European network that continues to support hydrogen-related education and competence development even after the project ends.

The aim is to ensure that expertise in the hydrogen sector does not become a bottleneck in the future, but that education can respond quickly to technological changes and market needs. The hydrogen economy requires long-term development, and in that process, the role of education at all levels, starting from vocational training, is absolutely essential, says Project Manager Kari Valkama.

According to Valkama, the project’s outlook is promising:

The project has progressed as planned and on schedule, and cooperation with international partners has been excellent. It is rewarding to be part of building something that contributes to Europe’s green transition and the growth of European energy self-sufficiency.

The project represents a concrete step toward a fossil-free future, where education and industry move forward hand in hand. The hydrogen economy needs its enablers, and H2Excellence ensures there will be enough of them.

Read more about the project here: H2Excellence: Green Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Training