Capacity building, research and technological innovation

The Low-emission Hydrogen Research and Training Centres (CPCs) are multidisciplinary hubs at universities, focused on science, innovation and professional training in order to address the challenges of manpower gaps in the low-emission hydrogen supply chain.

The CPCs expand holistic knowledge about the hydrogen ‘ecosystem’ in the region and develop new technologies. The training courses are inclusive and enable professionals to work and do business in the hydrogen economy. The CPCs also aim to generate:

• An inclusive economy: creating impact in the fight against climate change and producing real social change in the benefiting communities. The central aim of CPCs is to open up opportunities for marginalized groups and people with disabilities.

• Scientific knowledge: to produce knowledge about the region's journey towards decarbonization. CPCs contribute to global scientific research on hydrogen, considering production technology, transport and infrastructure, market incentives and cross-cutting issues (legal, socio-economic and environmental).

• Multidisciplinarity: addressing open questions about technical and technological development and the market, to guide work from broad and integral perspectives, involving the disciplines of engineering, chemistry, physics, digitalization, economics and the environment.

• Solutions: to develop ways to overcome challenges of inclusion and governance in the energy sector and production chain. There is generous provision for discussion of feasibility issues for the hydrogen economy and technological debates at the CPCs.

• Regional development: to bring about debate on low-emission hydrogen as a vector for regional development with immense potential for social inclusion. CPCs attract governments, industry, the scientific community and civil society to a multisectoral debate.

• Technology hubs: to create scientific reference centres, seeking solutions to urgent and challenging issues in the field of decarbonization and global warming. The CPCs have direct links with the international scientific community.

• Multisectoral engagement: to define ideal locations for the installation of production plants for future business and development projects; to initiate multidisciplinary collective action in order to overcome the technological, economic and labour challenges holding back the market.