Hy2Market Regional Highlight: Northern Netherlands
As one of Europe’s leading hydrogen regions, the Northern Netherlands plays a pivotal role within Hy2Market in demonstrating how hydrogen can be transported, compressed, and integrated into energy systems in a safe, cost-effective, and scalable way. With a strong industrial base, port infrastructure, and an active hydrogen ecosystem, the region provides a real-life testbed for developing solutions that connect hydrogen production with industrial and mobility demand. Within Hy2Market, the Northern Netherlands focuses on advancing hydrogen transport and distribution, system optimisation, and regional integration—creating blueprints that can be replicated across Europe.
The strength of the Northern Netherlands hydrogen ecosystem lies in the complementary expertise of its Hy2Market partners:
Firan is shaping the regional hydrogen grid concept and plays a central role in designing and standardising hydrogen transport infrastructure. In Deventer, Firan is working with partners to establish a local hydrogen network that connects future electrolysers, storage, and industrial off-takers, creating a practical model for regional hydrogen distribution.
SoluForce is demonstrating its high-pressure Flexible Composite Pipe (FCP) technology, a fully certified hydrogen pipeline that can be deployed from 400-metre spools. Compared to conventional steel pipelines, this solution significantly reduces civil works and welding while remaining fully hydrogen-tight. SoluForce’s pilot in Deventer forms a key Hy2Market demonstration for cost-effective hydrogen transport.
HyEnergy TransStore is investing in the permitting and deployment of flexible hydrogen pipelines to connect the region’s largest hydrogen producer, Nobian in Delfzijl, to a compressor station feeding the local hydrogen backbone. By avoiding complex steel crossings under waterways such as the Oosterhornkanaal, this pilot shows how new pipeline materials can unlock efficient regional hydrogen routing.
HyET Hydrogen manufactures and develops electrochemical hydrogen purification and compression technology with the potential applicability in different projects in the northern Netherlands. The performance of HyET’s Electrochemical Hydrogen Purification and Compression (EHPC) technology for specific use cases is evaluated by simulating expected conditions (gas quality, pressures, etc.), as well as demonstrating the device’s robustness and reliability. The work begins with gathering concrete specifications for use cases in the region, conducting the corresponding evaluation tests and performing a techno-economic study of the commercial product to provide input for the investment decisions to be made regarding hydrogen compression and purification solutions.
DEMCON contributes advanced modelling of electrolyser operation, enabling optimisation of process control, OPEX, grid balancing, and storage strategies. These models support the efficient integration of hydrogen production into regional energy systems and strengthen the technological foundation for electrolyser deployment in the Northern and Eastern Netherlands.
Summit Engineering brings expertise on electrolyser controllability, grid balancing services, and system optimisation. Within Hy2Market, Summit supports the development of control philosophies and cost-effective hydrogen production pathways, linking project insights with regional initiatives such as the Hydrohub Megawatt Test Center.
HyEnergy Consultancy provides a hydrogen valley perspective, translating technical developments into strategic regional deployment pathways. Within Hy2Market, HyEnergy Consultancy supports the assessment of hydrogen infrastructure and applications, with a specific focus on the use of liquid hydrogen, helping to bridge project results with wider national and European deployment.
New Energy Coalition, as project coordinator, ensures that knowledge, results, and lessons learned from the Northern Netherlands pilots are shared across the Hy2Market consortium and beyond, strengthening interregional collaboration and impact.
Beyond Hy2Market, the Northern Netherlands is also home to the HEAVENN (Hydrogen Energy Applications in the Northern Netherlands) project, Europe’s first designated Hydrogen Valley. Through HEAVENN, the region brings together industry, infrastructure operators, knowledge institutes, and public authorities to develop an integrated hydrogen ecosystem covering production, transport, storage, and end use. This broader regional programme provides the foundation on which Hy2Market activities build, ensuring that pilots on pipelines, compression, and system integration are embedded in a mature, large-scale hydrogen environment with strong replication potential across Europe.
Together, the Northern Netherlands partners demonstrate how hydrogen infrastructure can be built from the ground up: from flexible pipelines and compression technologies to system optimisation and regional integration. By combining real-life pilots with strong coordination and knowledge exchange, the region provides a practical blueprint for interconnected hydrogen value chains across Europe.
Installation of SoluForce’s Flexible Composite Hydrogen Pipeline in Deventer, Netherlands, in collaboration with Firan:
Image Source: © Firan / SoluForce (Hy2Market project)
Image Source: © Firan / SoluForce (Hy2Market project)
SoluForce’s high-pressure Flexible Composite Pipe (FCP) specifically designed and certified for hydrogen transport:
Image Source: © SoluForce
HyET Hydrogen’s HCS500 Hydrogen Compressor Stack (100 kg/d capacity):
Image Source: © HyET Hydrogen B.V.