Energy infrastructure company Gasunie is the intended network operator for the future hydrogen network in the North Sea. This was announced last night by Minister for Climate and Energy Policy Rob Jetten in a letter to the Dutch House of Representatives. In his letter on the North Sea Energy Infrastructure Plan 2050, Jetten stresses the importance of designating an intended operator to safeguard public interests. Additionally, the designation reassures the market that infrastructure will be available. In light of the key role that offshore hydrogen production is expected to play in the future growth of offshore wind, Jetten has asked Gasunie to set the wheels in motion towards creating a hydrogen network. This hydrogen network will help achieve the climate goals and energy independence, and improve the Netherlands’ competitive position.

Like the other countries around the North Sea, the Netherlands has great ambitions when it comes to scaling up and rolling out offshore wind, and it is uniquely positioned to do so. Offshore wind helps to make the energy supply sustainable and affordable and will continue to grow rapidly and robustly. It also makes the Netherlands and Europe less dependent on energy from other countries and improves the Netherlands’ competitive position. With the further growth of offshore wind from 2030, onshore as well as offshore hydrogen production becomes essential. From 2030 onwards, it will become increasingly challenging to transmit all the wind power generated offshore to land in the form of electricity.

That is where hydrogen comes in as a great alternative, given the extensive transmission capacity offered by gas pipelines and the fact that hydrogen is relatively easy to store. This is important if we want to have sufficient energy available, also when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining. Besides the benefits for the energy system, offshore hydrogen also means that fewer cables and electrolysers will be needed on land. On top of that, hydrogen transmission is very (cost-)efficient, meaning that it will bring down the total energy infrastructure costs. An added benefit is that these pipelines in the North Sea can also be used to import hydrogen from other North Sea countries.

Gasunie CEO Willemien Terpstra: ‘We are pleased that the government has placed its trust in Gasunie and intends to assign Gasunie this vital role of offshore hydrogen network operator. We are ready, just like we are doing onshore with the national hydrogen network, to get to work to build a network in the North Sea, that will not only have good connections to our national network but also to our neighbouring countries. Needless to say, we will be looking into whether and, if so, how we can reuse the existing North Sea gas infrastructure.’

The development of an offshore hydrogen network serves a public interest. The minister will soon give Gasunie, as the intended network operator, the task of safeguarding this public interest in developing the network, classing it as a service of general economic interest. It will see Gasunie team up with pipeline owners to explore the possibilities of reusing pipelines. Gasunie will receive a grant from the Climate Fund for the performance of this task. It will be up to the new government to decide what resources to make available for the construction and operation of the offshore hydrogen network.

With its infrastructure, Gasunie contributes to the transition towards an affordable, reliable and sustainable energy supply for the Netherlands. Commissioned by the government, Gasunie started work on the construction of the national hydrogen network in 2023, primarily by repurposing existing natural gas pipelines. Gasunie is also exploring possibilities for hydrogen storage and import. Alongside developing the hydrogen network in the North Sea, Gasunie is working to get the hydrogen market up and running, boost trust from industry, and bolster the Netherlands’ position as a gateway to the European energy system.