How can governments and businesses in North Holland and Japan collaborate to help put hydrogen on the map in the Netherlands? This subject was at the center of the first themed supper at Paviljoen Welgelegen.

North-Holland, like Japan, has significant problems in the energy transition. As a result, the province is concentrating on hydrogen as a natural gas alternative to meet its 2030 and 2050 climate targets. This shift is also significant in terms of employee retention and economics.

Over the last decade, Japan, as the host of the Olympic Games, has evolved into a hydrogen leader. A number of key participants in the Japanese hydrogen economy are based in Noord-Holland. Between dishes of the meal, Hidehisa Horinouchi, the Japanese ambassador to the Netherlands, presented an update on hydrogen advances in his country and encouraged strong international collaboration.

‘For hydrogen, ecosystems must be established in which collaborations are important,’ says Jan-Christiaan Koenders of Toyota and Lexus importer Louwmman & Parqui in the Netherlands. We like collaborating with significant partners, such as Mission H2, to promote this. In the energy transition, hydrogen must be given the significant role it deserves.’