Building the new hydrogen pipeline through agricultural land in the Western Netherlands: agreements, studies and compensation
How will the construction of a new hydrogen pipeline affect agricultural land? That is what farmers wanted to know after we presented our initial plans for the Hydrogen Network Western Netherlands project. The farmers had questions about yield losses, permanent damage to the soil and compensation. We spoke to Roburt Honkoop, Land Affairs Adviser at Hynetwork, about these concerns and questions.
Roburt Honkoop, Land Affairs Adviser
Does the route for the new pipeline run through agricultural land?
Roburt: ‘We are investigating three possible routes for laying the new hydrogen pipeline between Zuidbroek and Mijnsheerenland. The route between Zuidbroek and Ridderkerk is the same in all three alternatives. From there, the route crosses some agricultural land in the Krimpenerwaard, mainly grassland. One of the three possible routes between Ridderkerk and Mijnsheerenland also runs through some agricultural land in the Hoeksche Waard (route 3 on the map below). This is mainly arable land.’
Do we know what the impact will be on agricultural land?
Gasunie has extensive experience in laying pipelines in agricultural areas. The impact on the land depends on where and how the pipeline is laid.
Roburt: ‘This is not yet known at this stage of the project. As a result, we don’t yet know exactly what the construction will mean for the soil, groundwater and crop yields in a particular agricultural area.’
How will the route be chosen?
Several possible routes are being considered, and we will discuss them with the local community in the near future. The routes are being studied and compared based on factors such as environmental impact, community considerations, technical feasibility, costs and future viability.
Roburt: ‘After we hear from people, we’ll add an agricultural value analysis to the studies. This will ensure that the farmers’ interests are also taken into account. Based on the results of all these studies, the minister of Climate Policy and Green Growth will ultimately choose the best possible route.’
‘Furthermore, the exact location of these routes has not yet been finalised’, Roburt continues. ‘By talking to the local community, we are getting a clearer picture of where the pipeline can best be laid. We are currently in talks with several farmers. Sometimes it turns out that we can move a pipeline a little to minimise the impact on certain areas.’
What is the agricultural value analysis?
The agricultural value analysis assesses the impact of the pipeline on agricultural land, both during and after construction. It also looks at other factors, such as how much agricultural land is affected by each route.
Roburt: ‘These insights show us the differences between the possible routes in terms of agricultural impact. That information can then be considered when choosing the final route. We can also use this information to develop appropriate measures to limit disruption for farmers.’
How will we handle concerns and compensation?
Roburt: ‘We understand that farmers are concerned about lower yields and extra work. Farmers will receive compensation for any yield losses. The same applies if crops suffer damage during or after construction. This compensation is based on rates used by Gasunie nationwide. In addition, farmers will receive compensation for their cooperation while work is being carried out on their land. There are also fixed rates for this.’
How will we address inconvenience and disruptions during the pipeline construction?
Roburt: ‘First and foremost, we will try to minimise disruptions during construction. However, we are also aware that the construction of this pipeline will cause inconvenience. That is why effective and timely coordination with landowners is extremely important. We need to keep the lines of communication open.’
Read the submitted responses and replies
The consultation response document has been published on the Netherlands Enterprise Agency’s project page (in Dutch). There you can read the submitted responses and replies about the plans for Hydrogen Network Western Netherlands.
Stay informed
You can find more information about this project on the projectpage of Western Netherlands. You can also stay up to date by subscribing to the newsletter.
News & knowledge
