H2A Symposium
Making the leap.
Achieving breakthroughs in hydrogen imports
H2A Symposium 2025 speakers
Join us for an insightful and engaging event, full of opportunities to network and to discuss the future of the hydrogen industry.
On June 19, 2025, Hydrogen to Amsterdam (H2A) will host its third annual symposium. This event offers a unique platform to explore and exchange ideas on the future of hydrogen:
Making the leap
Achieving breakthroughs in hydrogen imports
How to tackle the identified bottlenecks for the realisation of import supply chains? Which solutions work for an integrated value chain?
Previous editions included well respected keynotes such as Oman’s Minister of Energy and Minerals, H.E. Salim al Aufi, former European Commission stalwart Mr. Diederik Samson and the Dutch Director-General of Climate and Energy, Mr. Michel Heijdra. This year promises guests of equal stature, making the Symposium an ideal occasion to connect and engage with, and to share and learn about the latest innovations, challenges, and solutions in clean hydrogen.
The 2025 H2A Symposium coincides with the 750th anniversary of Amsterdam. To honor this milestone, H2A will collaborate with the University of Amsterdam, adding a new dimension to the program by integrating the latest scientific insights.
It promises to be an exciting and memorable day; one you do not want to miss!
Willemien Terpstra
Chief Executive Office (CEO) and Chair of the Executive Board of N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie
Willemien Terpstra is the Chief Executive Office (CEO) and Chair of the Executive Board of N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie, a European energy infrastructure company at the forefront of the energy transition. With over 25 years of experience in the chemical industry, Willemien is renowed for her inspirational leadership and her ability to inspire and motivate teams. She is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace and is committed to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from Nyenrode University in the Netherlands and an MBA from Emory University in Atlanta (USA). Willemien is also an active member of several industry boards and committees. Notably, she represented the Rotterdam chemical cluster at the Dutch Climate Table, playing a crucial role in setting the climate targets for the Netherlands.
Ellen Ruhotas
Chief Executive Office (CEO) at ECOLOG
Ellen Ruhotas plays a key role in advancing liquid hydrogen solutions, combining decades of expertise in midstream operations within the bulk liquid storage and maritime industries to drive the transition to cleaner energy. With a proven track record in engineering, operations, and commercial management across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Oceania, Ellen is at the forefront of developing innovative solutions for the new energy era.
Awarded the prestigious Hydrogen Medal, Ellen has been a driving force behind Amsterdam’s emergence as a global hydrogen hub. She has forged key partnerships with countries such as Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Germany, facilitating progress in liquid hydrogen as a viable and sustainable transportation solution. Her efforts have included the development of facilities for hydrogen import, storage, distribution, and regasification in Amsterdam.
Ellen holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical/Industrial) with First Class Honours from the University of New South Wales, as well as an MBA and Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University, with First Class Honours. A multilingual international commercial arbitrator fluent in English and Greek, Ellen’s global expertise and leadership have consistently shaped energy management, corporate strategy, and international supply chains.
Santosh Raikar
Santosh Raikar is the Managing Partner of Silverpeak Renewables Investment Partners, responsible for leading the firm’s new renewable energy sector platform. Santosh has more than 20 years of experience in energy and infrastructure project finance, including renewable energy, oil & gas, power, and midstream infrastructure assets. Prior to joining Silverpeak, he was a Managing Director in the Renewable Energy Investments Group at State Street where he was responsible for leading a team in originating, structuring, and executing tax equity investments in the U.S. renewable energy sector.
Bart van der Meer
Bart van der Meer is Business Development Manager New energies at Evos, focussing on the energy Transition and Evos’ future. He has a strong focus on Green Hydrogen delivered on various vectors like Ammonia and LOHC. Besides Hydrogen, he also focuses on synthetic fuels (like eSAF) and bioFuels.
Dorine Bosman
CIO at Port of Amsterdam
As Chief Investment Officer, Bosman provides direction in boosting Amsterdam as a sustainable European seaport and in stimulating and accelerating the energy transition, circular activities and industries, to reduce CO2 emissions in the port and in the region.
