What is the Centre for Hydrogen Technologies (CTH2)?
The Centre for Hydrogen Technologies (CTH2) of the Institute of Power Engineering - National Research Institute was established in May 2020 as a response to new challenges in the development of hydrogen
technologies in Poland.
The primary task of the Centre is to coordinate the research and implementation work of the Institute of Power Engineering in the development of hydrogen technologies using the scientific and technical potential of the Institute's divisions and units. The Centre is responsible for providing a broad range of advice on the subject to both public sector units and other entities. The Centre also plays the role of a knowledge dissemination unit in the field of hydrogen technologies and provides an advisory voice for central administrative bodies and economic entities. The Centre's task forces include delegated representatives of the CEREL Ceramics Division, the Gdańsk Division, the DZE-2 Expert Team, the Thermal Processes Department (CPC) and the High Temperature Electrochemical Processes Department (CPE), which provides the administrative organisation of the CTH2 work. At present, the Centre's staff consists of 60 employees of the Institute of Power Engineering. The Centre's work is directed by its Director - Prof. Jakub Kupecki, D.Sc., assisted by the Centre Council composed of the heads of the cooperating departments and units.
CTH2 projects
In 2022, the Centre coordinated the implementation of the task carried out under Priority Programme 5.1.1 ‘Support to the Climate Minister in the implementation of climate policy, financed by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management’:
Centre for Hydrogen Technologies staff members participated in expert and consultative teams and public administration advisory bodies, including:
- Coordinating Council of the Sectoral Agreement for the Development of the Hydrogen Economy,
- Council of the Mazovian Hydrogen Valley,
- International Energy Agency, Annex 32: Advanced Fuel Cells,
- European research initiative on Green Hydrogen,
- Hydrogen Europe Research,
- European Energy Research Alliance, Fuel Cells and Hydrogen,
- National Environmental Council,
- Hydrogen Expert Panel of the Chamber of Commerce of Natural Gas,
- Board of the Podkarpackie Hydrogen Valley.
Representatives of the Centre were leaders of task forces implementing the indicator goals of the Polish Hydrogen Strategy within Group 1 of the Hydrogen Alliance: Hydrogen Production, coordinated by Prof. Jakub Kupecki, D.Sc:
- Team G1.1: Launch of national production of new components, hydrogen technologies based on national scientific and research potential,
- Team G1.2: Realisation of R&D and basic research in the field of electrolysers (including definition of an optimal power range of electrolysers to be installed in Poland),
- Team G1.8: Decarbonisation of the steel and cement industries.
The Centre has represented the Institute of Power Engineering in Hydrogen Valleys at industry events, trade fairs, popular science events and media debates, including: 7th Scientific Conference ‘Energy Security - Pillars and Development Perspective’, Hydrogen in the Economy, New Energy Model, International Conference and Expo on Advanced Ceramics and Composites (ICACC2022), World Fuel Cell Conference, 8th Energy Congress Security of Energy Supply in Times of Transition, International Conference on Electrolysis, 5th International Workshop on Degradation Issues of Fuel Cells and Electrolysers, Ceramics in Europe, 7th International Conference on Contemporary Problems of Thermal Engineering (CPOTE 2022), 17th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES), 241st Meeting of the Electrochemical Society (ECS) and others.
In 2022, the CTH2 staff made study visits to the University of Aveiro, Portugal, DTU, Denmark, Colorado Fuel Cell Center, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, and the National Fuel Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA, as part of the ongoing Polish-American SUPER-SOE project: Investigation of high temperature co-electrolysis of carbon dioxide and steam in solid oxide electrochemical cells operated at elevated pressure, which is carried out under the SONATA BIS programme of the National Science Centre (SONATA-BIS 2021/42/E/ST8/00401).
Contact us
CTH2 Director
prof. Jakub Kupecki, PhD, Eng.
phone. +48 22 34 51 200
e-mail: