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Gasunie starts construction of national hydrogen network in the Netherlands

6/29/2022

Press Release - Gasunie

Dutch Minister for Climate and Energy Rob Jetten announced new plans for the construction of a national transport network for hydrogen. Gasunie will develop the hydrogen network in the Netherlands in the coming years, after which it will assume the role of TSO (Transmission System Operator). Gasunie will also play an important role in the storage and import of hydrogen. Due to the expected growth in offshore hydrogen production in the North Sea, Minister Jetten will investigate whether Gasunie can also fulfill the role of grid operator at sea. These new plans are a major step in the development of a more sustainable energy system in the Netherlands.

Netherlands Hydrogen Country
The Netherlands has everything it needs to make hydrogen a success story. Because of its location on a shallow sea that is highly suitable for installing wind turbines, and thanks to the existing infrastructure for transport and storage, we can be ambitious in how we use carbon-free hydrogen, from large-scale production, to transport at home and abroad, to storage.

Han Fennema, CEO of Gasunie: “Gasunie is very positive about the hydrogen plans announced today by Minister Jetten. We believe that hydrogen will play a major role as the energy carrier of the future. We now start the construction of the public hydrogen network in the Netherlands, which will be a great boost for the transition towards a more sustainable energy system.”

Hydrogen network in the Netherlands and beyond
In the coming years, the hydrogen network will connect the seaports with the large industrial clusters in our country and with storage locations for hydrogen. Connections with Germany (Ruhr area and Hamburg) and Belgium are also being realised. This will facilitate the growth of the hydrogen market.

Clean and efficient
We can take an enormous leap forward by using the gas infrastructure already in place. Approximately 85% of the national network will consist of recycled natural gas pipelines. They will become available because there will be less and less transport of natural gas in the years to come. This is good for the environment and relatively little new excavation work is required. It is also economically efficient, because reuse of existing infrastructure is much cheaper. Gasunie is therefore making a significant contribution to the affordability of the energy transition.

A sustainable, strong economy
Hydrogen will play a crucial role in making the Netherlands more sustainable. It is particularly suitable for helping our companies and industry to work cleaner and more economically in the coming years.

Industry in the Netherlands is currently responsible for about 25% of national CO2 emissions. The use of hydrogen as feedstock and fuel can reduce emissions in industry and make a major contribution to the 2030 and 2050 climate targets.