Their relative proximity and common topics led the diplomatic posts in both cities to combine forces with the aim of increasing international collaboration between the Netherlands and North American key stakeholders on the hydrogen-enabled energy transition.

This week, an innovation mission on hydrogen travels to British Columbia and California.

“As neighbor consulates, we work together on solutions that address mutual challenges, such as climate change.” said Dirk Janssen, Consul General in San Francisco. “Hydrogen plays an essential role in the Netherlands energy transition and decarbonization strategy and provides exciting new business opportunities here in California and British Columbia.”

The Netherlands has an ambitious target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and is committed to investing in infrastructure, technology development, and demonstration projects that incorporate hydrogen as a portable and long-term energy storage solution.

The Netherlands has an extensive natural gas pipeline network to leverage, and it is estimated that up to 50 percent of the future net-zero energy mix will consist of carbon-neutral gases, such as green hydrogen.

In recent years, the Dutch embassy network in Canada and the United States has been exploring and making connections between Dutch and North American experts digitally, as well as conducting in-depth market analyses.

This week’s innovation mission to British Columbia and California consists of a group of representatives from industry, government, and research. The mission’s goal is to explore opportunities for collaboration and networking with innovative technology partners, in particular in the areas of electrolysis, fuel-cells, mobility, storage, and ports and hubs.

Sebastiaan Messerschmidt, Consul General in Vancouver, is pleased with the joint mission of the Canadian and American consulates: “This mission is an excellent example of the potential of international cooperation, not only for the visiting delegation, but also for the diplomatic network in Canada and the US.”

Deeper collaboration with British Columbia seemed natural, given the abundant natural resources, the large amount of renewable energy, the ambitious carbon reduction targets, and the expertise in hydrogen and fuel cell development.

“Grounded in the first memorandum of understanding in the field of hydrogen collaboration between Canada and the Netherlands signed in December 2021, this innovation mission is ideally timed to deepen the hydrogen relations between Canada and the Netherlands,” Messerschmidt explains.

California has taken similar steps. The memorandum of understanding signed in 2022 between the Netherlands government and the State of California on Climate Change Planning and Action outlines a framework for cooperation on environmental protection, climate change, and natural resources.

“It includes the sharing of technical information and promoting best practices to transition transportation and freight to zero emission, including hydrogen-powered vehicles, and actions to reduce emissions at ports,” Janssen said.

The Dutch embassy network in the USA and Canada supports Dutch companies and research institutes in making meaningful connections with industry and investors. It creates bilateral and strategic partnerships to codevelop technologies and solutions that address mutual challenges, such as climate change. It also supports companies interested in investing in the Netherlands and becoming part of the high-tech Dutch ecosystem.