With the awarding of Hydrogen Valley status, the region is officially part of the European sustainability programme. This has the advantage that the region now has better access to knowledge and financing from Europe, which can accelerate the process of making the energy supply more sustainable.
The Hydrogen Valley status is a European award for regions that are committed to developing an energy system based on sustainable hydrogen in a distinctive way. The region is even named as a 'best practice' on the aspects of 'public-private partnership' and 'financing'. The special status concerns the cooperation of the clusters in the North Sea Canal Area (NZKG) and North Holland North.
Edward Stigter, deputy of the province of North Holland and chairman of the North Sea Canal Area Energy Transition Platform: “Awarding the status of Hydrogen Valley is a great step, it will allow us to accelerate the sustainability of the region. It is great to be able to scale up our plans for the province with the help of Europe. Hydrogen not only contributes to achieving the climate goals, but also ensures cleaner air for our residents compared to fossil fuels.”
North Holland is ideally positioned for an acceleration region in the European transition to hydrogen. With IJmuiden, Amsterdam and Den Helder, the region has no less than three seaports that are important for the landing, import, transport and storage of sustainable energy.
The seaports, in combination with Schiphol Airport, the waterways, and rail and pipeline connections and connection to the national hydrogen network, function excellently for consumption in the region and the transit of sustainable energy to neighbouring regions and countries.
Within the region, there are various initiatives for the production of hydrogen. North Holland is unique in its ambition for the use of hydrogen in large and small-scale applications. From local projects and green hydrogen-based value chains (import, production, storage, distribution, use, export) in steel production, manufacturing, synthetic fuels, mobility and agriculture.
The region is home to Europe's largest hydrogen research facility, TNO's Faraday Lab in Petten, and has a strong innovation and knowledge cluster on energy transition with Techport in IJmond, Investa in Alkmaar, the Science Park in Amsterdam and the Energy Transition Campus Amsterdam.
Worldwide, 81 regions in 31 countries have the status of Hydrogen Valley. In the Netherlands, this concerns the Northern Netherlands (HEAVENN) and the Port of Rotterdam and now also North Holland. For the European Commission, the Hydrogen Valleys are an important instrument to make the energy supply more sustainable and to become less dependent on energy outside Europe. Extensive information and an interactive map with all H2 Valleys via the button below.
