The University of Gabes team at European Hydrogen Week 2026

How can we develop sustainable, resilient energy solutions for remote and off-grid locations? That was the key question behind the instigation of LOCEL-H2 and our subsequent work. And let’s face it, European Hydrogen Week 2026 was the perfect chance to talk about it. Fortunately for our project, Dr. Yassine Ben Salem and Dr. Nihel Chekir of the University of Gabes were able to attend the event – held in Brussels, Belgium, from 26 to 28 October – not only to share what the project is working on, but also to explore opportunities to collaborate with others across the hydrogen value chain.

The focus

LOCEL-H2 offers numerous new routes toward innovative energy solutions for remote and off-grid locations. Alongside introducing the project, University of Gabes’ team talked with people working on sustainable energy and hydrogen technologies. It was a chance to share ideas, hear different perspectives and see where the research connects with practical needs.

Collaboration

Finding opportunities to work together was a big part of the visit. Discussions covered potential new partnerships, closer research cooperation and links with relevant European initiatives and industrial stakeholders. The questions were straightforward: where do our interests overlap? What can we learn from each other? And where might there be a chance to work together?

It wasn’t just about telling people what LOCEL-H2 does. It was also about listening and exploring how the project might connect with other work across the hydrogen community. Throughout those conversations, the focus stayed on sustainable energy and the needs of remote and off-grid locations.

The future

For both Gabes and LOCEL-H2, the visit not only allowed us to share the project’s work… but also involved some exploring about where it could go next. That meant talking hydrogen technologies, research cooperation and possible industrial partnerships. Of course, all of us at LoCEL-H2 have a clear goal in mind: sustainable, resilient energy solutions for remote and off-grid locations.