In the Netherlands, energy infrastructure company Gasunie said that it had been selected as the intended network operator for the future hydrogen network in the North Sea. The firm said that the announcement was made 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 stressed the importance of designating an intended operator to safeguard public interests. This hydrogen network will help achieve the climate goals and energy independence, and improve the Netherlands’ competitive position, the firm added. Gasunie CEO Willemien Terpstra, said: “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 neighboring countries. Needless to say, we will be looking into whether and, if so, how we can reuse the existing North Sea gas infrastructure.” 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.
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