Regional Hydrogen Network Moves Forward with Official Signing at H2A Symposium
During the Hydrogen to Amsterdam symposium on 19 June 2025, a key milestone was reached in the development of regional hydrogen infrastructure for the Amsterdam port area. Port of Amsterdam, Firan and Alliander officially signed a cooperation agreement for the realisation of a new hydrogen distribution network: H2avennet. The signing marked a significant step forward in the effort to make the industrial sector more sustainable and demonstrated the joint commitment of the partners to accelerate the energy transition.
The event opened with a welcome speech that included a memorable analogy: the infrastructure for hydrogen is like a festival site that has been set up stage in place, lights on, ready for the audience but the visitors have not yet arrived. This image set the tone for the day, highlighting the importance of building infrastructure in anticipation of future demand. It captured the essence of why this collaboration matters: readiness breeds confidence, and confidence drives investment.
The H2avennet network is being developed in the Port of Amsterdam to provide a highly efficient means of transporting hydrogen between producers, importers and industrial users. By enabling local hydrogen value chains, the network supports the use of hydrogen in decarbonising industrial processes. One of the key components of the project is a connection to the northern side of the North Sea Canal, including the industrial zone at HoogTij in Zaanstad. This connection is being further developed as part of the detailed design phase.
A major part of the vision is to ensure that H2avennet can eventually be connected to the national hydrogen transport system currently under construction by Hynetworks, a subsidiary of Gasunie. While the initial set-up will allow hydrogen to flow from the national network into the regional distribution network at a lower pressure, the infrastructure is being prepared with future integration and scaling in mind.
The agreement signed during the symposium underlines the partners’ ambition to finalise the detailed design of the distribution network over the coming year, with a view to starting construction in 2026. This timeline places the infrastructure development ahead of the broader market, reducing uncertainty for industrial parties considering hydrogen as part of their operations.
As part of the announcement, Guido Frenken, Director of Heat and Hydrogen at Firan, stated: “We are asking companies that are interested in supplying and/or using hydrogen to join the initiative. In this way, we can jointly further develop the project, such as the design and planning.” His remarks highlighted the importance of co-creation and early engagement from stakeholders across the region.
Dorine Bosman, Chief Investment Officer of Port of Amsterdam, added: “We are taking the project to the next phase to create the right preconditions for the energy transition in the port. In this way, we give entrepreneurs the confidence that they will soon be able to make the switch to a reliable hydrogen network that is ready for the future.” She further emphasized that H2avennet will provide greater energy security for companies already based in the port area, as well as for those considering establishing themselves there.
With the formal signing now complete and the project entering its engineering phase, H2avennet stands as a key building block in the Hydrogen to Amsterdam strategy. It is a tangible example of how regional cooperation, long-term planning and public-private partnership can deliver real progress in the energy transition.