The establishment of the Silesian-Lesser Polish Hydrogen Valley is not only an implementation of the Polish Hydrogen Strategy published in December last year, but also an important step towards innovation and decarbonisation of the Polish economy.

- The role of hydrogen in the economy, and in particular its potential to decarbonise industry, heating and transport, is growing. Including hydrogen technology in national development policy, improving it, building competence and creating Polish export products is a strategic challenge and requires a supply chain approach.

Shortening the distance between centres of supply and demand, integrating sectors, finding business partners and optimising processes and costs are the specific opportunities we gain by creating hydrogen valleys - says Deputy Minister Ireneusz Zyska.

- For Małopolska (Lesser Poland) it is a very significant event. The Hydrogen Valley, which will connect Silesia with Lesser Poland, will become a supra-regional place for launching specific projects within the hydrogen economy. This is new horizons for the industry and a completely new quality. The Polish government is betting on just such innovative projects. Hydrogen may have a wide range of applications in power generation, heating, industry and transport, which is extremely important from Lesser Poland's perspective. I would like to thank everyone who is consistently working on the implementation of the Polish Hydrogen Strategy. This is our common cause. I declare my full support for the functioning and development of the Silesian-Lesser Polish Hydrogen Valley. Today it is becoming a fact. It will certainly be a broad platform for constructive cooperation between our two regions, making it possible to use our economic and scientific potential -says Łukasz Kmita, the Voivode of Małopolskie Voivodeship.

- According to the Polish Hydrogen Strategy, hydrogen can play a key role in the process of achieving climate neutrality. I am glad that it is here, in the region which is particularly affected by the energy transition, that one of the hydrogen valleys is being created. I believe that this is an important step towards the realisation of specific projects in the field of hydrogen economy, and innovative investment projects will contribute to the further development of our voivodeship - explains Jarosław Wieczorek, Silesian Voivode.

- It is very important for us to provide as much green energy as possible to investors in the area of modern technologies, whom we encourage to locate their companies in special economic zones managed by us. We are also interested in investing in the development of innovative energy generation technologies as there are companies in our capital group which manufacture zero-emission means of transport - emphasizes Cezariusz Lesisz, President of IDA JSC

The founding members of Silesian-Lesser Polish Hydrogen Valley are persons connected with business, scientific and local government environment of both regions.

- The aim of the association is to support the development of the hydrogen economy and to strive to build a branch of the Silesian-Lesser Polish hydrogen industry, including one based on hydrogen production in electrolysis process with the use of energy produced from the RES installations and its use in power engineering, including heat, transport and infrastructure as well as industry - says Paweł Kolczyński, Vice-President of the Industrial Development Agency.

Works connected with creating the Silesian-Lesser Polish Hydrogen Valley are coordinated by the Katowice Branch of IDA. The Branch runs also a newly created national hydrogen portal h2poland.eu where one can find information concerning among others development of hydrogen valleys in the country.