The Pannon Business Network’s Regional Dissemination Event was held on June 2022 in Szombathely (Hungary).
Representatives of Municipality of Szombathely together with the CEO of the car seller Toyota Mirai, held a press conference where they highlighted the strong connection between the SZOMBATHELY2030 Program and the SMART-HY-AWARE project. SZOMBATHELY2030 Program is indicated as the addressed Policy Instrument from PBN side, and therefore this event was really beneficial since the general public could be also informed about hydrogen as alternative fuel. According to the CEO of the car seller company, hydrogen as fuel can be considered a pioneer in Hungary, but he emphasised that H2 is totally safe and it will be playing an important role in the public transport in the near future in Hungary as well. During the event a hydrogen fuel-cell car, the 2nd generation Toyota Mirai was “exhibited” and general public was invited to widen their knowledge about hydrogen as alternative fuel, technical parameters and the operation of the fuel cell. During the open day participants could even test drive the Mirai.
Due to PBN's participation in the SMART-HY-AWARE project and their active role in the elaboration of the Szombathely2030 Strategy, the implementation of hydrogen in mobility appeared as one of the proposed actions within the sub-session related to enhancement of green mobility.
According to the city level policy document, one of the Hydrogen Refuelling Stations might be installed in the City of Szombathely by 2030. Furthermore, the policy document is highlighting that tourism might be the area in the county where a hydrogen-fuelled mobility project might be implemented as a pilot project by the end of this decade. In later steps- (following 2030)- the hydrogen-fuelled vehicles might also appear in everyday public transport as well.
Policy stakeholders from Szombathely Municipality are deeply involved in SMART-HY-AWARE, having attended the Interregional Site Visits held in Rotterdam and Aberdeen to gain new knowledge regarding hydrogen applications in mobility, good practices that might be transferred to Hungary and in particular to the City of Szombathely.