Bavarian Research Alliance and the Greek Centre for Research and Technology-Hellas strengthen their collaboration in the field of green hydrogen
09/10/2026
As part of a tribute to the Minister-President in recognition of his contributions to fostering understanding among peoples and religious communities, as well as to promoting friendly relations between Church, state and society, two Memoranda of Understanding were signed: one between LMU Munich and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens on a joint degree programme in Chemistry, and one between BayFOR and CERTH.
Through this Memorandum of Understanding, BayFOR and CERTH intend to deepen their long-standing collaboration and, through joint research, innovation and technology transfer activities, to promote the long-term development of the hydrogen sector in Bavaria and Greece, while generating sustainable scientific, technological and economic added value for both regions. Bavaria and Greece bring complementary strengths to this collaboration: Bavaria has a strong research and industrial base and extensive expertise in hydrogen technologies. Greece also contributes scientific and technological expertise, whilst offering excellent conditions for generating renewable energy.
“Bavaria and Greece are linked by a long-standing partnership, which we intend to develop further in the field of green hydrogen. We want to bring together the strengths of both sides in a targeted manner, intensify the joint transfer of knowledge and technology, and launch new European research projects and joint innovation initiatives,” said Martin Reichel, BayFOR’s Managing Director.
Joint activities to strengthen cooperation
To achieve these objectives, CERTH and BayFOR intend to collaborate in the following areas, amongst others:
- Research on green hydrogen: Exchange of information and views on research priorities, funding opportunities and strategic developments
- Joint projects and funding applications: Development and joint submission of research and innovation projects, particularly within the framework of EU programmes such as Horizon Europe or ERASMUS+
- Knowledge and technology transfer: Exchange of expertise, researchers and best practices between academia, industry and public bodies
- Joint events: Organisation of workshops, conferences, training courses and networking events
- Long-term strategic cooperation: Identification of further opportunities for cooperation between Bavaria and Greece to strengthen the long-term partnership in the field of green hydrogen.
With this joint Memorandum of Understanding, both sides reaffirm their commitment to continued cooperation in the hydrogen sector. Looking ahead, they aim to extend the partnership to cover further research and innovation topics.
Long-standing successful Bavarian-Greek cooperation in the hydrogen sector
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding builds on a long-standing Bavarian-Greek cooperation in the hydrogen sector between BayFOR and CERTH. One of the most significant collaborations to have emerged from this cooperation is the German-Greek project H2G2 (“Hydrogen Support Hub for Technology Transfer in German-Greek Collaborations”), which aims to strengthen the transfer of knowledge and technology in the field of green hydrogen between Germany and Greece and to accelerate the transition of research findings into industrial applications. H2G2 does not develop new hydrogen technology itself but rather supports and connects German-Greek hydrogen projects with one another and with industry, in order to translate research findings into applications, collaborations and further European projects.
H2G2 is the accompanying scientific project of the 3rd German-Greek Research and Innovation Programme "Intensifying Cooperation with Greece in the Field of Green Hydrogen". The programme is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) in cooperation with the Greek General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI). The project runs from May 2026 to April 2029.
The collaboration between BayFOR and CERTH has given rise to further European research and innovation projects, including MOFTHy, which develops new materials and manufacturing processes for high-pressure hydrogen storage, and pHyBios, which is researching new methods for producing hydrogen from biogas.
In addition to the existing Bavarian-Greek cooperation in the hydrogen sector and projects that have emerged from it (H2G2, MoFTHy and pHyBios), this Memorandum of Understanding now also forms part of Bavaria’s efforts to further expand its relations with Greece in the fields of science, energy and hydrogen. Mutual efforts will be undertaken to develop and optimize the infrastructure related to the whole H2 value chain, particularly concerning the “H2 Hub”, which is Greece's largest research infrastructure in this research field.
The importance of Bavarian-Greek cooperation in these areas was most recently highlighted during Minister-President Dr Markus Söder’s tour of South-Eastern Europe in July 2026, during which he emphasised the strengthening of university cooperation with Greece, particularly in the fields of energy and hydrogen.
Contact at BayFOR
Martin Reichel
Managing Director / CEO
Phone: +49 89 9901888-0
Email: reichel@no-spam-pleasebayfor.org
Dr Panteleïmon Panagiotou
Head of Unit ICT | Natural Sciences & Engineering
Email: panagiotou@no-spam-pleasebayfor.org
Contact at CERTH
Dr Evangelos Bekiaris
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General
Phone: +30 2310 498261
Email: abek@no-spam-pleasecerth.gr
Dr Panagiotis Grammelis
Director of Research
Phone: +30 2111069504
Email: grammelis@no-spam-pleasecerth.gr
Competence Centre for Research and Innovation Funding in Bavaria, Europe and the World
Competence Centre for Research and Innovation Funding in Bavaria, Europe and the World
