Gasunie's Hynetwork Opens Hydrogen Network Plan for Public Review

Gasunie subsidiary Hynetwork has opened plans for the North Sea Canal Area Hydrogen Network for public review, marking another step toward expanding hydrogen infrastructure across the Netherlands.

From 18 September through 29 October 2026, stakeholders and members of the public can review the draft project decision, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and draft permits for the planned hydrogen network. The consultation covers infrastructure that will connect industrial companies in the North Sea Canal Area to the future Dutch national hydrogen network.

Hydrogen Network to Connect Major Industrial Areas

The planned network will run through the municipalities of Beverwijk, Velsen, Zaanstad, Haarlemmermeer and Amsterdam.

Hynetwork, which is wholly owned by Gasunie, intends to reuse existing natural gas pipelines wherever technically possible. Where existing infrastructure cannot be repurposed, new hydrogen pipelines and associated installations will be constructed.

Connecting the Region to the Dutch Hydrogen Network

The new infrastructure is planned as part of the Netherlands' future national hydrogen network.

Once connected, companies in the North Sea Canal Area will be able to access hydrogen as both an energy carrier and industrial feedstock. The network will also provide connections to other Dutch industrial clusters, hydrogen storage facilities and international hydrogen infrastructure.

This wider network is being developed to connect the Netherlands' major industrial clusters with hydrogen production, storage, import locations and neighbouring countries.

Hynetwork says the national network will eventually comprise around 1,200 kilometres of hydrogen pipelines, with much of the infrastructure based on repurposed natural gas pipelines.

Public Consultation Opens for Key Project Documents

The current consultation gives stakeholders an opportunity to examine the project's environmental and planning documentation before decisions are finalised.

The documents available for review include:

• Draft project decision

• Environmental Impact Assessment

• Draft permits

• Planned hydrogen network route

• Supporting project information

Interested parties can submit comments during the consultation period ending 29 October 2026.

Hynetwork and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy are also organising information sessions to answer questions about the project.

Hydrogen Infrastructure to Support Industrial Decarbonisation

Hydrogen is expected to play a role in reducing emissions from industrial activities where direct electrification is difficult.

The North Sea Canal Area network is designed to provide companies with access to hydrogen that can potentially replace fossil-based fuels and feedstocks in industrial processes. At the same time, connections to the broader network could give businesses access to hydrogen produced elsewhere in the Netherlands or imported through international supply chains.

Gasunie is developing the national hydrogen network in phases. The first major section in Rotterdam has already been completed, with a 32-kilometre pipeline connecting the port and industrial area.

Existing Gas Pipelines to Be Repurposed

A major element of the Dutch hydrogen strategy is the reuse of existing natural gas infrastructure.

Hynetwork says existing pipelines will be used for much of the future hydrogen network because declining natural gas transport requirements can make these assets available for conversion. New pipelines will be constructed where existing infrastructure cannot be used or is not available in time.

This approach is intended to support the development of hydrogen infrastructure while making use of existing energy corridors and pipeline assets.

North Sea Canal Area and International Connections

The planned network will not operate as an isolated regional system.

Hynetwork's wider national network is intended to connect Dutch industrial clusters with hydrogen storage and import facilities, as well as infrastructure in neighbouring countries. The national rollout plan includes connections toward Germany and Belgium, while the Delta Rhine Corridor is expected to provide an important west-east connection within the wider hydrogen system.

This interconnected infrastructure could allow hydrogen to move between producers, storage facilities and industrial consumers across the Netherlands and neighbouring markets.

Next Steps for the Hydrogen Network

The public consultation represents an important planning stage for the North Sea Canal Area project.

Following the review period, feedback from stakeholders and the public can be considered as the project moves through its permitting and development process. The network will ultimately form part of the broader Dutch hydrogen infrastructure being developed by Hynetwork.

The project therefore represents another step in building a hydrogen transport system that connects Dutch industrial regions with domestic production, storage and international hydrogen supply routes.

Building the Netherlands' Hydrogen Infrastructure

Hynetwork's latest consultation highlights the continued expansion of the Netherlands' hydrogen infrastructure.

With the Rotterdam section already operational and additional industrial clusters being developed, the North Sea Canal Area network is intended to connect another major industrial region to the emerging hydrogen system.

The combination of repurposed gas pipelines, new infrastructure and connections to storage and international networks is designed to provide Dutch industry with greater access to hydrogen as the country's energy and industrial systems transition toward lower-carbon alternatives.