UC Energy Center participates in the first Hydrogen Horizons International Conference in Lisbon.

Roberto Santiago Olmedo, a doctoral candidate in the Engineering and Sciences with Industry (DICI) program and a project manager at the National Pilotage Center (CNP), represented the UC Energy Center at a gathering in Portugal, where he presented research on risk assessment and material selection for hydrogen distribution pipelines.

The inaugural International Conference on Hydrogen Horizons (ICH2) took place from September 21 to 24 at the Museu do Oriente in Lisbon; this international event, held in Portugal, was dedicated to analyzing the role of hydrogen in the future of energy.

The conference was promoted under the H2 Green Valley Agenda and organized by HyLab – Green Hydrogen Collaborative Laboratory, with the support of partner institutions such as REN and the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon.

Over four days, the event brought together representatives from industry, academia, research centers, and public bodies to address key challenges across the hydrogen value chain, including production, transport, distribution, storage, safety, end-use applications, and economic aspects.

The opening day featured technical visits to industrial facilities and research centers linked to green hydrogen. These included the HyLab facilities and the Repsol refinery in Sines—a port and industrial area with significant potential to establish itself as a major green hydrogen hub in Europe.

"One of the conference's achievements was balancing the topics across the four days. The entire value chain was covered—including hydrogen safety and economics—rather than just production, transport, and end-use," noted Roberto Santiago Olmedo, who is currently conducting a research residency at HyLab.