Kick-off HyPRO: “Removing Barriers for a Major Role of Hydrogen in the Energy Transition”

With a festive kick-off, HyPRO has officially launched—the largest R&D project for green hydrogen in the Netherlands. 58 partners gathered on Monday, February 3, with the goal of improving the sustainable production of hydrogen through electrolysis and plasma technology. “With this, we aim to remove barriers for a major role of hydrogen in the energy transition.”

Technically, it is already very feasible to produce hydrogen from renewable electricity, and this is happening in more and more places. However, to accelerate and scale up production and enable hydrogen to play a major role in the energy transition, more is needed, says Arend de Groot, senior consultant at TNO and project coordinator of HyPRO. “The technology needs to become cheaper. Moreover, there are still many risks associated with scaling up. With HyPRO, we aim to reduce these risks through technological innovations. Only then industrial players and other market parties will be willing to invest on a larger scale.” According to him, this is of great importance for the Netherlands. “With HyPRO, we help make the industry more sustainable and keep it in the Netherlands. Additionally, we provide a boost to the high-tech manufacturing industry by developing solutions for electrolysis and plasma technology.”

Tackling barriers in tasks

Prior to HyPRO, the consortium identified barriers that are currently hindering investment decisions. The research project consists of six tasks, each targeting specific barriers. Guido Mul, professor at the University of Twente and technical coordinator of HyPRO, explains the project: “With three tasks, we focus on innovations in low-temperature electrolysis. This can be carried out using alkaline cells, PEM cells, and innovative new methodologies such as membrane-free cells. Additionally, oxygen and proton-conducting materials for high-temperature electrolysis are being optimized and developed. We are also researching plasma technology as a CO₂-neutral alternative to chemical processes. In the final task, we explore methods to improve collaboration and innovation across the entire value chain. For example, how can we develop test protocols to help the market adopt innovations more quickly?”

With its six tasks, HyPRO has a clear focus on driving the transition to green hydrogen. “In addition, the breadth of our project is a major strength,” says Mul. “With nearly sixty partners, the entire hydrogen value chain is represented, allowing us to thoroughly explore the implementation of innovations.

We also strive for intensive collaboration between industry and Dutch research institutions, leveraging state-of-the-art infrastructure and expertise to conduct world-class fundamental and, above all, applied research. Finally, we expect higher education institutions to train the next generation of engineers for the hydrogen production technology of the future.”

Kick-off in Utrecht

The kick-off of HyPRO took place at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht. It was both a festive and serious start to the project, which will run until early 2029 with a budget of over €50 million. “After an insightful morning with external speakers discussing the opportunities and challenges of AI in research, as well as the value of ‘brilliant failure’ in research and development, the afternoon focused on the research and development activities set to begin,” says De Groot. “Since we have already done a lot of work in writing the proposal, it’s now a matter of getting started.” Attendees also had the opportunity to join presentations from two other GroenvermogenNL projects: HyTROS (focused on the transport and storage of green hydrogen) and HySUCCESS (which examines the socio-economic aspects of the hydrogen transition). This provided valuable insights into potential synergies between different GroenvermogenNL R&D projects and opportunities for collaboration.

To achieve large-scale deployment of green hydrogen in the Netherlands, we need innovative technologies for hydrogen production and sustainable production facilities in the chemical industry. The R&D program of GroenvermogenNL brings together various parties in well-balanced, unique consortia to tackle urgent research questions. A total of €177 million in funding is available for this purpose. Curious about the research? Watch the HyPRO introduction video and learn more about the R&D program.

GroenvermogenNL: Innovation Engine of the Green Hydrogen Economy

GroenvermogenNL is a program funded by the National Growth Fund. Its goal is to stimulate and accelerate the use of green hydrogen in Dutch industry by focusing on R&D, pilot projects, demonstrations, and human capital. A total subsidy budget of €838 million has been reserved for this initiative until 2030.