Energy

working together for a clean energy transition
© Mischa Keijser

Norway and the Netherlands share high climate ambitions, political will and industrial advantages to make the clean energy transition a reality.

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The Netherlands and Norway both attach great importance to solving climate issues, but as small countries this can only be done by cooperating. With a highly advanced workforce, cutting edge science and innovative technologies, the two likeminded countries join forces to bring new and clean energy solutions to the market. Connected through the North Sea, the two countries are world leading in the fields of hydrogen, offshore wind and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). This paves the way for world class cooperation!

Hydrogen

The Paris Climate aims to decarbonize the economy and reduce emissions. This has led to a lot of interest for hydrogen in the Netherlands and Norway and it is a prioritised area for both governments. Hydrogen, in all its forms and uses, can play an essential role in the energy transition. It can reduce emissions from ‘hard to abate’ industries, where other means of emission reduction is difficult or impossible. Another area is long distance shipping, where hydrogen based fuels can make shipping emission free. Hydrogen can also be used as a energy storage in connection with solar and wind solutions.

The Dutch embassies for Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark and Finland and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) have commissioned a Market Study on Hydrogen in the Nordics. The market study was carried out by consultancy agency Spinsverse and gives a good overview over the latest trends and developments on this topic in each of the Nordic countries. Some highlights for Norway: 

Norway has strong expertise and experience in hydrogen technologies, with several internationally recognized companies and investments in production facilities, transport solutions, and renewable energy.

Norway has the potential to become a significant exporter of both blue and green hydrogen. Dutch hydrogen sector is well-positioned to benefit from Norway's hydrogen exports both by providing solutions and expertise in production, transport and storage and to use hydrogen to decarbonize industrial processes in the Netherlands.

  • Norway has established itself as a leader in the manufacturing of electrolysers, which are critical components in the production of green hydrogen. In the Netherlands in particular, a lot of expertise is available (including from other industrial markets) to improve the production process and to increase the quality and efficiency of electrolysers.
  • The transportation sector is particularly interesting in Norway, and especially in the maritime segment. Dutch strengths lie in heavy-duty transportation and Dutch companies can leverage their technical know-how and expertise to collaborate with Norwegian businesses and research institutions to create a value chain for maritime and road transport fueled by Hydrogen.

Video on Dutch clean Hydrogen technology.

Further reading

Dutch Hydrogen Guide  
Dutch Hydrogen Roadmap
The Dutch Strategy on Hydrogen
Overview of Hydrogen Projects in the Netherlands
The Norwegian Hydrogen Strategy
Norwegian Hydrogen Guide

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

CCS can be a solution where no other forms of mitigation is possible, for example in some industrial processes. By removing the CO2 and storing it safely under the seabed, it will stop the emissions from entering the atmosphere. CCS technology can also contribute to negative emissions by capturing CO2 directly from the air. Both countries are working on large scale CCS projects to develop technology and a value chain for the CCS industry.

Offshore wind

Offshore Wind park Q7 is being built some 23 kilometers offshore from IJmuiden, in block Q7 of the Dutch continental shelf.

The North Sea has unique potential for large scale wind power industry. The existing infrastructure and advanced maritime and subsea technology that already exists gives the Netherlands and Norway a head start. While the Netherlands have long experience with bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines, Norway is in addition exploring the opportunities of floating wind turbines.

Both governments have sharpened their ambitions of installed capacity for the coming decades. The economic opportunities of the offshore wind development are considerable and will lead to job creation and increased economic acitivty as well as providing clean energy for the industry and households.

Shared interest

Image: ©Terese Samuelsen. Signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the Netherlands, represented by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Ben Knapen, and Norway, represented by the Minister of Petroleum and Energy Marte Mjøs Persen.

The embassy works together with Norwegian and Dutch governments, organisations and companies to further explore the possibilities for hydrogen cooperation. During the state visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima to Norway in 2021, the embassy teamed up with Norwegian research institute SINTEF, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim and the Norwegian Ministry for Petroleum and Energy, to organise a panel debate on hydrogen and energy transition in the North Sea. In extension to the state visit, the embassy also invited energy business actors to a matchmaking event to further discuss opportunities for future cooperation.

During the state visit, the governments of Norway and the Netherlands also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on further cooperation on CCS and energy cooperation. The embassy is continuously working on intensifying the relationship between the two countries.