National Hydrogen Network to be Implemented in The Netherlands

Arcadis is working on plans for the rollout of a high-pressure hydrogen network in the Netherlands on behalf of Gasunie subsidiary Hynetwork Services.

The announcement follows a decision by the Dutch Government in June 2022 to invest over EUR 750 million to develop a national hydrogen network across the country.

It forms an important part of plans for a national network of pipelines connecting the five major industrial areas in The Netherlands – Noord, IJmond, Rijnmond, Zeeland and Limburg, with the hydrogen storage facility in Zuidwending and neighbouring countries.

To roll out the network, efforts are being made to reuse existing natural gas pipelines whenever possible, and it is estimated that about 85 per cent of the hydrogen network will consist of recycled natural gas pipelines.

The new infrastructure needs to be carefully integrated with the rest of the network. As part of its remit, Arcadis is investigating environmental effects and will be producing a detailed environmental impact report to help inform the decision-making process.

This will include ecological and archaeological studies, as well as the consideration of other factors such as health and safety. Preparatory works are already underway, and it is anticipated that the project will take two to three years to be completed.