From Vision to Execution: Highlights from the H2A Symposium 2025

On June 19, 2025, the H2A Association welcomed stakeholders from across Europe and beyond to Theater Amsterdam for the third edition of its annual symposium. Held against the backdrop of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary, the event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, academia, innovators and investors to reflect on how far the hydrogen economy has come and what it will take to move from planning to real-world implementation. 

The day opened with remarks from H2A Chairman Bart van der Meer and Executive Board Member Gert-Jan Nieuwenhuizen. Their message was clear: while the early days of hydrogen were marked by high hopes and headline-grabbing ambition, we are now firmly in the phase of pragmatic execution. “This year is about showcasing what has already been built,” said Gert-Jan, noting the shift from hype to realism. “But it’s also about being honest about the challenges we still need to solve.” Bart added that the focus is now on local and regional links, turning big ambition into practical, scalable, and bankable projects. 

That theme carried into the opening keynote, where Tarek Helmi reflected on the evolving role of hydrogen in Europe. Once seen primarily as a decarbonization vector, hydrogen is now a central pillar of energy security and economic resilience. While the Netherlands has made strong progress in reducing emissions through electrification, heavy industry remains a hard nut to crack. Tarek pointed to a need for speed policy is moving, but not fast enough. Initiatives like demand aggregation and the upcoming demand obligation policy, he said, will be key to building the commercial case for hydrogen and easing the subsidy burden on governments. 

From there, the conversation turned to infrastructure. In a lively panel hosted by Melissa Ablett-Jordaan, speakers from Silverpeak, EVOS, duisport and the University of Amsterdam explored how physical and regulatory infrastructure must evolve. Bart van der Meer noted that legacy infrastructure, like port terminals and storage facilities, can and should be reused wherever possible. Alexander Garbar emphasized that the real challenge isn’t pipes or ships, but aligning producers and offtakers. Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh brought a governance lens, calling for inclusive, transparent frameworks guided by a “seven generations” principle that ensures long-term impact. 

The finance panel offered a candid look at the challenges of funding hydrogen projects in today’s uncertain market. Dolores de Rooij (Invest-NL) opened with findings from a recent study, showing that while importing liquid hydrogen into Amsterdam is viable long-term, short-term gaps remain due to high costs, unclear regulation, and weak offtake. Maarten Moolhuysen (Essent) stressed the value of starting local and practical: “Prove it works, and investment will follow.” Aitor Arzuaga (Petronor) shared how clear regulatory targets in Spain are helping projects move forward, with several large electrolysers reaching FID this year. Johannes Frevel (Hydrogenious) highlighted the financing strain on midstream projects, calling for more targeted public support downstream where risk is highest. Across the panel, the message was clear: public-private coordination and strong demand signals are essential to unlock investment and get projects off the ground. 

A milestone moment came midday with the signing of a new cooperation agreement between Port of Amsterdam and Firan for the development of H2avennet, a finely meshed hydrogen distribution network set to launch in 2026. This was more than an infrastructure announcement, it was a statement of intent. “This is about laying the foundation,” said Brenda Schoumans (Firan). “It’s about giving industry the confidence that the infrastructure will be there when they need it.” With detailed design now underway, H2avennet is actively inviting companies to step forward and help shape the future network. 

The international context was powerfully underscored by a video message from Brigitte van den Berg, Member of the European Parliament. She highlighted the critical timing of hydrogen investments and called on governments, local, national, and European, to take a no-regrets approach. “We need to help companies make investment decisions,” she urged. “Even if the policy isn’t all in place yet, we must signal that we are committed. That’s how we get the real momentum going.” 

Gasunie CEO Willemien Terpstra then took the stage with a keynote that captured the urgency of the moment. “The time for talking is over,” she said. “It’s time for action.” Drawing a powerful metaphor from the sea, she reminded the room that good sailors are not made in calm waters and that navigating this transition will require teamwork, resilience, and steady leadership. Her call to move from perfect plans to practical, scalable ones resonated deeply across the room. 

The afternoon turned to the role of industry in hydrogen’s future, with a compelling panel on industry competitiveness that tackled how to keep Europe’s heavy industry viable while transitioning to cleaner energy. Albert Kassies (Tata Steel) stressed that “customers aren’t willing to pay the premium, yet,” calling for mandates on green hydrogen in end products to help close the gap. Linda Boukhelifa (Shell) emphasized the need for scale, to bring costs down and unlock investment in infrastructure and technology. Vice Mayor Zita Pels urged policymakers to act decisively, “We can’t wait for perfection, we have to move” while also calling for transparency and accountability, encouraging companies to reflect on their past impact and be honest about their role in shaping a more sustainable future. Chris Slootweg (University of Amsterdam) added that the focus should be on measurable sustainability, not just labels, and called for deeper collaboration between industry and academia. The message was clear: competitiveness will hinge on pragmatism, policy clarity, and cross-sector coordination. 

The day concluded on a high note with a keynote from Ellen Ruhotas of Ecolog. Her presentation brought the room back to first principles and reminded everyone that today’s liquid hydrogen pioneers stand on the shoulders of decades of cryogenic innovation. From a groundbreaking liquefaction project in Oman, to the world’s first zero boil-off hydrogen tankers, Ellen walked the audience through the concrete progress being made across the value chain. Her central message: we don’t need to wait for perfect conditions. The like-minded, the willing, and the courageous are already building. 

Throughout the day, one theme came through again and again: progress is not theoretical. It’s being designed, financed, constructed, and commissioned today, by many of the people in the room. With new partnerships signed, infrastructure advancing, and policy tightening, the hydrogen movement in the Amsterdam region is no longer a question of “if,” but “how fast.” 

H2A extends its deepest thanks to all speakers, partners, and attendees who made the day such a success. The journey continues and we’re building it together.