Hydrogen as a strategic building block for a climate‑neutral industry

On 20 May 2025, the hydrogen sub‑working group of the Dutch‑French Innovation Pact met at the residence of the French Ambassador to the Netherlands, François Alabrune, on the margins of the World Hydrogen Summit & Exhibition. The meeting was chaired by Elwin Delfgaauw (ENGIE) and Pierre Laboué (France Hydrogène) and brought together a diverse group of participants, including the Dutch Ambassador to France, Jan Versteeg.

Concrete agenda

The session facilitated an in‑depth exchange on three key themes: ongoing hydrogen projects in France and the Netherlands, opportunities for cross‑border cooperation, and financing instruments and shared challenges related to the decarbonisation of industry. The session had a strong practical focus, addressing concrete topics such as electrolyser capacity, the role of ports as hydrogen hubs, and cross‑border infrastructure.

Attention to enabling conditions

Both the Netherlands and France are making substantial investments in sustainable energy infrastructure, including hydrogen. However, the hydrogen market is developing more slowly than expected, largely because not all enabling conditions — such as infrastructure and sufficient renewable energy generation — are yet fully in place. These shared challenges make bilateral cooperation particularly relevant: by pooling knowledge and capacity, obstacles can be addressed more effectively

European momentum

The meeting underscored the strategic role of hydrogen in the decarbonisation of both economies and highlighted the importance of this cooperation as part of a broader European momentum for clean industries and innovation. The hydrogen sub‑working group thus represents a concrete implementation of the Innovation Pact signed by the Netherlands and France in 2023.

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