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Our work to lay a pipeline may (temporarily) affect the use of your land and the income it generates for you. In some cases, this impact is instant, as you are unable to use the land while work is being carried out on a pipeline. In other cases, losses occur later, such as when the soil needs time to recover. In these situations, you will receive a collaboration fee.
We will also compensate you for any damage to crops caused by surveys or work. Arrangements to this effect will always be set out in a written agreement. Over the first two years, we will assess any damage and handle claims ourselves. After that, you can submit any claims through Gasunie’s stakeholder engagement platform.

Many of the existing natural gas pipelines are in good condition and can, after inspection and possible modifications, also be used to transport hydrogen. This means we do not have to lay new pipelines everywhere. Prior to a pipeline becoming part of the hydrogen network, we perform a comprehensive assessment of whether it can be used safely and reliably to transport hydrogen.

We always examine a pipeline extensively before integrating it into the hydrogen network. We inspect the inside of the pipeline, assess its technical condition, and carry out repairs or replace components as necessary. Only pipelines that meet our safety requirements will actually be used to transport hydrogen.  

Working safely is always our top priority. We will explain how we prevent risk, such as by marking out clear work areas, putting temporary diversions in place, and making solid arrangements for accessibility and emergency routes. This way, you know exactly where you stand.

Usually not. Given that we are reusing existing pipelines, we often do not have to do any work along large sections of the pipeline route. Work may, however, be required at locations where we need to replace pipeline components, carry out repairs or modify valves for use in the hydrogen network. If such work will have an impact on your local area, we will inform you in advance.

When we inspect pipelines, we access them from existing valve locations, meaning that no work will be required along most of the pipeline route. In areas where we do need to carry out work, we will inform local residents in advance of what work that will be and when it will be performed. After the pipeline has been put into service, you will not notice that hydrogen is being transported through it. As with natural gas, the hydrogen is transported underground.

In most cases, it will have little impact on your land. The pipeline will remain in the same place. Sometimes, we have to carry out work on the pipeline, such as to repair a pipeline section or to modify a valve location. If such work will have any kind of impact on your land, we will contact you in advance.

Yes. After the pipeline has been repurposed, you can continue using your land as usual. As is the case now, there will still be rules in place to prevent damage to the pipeline. For example, you need permission to dig to certain depths or build something, plant trees or place other large objects above the pipeline.

It is important to us that everyone in the local area gets an opportunity to have their say on the plans. We actively listen to questions, concerns and ideas from landowners, land users and other stakeholders. These help us improve the design, carefully weigh the various options, and consider local interests. We always follow up on the feedback we receive, so you can see how your input has helped shape the process and how we are jointly creating a network that fits into its surroundings.

Throughout the formal project procedure, Hynetwork works together with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland), with the latter taking care of communication about the procedure and Hynetwork keeping you informed on the project, plans, and work in your local area. 

Depending on the project phase and developments, you will receive resident letters, invitations, or newsletters. We also post the latest project updates for each region online and organise information sessions, either on site in the region or online. This ensures that you are always up to date on progress. 

Developing a hydrogen network project will have an impact on the surrounding area and the environment. In addition, there are already many other cables and pipelines in the crowded underground. We want to limit this impact. We will do so by using existing natural gas transport pipelines as much as possible. When new pipes are needed, we will join them to existing pipelines wherever possible. As with natural gas, the immediate vicinity of the pipeline (the route) will be kept free of buildings for safety reasons.

As well as the spatial impact, there also will be temporary disruptions during the construction and modification of pipelines and installations. Gasunie has extensive experience in building natural gas transport networks. The impact of a hydrogen network by Hynetwork will be similar. For example, there may be noise and vibrations, and space must be made available for work sites. As we get closer to construction, we will communicate promptly with neighbouring residents about the impact. You will not notice the transport of hydrogen through the pipes.

No, we will not connect your home to the hydrogen network. Green hydrogen (produced with green electricity) is still in short supply, so it is important to make smart choices about where (green) hydrogen can be used and where it will have the greatest effect. For domestic use, such as heating, showering and cooking, there are already suitable sustainable alternatives, such as electric heating. For other sectors, such as heavy industry, green hydrogen is often the only way to become sustainable. Therefore, our limited supply of green hydrogen should be used mainly in those sectors where, even in the long term, there is no sustainable alternative.

 
Connecting homes and smaller businesses is the job of regional grid operators, such as Stedin or Enexis. They are exploring the possibility of a hydrogen network for homes and smaller businesses in the future.

Industry in the Netherlands is currently responsible for about 25% of the country’s CO₂ emissions. The use of hydrogen as a raw material and fuel can reduce industrial emissions and contribute to achieving the climate goals. The hydrogen network will connect our largest industrial regions to each other, to hydrogen storage and import sites, and to foreign countries.

Voor de ombouw en aanleg van de waterstofleiding sluit Hynetwork een overeenkomst af met de grondeigenaar en/of -gebruiker en wordt er geen grond gekocht.

Hynetwork is only concerned with the transport network for hydrogen and not about the production, import or use of hydrogen. 

Hydrogen can be transported in various ways, such as by boat, lorry or pipeline. To ensure that all large industrial companies can use hydrogen, we are building a hydrogen network in the Netherlands. This network will link the industrial clusters in the Netherlands to each other, to foreign countries, and to hydrogen import and storage sites.

We are committed to ensuring that all landowners and land users affected by the construction of the hydrogen network know what we are doing, what to expect from us in terms of inspections and work, and how they can give their input on our plans. The preparations and actual construction of the hydrogen network may impact your land, your company’s operations or your daily work.

We agree clear arrangements on things such as pipeline installation methods, work strips, right in rem, compensation and claims handling. To make these arrangements, we reach out to you personally to discuss them, so that we can tailor our plans to the specific situation on your land. Once everything is clear, we put every detail of the arrangements in writing to ensure that you know exactly where you stand and so that we can jointly make sure the work is carried out with as little disruption as possible.

Building a new hydrogen pipeline starts long before the digging begins. It is preceded by a great number of surveys, inspections, careful consideration and talks. We start off with various kinds of surveys to determine whether a pipeline route is both technically feasible and can be accommodated within the surrounding area, such as:  

• soil surveys and manual drilling; 
• flora and fauna surveys; 
• agricultural land surveys;
• land surveys;
• hydrogeological surveys;
• archaeological surveys.

We always seek landowners’ permission for these surveys. A team of advisers from our land use/real estate matters department makes the appropriate arrangements for this, usually by sitting down with you at your kitchen table.