Within Port of Amsterdam, Bosman is responsible for infrastructure, maintenance, environmental management, innovations and commercial participations.
Maarten Moolhuysen
Maarten Moolhuysen is director Hydrogen at Essent, an E.ON daughter company, and member of the Essent Leadership Team. He leads the business development activities for hydrogen with a focus on local hydrogen solutions for industrial offtakers including so-called energy/ hydrogen hubs. Maarten has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector, with leading roles in large scale transformation programs, operations, IT and Strategy and M&A.
Prof. dr. J.C. Chris Slootweg
Professor, Physical Organic Chemistry, Circular Chemistry, Science, Technology & Innovation at University of Amsterdam
Chris Slootweg started his independent scientific career in 2006 at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014 and moved to the University of Amsterdam in 2016, where he was promoted to full professor in Circular Chemistry in 2024. The mission of his laboratory is to educate students at the intersection of fundamental physical organic chemistry, main group chemistry, and circular chemistry.
Albert Kassies Albert Kassies
Director New Energy at Tata Steel Netherlands
As Director New Energy at Tata Steel, Albert is responsible for the procurement of energy needed to produce green steel. Albert knows the company and the steel-making process like no other. He has been with Tata Steel (then Koninklijke Hoogovens) since 1996 and has contributed to the company in a variety of roles since then. Transformation runs as a common thread through his work.
Expert Panels
The event will take a deep dive into three subjects that dominate the hydrogen headlines: the need for adequate and timely infrastructure, the challenges to get project throughout the supply chain financed, and the precarious balance between higher sustainability requirements and the safeguarding of the competitiveness of European industries. Each of these three subjects will be addressed during three separate, exciting panels:
Infrastructure
The import of hydrogen requires interconnected, international supply chains, in order to bring hydrogen produced from miscellaneous locations in the world to the doorstep of industries located in Northwestern-Europe. In some cases, like for Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers, this supply chain can in part rely on already existing infrastructure. In other cases, like for liquid hydrogen, this requires the constructing of new dedicated facilities. In all cases, reliable and timely (pipeline) distribution systems need to be in place to allow hydrogen to be delivered to the end users. This panel will focus on questions related to infrastructural requirements per vector, supply chain integration of infrastructure across countries and continents, the vision for a European pipeline system, needed regulations, and much more.
Financing
Given the innovative nature and the many unknowns of the hydrogen economy, it can be challenging to get projects bankable. Variability in legislation, a perceived gap between the landed cost of hydrogen and the willingness to pay by potential offtakers and hesitancy by financing institutions to accept risk, are just a few factors that can impact the bankability of projects throughout the supply chain. This panel will take a detailed look at such financing challenges, the role of public and private institutions, effective instruments to bridge the delta between cost and willingness to pay, the financing conditions projects need to meet, and how stimulate FIDs throughout the supply chain.
Industry Competitiveness
The competitiveness of European industries is a hot topic. The European Union and national governments have defined strong ambitions when it comes to decarbonization, including the use of (green) hydrogen. The counterargument against such ambitions is that it forces higher costs on industries active in sectors that are already under pressure, which could ultimately lead to the folding of facilities all over Europe, as they can no longer compete with their competitors located in other continents. The discussion for this panel will include the balance between measures to tackle climate change and keeping industries in Europe, the role of legislation and its uniform application across the members of the European Union, the considerations for companies to transform their business case, the rise of new industries, and the geopolitical context wherein companies and governments need to operate.
Anniversary year and partnership University of Amsterdam
The 2025 edition of the H2A Symposium coincides with the celebration of the 750th birthday of Amsterdam. To honour this storied legacy, H2A will team up with the University of Amsterdam, adding a new dimension to the event, which will give delegates access to the latest scientific insights. It promises to be an exciting day; one you do not want to miss!
Register Now
Do you want to join the third annual Symposium? You can now register through the link. Registration is free of charge. We look forward to welcoming you on the 19th of June!