Slovenia

With the world facing the twin pressures of a warming climate and an ever-increasing amount of waste it is becoming increasingly clear that we need to rethink the way we generate energy and use materials. Despite growing awareness our energy systems are still largely dependent on fossil fuels and characterized by a linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model. This leaves us vulnerable to supply disruptions rising greenhouse gas emissions and the depletion of critical raw materials. Hydrogen is emerging as a potential carbonfree energy vector that can overcome both challenges if it is produced sustainably from renewable sources. This study reviews hydrogen production from a circular economy perspective considering industrial agricultural and municipal solid waste as a resource rather than a burden. The focus is on the reuse of waste as a catalyst or catalyst support for hydrogen production. Firstly the role of hydrogen as a new energy carrier is explored along with possible routes of waste valorization in the process of hydrogen production. This is followed by an analysis of where and how catalysts from waste can be utilized within various hydrogen production processes namely those based on using fossil fuels as a source biomass as a source and electrocatalytic applications.

The impact of the HyResponder project on the training of responders in 10 European countries is described. An overview is presented of training activities undertaken within the project in Austria Belgium Czech Republic France Germany Italy Norway Spain Switzerland and the United Kingdom. National leads with training expertise are given and the longer-term plans in each region are mentioned. Responders from each region took part in a specially tailored “train the trainer” programme and then delivered training within their regions. A flexible approach to training within the HyResponder network has enabled fit for purpose region appropriate activities to be delivered impacting over 1250 individuals during the project and many more beyond. Teaching and learning materials in hydrogen safety for responders have been made available in 8 languages: English Czech Dutch French German Italian Norwegian Spanish. They are being used to inform training within each of the partner countries. Dedicated national working groups focused on hydrogen safety training for responders have been established in Belgium the Czech Republic Italy and Switzerland.

In the light of a future decarbonized power grid based primarily on non-dispatchable renewable energy sources the operation of industrial plants should be decarbonized and flexible. An innovative novel concept combining industrial plants with (i) a water electrolysis unit (ii) a hydrogen storage unit and (iii) a fuel cell unit would enable seasonal supply-demand balancing in the local power grid and storage of surplus energy in the form of stable solid products. The feasibility of this concept was demonstrated in a case study taking into account the overall energy balance and economics. The characteristics of the local power grid and the hydrogen round-trip efficiency must be carefully considered when dimensioning the hydrogen units. It was found that industries producing iron and steel cement ceramics glass aluminum paper and other metals have the potential for seasonal operation. Future research efforts in the fields of technology economics and social sciences should support the sustainable flexibility transition of energy-intensive industries with solid products.

The transition to sustainable energy systems presents a critical challenge for the 21st century necessitating both technological advancements and transformative educational strategies to foster awareness and knowledge. Hydrogen technologies are pivotal for decarbonization yet public understanding and acceptance remain limited. This study introduces and evaluates a novel gamified educational framework uniquely integrating simulationbased learning collaborative problem-solving and adaptive instructional scaffolding to enhance hydrogen literacy and sustainability awareness. Unlike traditional pedagogical approaches this method actively engages learners in real-world decision-making scenarios bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical applications. This study involved adolescents aged 13–15 from two distinct educational and cultural contexts one in Europe and one in the Middle East. A pre–post study design assessed knowledge acquisition gamification engagement and environmental awareness shifts. Findings reveal statistically significant improvements in technical knowledge and strong positive perceptions of gamified learning as an effective sustainability education tool across both cultural groups (Europe and the Middle East). Variations in engagement across cultural contexts suggest the need for adaptive context-sensitive educational frameworks. While the findings indicate significant short-term knowledge gains this study does not assess long-term knowledge retention which remains an important area for future research. This research contributes to sustainability education by demonstrating how strategically designed gamification can foster behavioral engagement enhance environmental literacy and support the global energy transition agenda. This study offers a pioneering perspective on integrating interactive learning methodologies to cultivate sustainability competencies among younger generations.