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In recent months, we have made significant progress in further developing the route for the hydrogen pipeline in the southwest of the Netherlands. Rens Wilbers is involved in this effort as regional manager and a liaison between the project and the local community. We spoke to him about how the hydrogen network in the southwest of the Netherlands is progressing. What steps have been taken to further develop the route? What challenges must be overcome? And what is the schedule for the next step in the project procedure?

Today, the German TSOs announced how companies will be able to reserve hydrogen transport capacity from 2026. During what they are calling ‘Open Season’, producers, traders and customers will have the opportunity to register their future transport capacity needs. This gives market participants certainty at an early stage that they will have access to the capacity they need and it will drive investment in the hydrogen market.

E-world energy & water is the place where the European energy industry comes together. Serving as an information platform for the energy sector, E-world is gathering international decision makers in Essen each year.

E-world energy & water is the place where the European energy industry comes together. Serving as an information platform for the energy sector, E-world is gathering international decision makers in Essen each year.

In late 2022, Hynetwork launched what we call a ‘trialogue table’ together with VEMW and Energie-Nederland (and later also NLHydrogen) to agree on a balanced set of access conditions for the hydrogen network. The aim of this is to lay down clear rights and obligations for both the network operator and the network users, allowing market parties to make investment decisions well in advance and be able to accelerate the development of hydrogen projects throughout the value chain. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate has a facilitating role in this and ACM is also involved, considering its future role.

On 19 May, we brought together stakeholders from industry, government and the energy sector in Rotterdam for Hynetwork’s national information session. We guided participants through the progress of the hydrogen network and engaged in dialogue on market developments and the conditions required to further realise the hydrogen value chain.

Laying a hydrogen pipeline is no simple matter, especially in an area as densely built-up and diverse as the North Sea Canal Area, where infrastructure, water, nature, industry and residential areas all intersect. Behind the scenes, intensive work has therefore been underway for years to ensure that construction proceeds carefully, safely and in accordance with all regulations. Zoë Heerema, permits adviser at Hynetwork, plays an important role in this process.

Today, the deadline for feedback on the draft proposal for the adjustment of the roll-out plan has passed. We thank everyone for their submitted responses. In our final proposal for the adjustment of the roll-out plan, we will outline how the feedback has been incorporated. We will submit the final proposal, along with a request for approval, to the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK).

A new pipeline for transporting hydrogen will be built in the Amsterdam port area as part of Hydrogen Network North Sea Canal Area. We recently carried out the final studies for the port area, which was an important step towards the final design.

De veilige aanleg van ons waterstofnetwerk is belangrijk voor medewerkers en omgeving. Daarom besteden wij hieraan volop aandacht bij de projectontwikkeling en het maken van een veilig ontwerp. Daarna komt het aan op de uitvoering zelf. Als opdrachtgever geven we maximale ruimte aan veiligheid. De dagelijkse leiding over de veiligheid ligt bij onze opdrachtnemer.

Een veilig ontwerp van het waterstofnetwerk start met het in kaart brengen van risico’s. In vaktermen: Hazard Identification (HAZID).

Hynetwork works in accordance with the principles and standards established in its connection policy. This connection policy is aimed at getting ahead of developments in the hydrogen market. Our goal is to encourage this development as much as possible. An increasing number of regional government bodies and other parties recently submitted requests to Hynetwork for the implementation of connection set-ups in the main network in preparation for future hydrogen developments in certain regions. Implementing a connection set-up is a good solution to be able to meet this need, which is why Hynetwork has decided to respond to these requests from (regional) parties. This has resulted in a new contract: the Valve Study Agreement (VSA)..

Hynetwork and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK) are taking the next step in the Hydrogen Network Western Netherlands project. The research plan (the draft Scope and Detail Memorandum or draft NRD) is available for inspection from Friday 10 April 2026. This plan sets out what we intend to investigate and the potential routes we are considering for the hydrogen pipeline. Everyone is invited to comment on this plan until Thursday 21 May 2026.

The Delta Rhine Corridor will focus on the construction of pipelines for hydrogen and CO 2 . Minister Sophie Hermans of the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth announced this in a parliamentary letter on 5 December 2024.

On 7 March 2025, Hynetwork and the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth together announced the preferred route, or ‘draft Preferred Alternative’, for the hydrogen network to be developed in the Dutch provinces of Drenthe and Overijssel.

On 19 April 2024, together with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, we announced the preferred route for the development of the future hydrogen network in the North Sea Canal area.

The plans for the future hydrogen pipeline in the western Netherlands involve constructing a new pipeline through several nature reserves, including the Krimpenerhout nature reserve near Krimpen aan de Lek and the Donckse Velden nature reserve in Ridderkerk. During the presentation of the plans to the local community, we heard a number of concerns and responses. We spoke with Juanne Rours, Regional Manager for the Hydrogen Network Western Netherlands project, about how the route was selected and other options.

The draft of the Preferred Alternative (draft VKA) was available for public inspection from Friday 7 June to Thursday 18 July 2024.