DESIREE featured at Spain’s 13th Horizon Europe Framework Programme Conference
The DESIREE project was featured at the 13th EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme Conference in Spain, held on 16 June 2026 in Barcelona. Organised by CDTI, the Spanish public innovation agency, in collaboration with the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the European Commission and ACCIÓ, the Catalan Government’s agency for business competitiveness, the event brought together representatives from research organisations, industry, public authorities and innovation stakeholders.
The conference addressed the final years of Horizon Europe and the preparation of the next EU Framework Programme, scheduled to begin in 2028. Its programme included keynote speeches, panel discussions and networking sessions covering research, innovation and European collaboration, with contributions from leading institutional and industry representatives. Among the featured speakers were Marc Lemaître, Director-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission, and Juan Cruz Cigudosa, Spain’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities.
DESIREE among Horizon Europe success stories
CENER, Spain’s National Renewable Energy Centre and coordinator of DESIREE, presented the project’s poster during the exhibition of Horizon Europe projects coordinated by Spanish organisations. The research centre showcased three projects as part of the exhibition, which featured 74 Horizon Europe initiatives coordinated by Spanish organisations.
The DESIREE poster showcased the project’s integrated approach to advancing Solid Oxide Electrolyser (SOEL) technology for renewable hydrogen production. It presented the development of an advanced 40 kW multi-stack SOEL prototype combining innovations at cell, stack and system level, including advanced electrode materials, improved glass-ceramic sealing solutions, modular system architecture, smart thermal management, dynamic control strategies and integrated metal hydride hydrogen compression. The poster also highlighted the project’s commitment to circularity through the recovery and reuse of critical raw materials.
During the poster exhibition, representatives from CENER Oihana Ormazabal and Bibiana García, presented DESIREE to representatives from research organisations, technology centres, universities and other Horizon Europe projects, raising awareness of the project and its planned technological developments among organisations active in the European hydrogen ecosystem.
“Most visitors were interested in the technological developments planned within the project and the work that DESIREE will carry out over the coming years. The conference also provided valuable opportunities to exchange knowledge and explore future collaboration with other organisations working in hydrogen research“, said Oihana Ormazabal.
Strengthening collaboration across the European hydrogen community
Beyond the poster exhibition, the conference provided networking opportunities and one-to-one meetings with other attendees, raising DESIREE’s visibility and helping build new connections across the European hydrogen research and innovation community.
Coordinated by CENER, DESIREE brings together the Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA), Politecnico di Torino, Genvia, the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Bosal, EIFHYTEC, Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), VTT Technical Research Centre and Zabala Innovation. Together, the consortium combines expertise across materials science, electrochemistry, stack manufacturing, system integration, hydrogen compression, sustainability and innovation management to advance next-generation SOEL technologies for renewable hydrogen production.