D66 Wants to Make the Netherlands a Leader in the Energy Transition Again

What is your vision for the energy supply of the future, and what role does hydrogen play in it?

Hydrogen is a crucial link in the energy transition. It helps store surpluses of renewable energy, prevents grid congestion, and is indispensable for greening industry and mobility. The Netherlands can profile itself internationally as a producer, transit country, and user, by making strategic use of the North Sea and our electricity grid.

The Netherlands aims to have hydrogen plants with a total capacity of 3 to 4 gigawatts by 2030. How realistic are those targets?

Good question. You see in many climate dossiers that this cabinet has done very little. 2030 is very close, so the target is tight. D66 does not want to abandon climate ambitions. We need a new cabinet that is committed to making these ambitions possible. We must pull out all the stops to get large-scale green hydrogen production off the ground.

The minister has adjusted subsidy deadlines for hydrogen due to delayed infrastructure. Is that enough to get hydrogen production going?

Due to delays in infrastructure such as the Delta Rhine Corridor, subsidies need to be extended. D66 advocates for faster permitting, clear planning, and stable subsidies, so companies know where they stand and projects can start faster. We don’t want to miss opportunities for our green economy after the delays caused by the previous “grey” cabinet.

How would D66 achieve faster permitting in practice?

Long permitting procedures slow down the energy transition. Technical installations for the electricity grid can take 15 years to build, but permits alone can take 10 years. That’s unacceptable. The excessive regulations hinder progress. TenneT has outlined how things could be done smarter, but the minister’s acceleration plan only adopts a few of these measures — far too little, in my view. We need real breakthroughs here. We must get rid of “dirty rules” — rules that block sustainability.

Is D66 open to blue hydrogen — produced from natural gas with CO₂ capture — as a temporary solution?

It’s necessary to build hydrogen infrastructure as quickly as possible. Blue hydrogen is a way to bridge the gap until fully green hydrogen is available. We must not be dogmatic about this. But don’t get us wrong: D66 wants all investments focused on a rapid scale-up of green hydrogen.

How will D66 prevent blue hydrogen from slowing down the development of green hydrogen?

We don’t want a taboo, because blue hydrogen is needed to kick-start the market. But we also don’t want a lock-in, which would maintain dependence on natural gas. How to prevent this? It will be difficult in practice. The government must be clear that blue hydrogen is only a temporary solution and that the ultimate goal is green hydrogen.

There are many complaints about high energy prices in the Netherlands. Should the regulator ACM calculate tariffs differently, for example by spreading investments over more years?

It’s up to the minister to prevent energy prices from skyrocketing. On behalf of D66, I previously proposed a multi-billion investment in the offshore grid to lower costs for households and businesses. Now we must also ensure the business case for hydrogen really takes off, keeping clean energy affordable and reliable. Scaling up green hydrogen is essential for greening industry and mobility. This is a real opportunity to make our economy future-proof. The “we’ll fix it” mentality has been missing from energy policy over the past two years.

How does a multi-billion investment reduce costs for households and companies?

Currently, energy infrastructure investments are passed directly onto users. But these are long-term investments. The government can spread these costs over time so current users don’t bear everything. The Interdepartmental Policy Review (IBO) on electricity infrastructure costs makes concrete proposals for this. A D66 motion has been passed to adopt these recommendations; now we await action from the cabinet with Budget Day.

In the Netherlands, hydrogen plants must pay for a grid connection, unlike in Belgium and Germany. Should an exception be made?

Exempting hydrogen plants would shift costs to other users, like households and businesses, raising energy prices. D66 does support a discounted connection for companies that can use the grid smartly, such as electrolyzers or batteries. ACM is currently studying this.

The Netherlands is pushing to relax EU rules for renewable hydrogen. How effective is the Dutch lobby in Brussels so far? Should the Netherlands join initiatives by other countries, like France and Germany?

Cooperation in Europe always works better than going it alone. The Netherlands should join the frontrunners. Together with countries like France and Germany, we can reduce restrictive rules, speed up deployment, and harmonize regulations, stimulating both the market and investments in green hydrogen. A clear win-win.

With elections approaching, is the energy transition getting enough attention in political and societal debate? How will you gain public support?

With Climate Minister Rob Jetten, the Netherlands saw it can be done. We were on track, but the following “grey shrink cabinet” abandoned ambitions. What do you expect when sitting with the PVV? That party does everything to frustrate the energy transition.

However, more parties now realize, after high energy prices and the war in Ukraine, that domestic energy is crucial. We want independence from Putin’s Russia or Trump’s USA.

Public support requires a few things. First, energy must be affordable, so everyone can participate. Second, energy transition policies must be predictable. Citizens and companies are fed up with the yo-yo policy from The Hague.

What concrete steps will you take as an MP to accelerate the hydrogen market?

It’s time to push forward on climate. After a cabinet of stagnation, we need progress toward a sustainable future. I often emphasize the importance of hydrogen and kick-starting the hydrogen market in debates.

A major breakthrough in offshore wind scaling is essential for the energy transition and developing the hydrogen chain. I’ve submitted several proposals in the House of Representatives. The planned offshore wind capacity is insufficient to realize full electrification potential by 2030. To make matters worse, the cabinet quietly reduced offshore wind ambitions last month. Offshore electrolysis is a huge opportunity, and D66 will do everything to make the Netherlands a sustainable leader again. Economic growth and green choices go hand in hand.