The project is a prime example of European cooperation, focusing on practical solutions to promote innovation and regional sustainability.
The European project UNLOCK – Green Hydrogen Economy is positioning the Médio Tejo Region as a leader in the energy transition, through the training of professionals, the creation of green jobs and the transfer of European knowledge to Portugal.
Building a greener Europe
Launched in 2023 under the Interreg Europe programme and running until 2027, the UNLOCK – Green Hydrogen Economy project brings together a consortium of 10 European partners and a total investment of €2.16 million. The initiative aims to drive the development of regional green hydrogen economies, the ‘hydrogen valleys’, by promoting more sustainable, competitive ecosystems that are prepared for the challenges of the energy transition.
Focused on strengthening the competitiveness of SMEs, creating green jobs and improving public policy instruments, the project focuses on inter-regional cooperation and the sharing of best practices between European regions. UNLOCK is currently in a mature phase, with the implementation of a pilot project in the Médio Tejo region of Portugal being a key highlight.
INOVA+ drives regional capacity-building and innovation
As part of the project, INOVA+ has played a central role in supporting the active participation of the Médio Tejo Intermunicipal Community (CIM Médio Tejo), contributing to the review of the regional policy instrument and to strengthening the region’s capacity to respond to the challenges of the energy transition.
In 2025, an integrated pilot project was launched bringing together CIM Médio Tejo, the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar and Hanze University of Applied Sciences, centred on training professionals for the green hydrogen economy with a focus on the mobility and energy sectors.
As a starting point, an assessment of the region’s training needs was carried out by consulting the main local stakeholders. Based on this assessment, a training programme was designed to be implemented by the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, with guidance from Hanze University, ensuring the transfer to Portugal of best practices developed in the Netherlands.
From international learning to the project’s next steps
During the course of the project, INOVA+ and CIM Médio Tejo took part in visits to the Swedish regions of Västerbotten and Västernorrland, recognised as European leaders in the production, storage and use of green hydrogen.
Following this experience, a meeting of the regional stakeholder group was recently held in Tomar, dedicated to sharing the knowledge gained and further assessing the capacity-building and innovation needs associated with the energy transition, particularly in the mobility sector.
The coming months will be marked by the delivery of the training cycle at the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar and the preparation of the project’s final conference, scheduled for November in Brussels, where the results achieved by the Médio Tejo region under the UNLOCK project will be presented.