Europe’s First Renewable Energy Valley in Alkmaar Sets Benchmarks for 24/7 Hydrogen Production

Alkmaar, Netherlands is quietly turning heads as one of Europe’s most exciting spots for clean energy innovation. No greenwashing here—this place is walking the talk. At the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam on May 13, 2025, Alkmaar’s own Renewable Energy Valley caught global attention by doing something rare: delivering real-world, 24/7 hydrogen production that’s not tied to whether the wind’s blowing or the sun’s shining.

Core Summary: A Real-World Model for Round-the-Clock Clean Hydrogen

The Renewable Energy Valley (REV), up and running since 2023 and gearing up for full completion in 2028, is more than just a smart concept—it’s a functioning ecosystem. It brings together everything needed for a full-circle hydrogen economy: production, storage, distribution, and local use. And by being weather-independent, it solves one of the biggest headaches in renewable energy.

It’s all powered by some seriously cool tech:

• HYNOCA® Biomass Gasification from Haffner Energy in France – This setup turns organic waste into ultra-clean hydrogen.
• LOHC Chemical Storage from STOFF2 in Germany – Hydrogen gets stored safely in thermal oil, creating a flexible, portable fuel option.

All of this is happening in North Holland’s Alkmaar region—a place that used to be gas-heavy, now positioning itself as a hydrogen trailblazer thanks to its solid industrial roots and ready-made infrastructure.

What’s So Groundbreaking?

• Europe’s first fully-integrated hydrogen valley: With tech from France, Germany, and the Netherlands, this setup is the prototype for 23 more hydrogen hubs across the EU.
• True 24/7 green hydrogen: Made without needing sunshine or breezes, thanks to bio-based inputs.
• Major CO₂ cuts: This valley alone is on track to reduce emissions in North Holland’s industrial sector by up to 45%.
• Real-life testing underway: Hydrogen-powered buses and even heating systems for homes are being trialed here today.
• Fully in sync with EU climate goals: The project is a huge step toward hitting the 2030 marks laid out in the REPowerEU Plan.

The Engine Room: InVesta in Alkmaar

At the heart of it all is the InVesta Hydrogen + Biogas Expertise Center. This is where the action happens—where HYNOCA’s pyrolysis units operate at a scorching 800°C, turning biomass into syngas and refining it into hydrogen that’s 99.97% pure. In other words? Industrial-grade fuel, ready to go.

Once produced, the hydrogen is stored using STOFF2’s LOHC (Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier) technology. What’s cool about that? It makes hydrogen safe and stable to store at room temperature and pressure. Plus, it’s grid-independent and outage-proof—offering a huge step forward for resilient, green hydrogen systems.

Why This Actually Matters

What sets Alkmaar’s REV apart isn’t just the tech (though that’s obviously top-tier)—it’s how it fits into the bigger picture. The project directly aligns with the Dutch Climate Agreement and major EU strategies like the Hydrogen Strategy for a Climate-Neutral Europe.

Driving this effort is the New Energy Coalition, a Netherlands-based nonprofit that brought together big international players. Backed by Horizon 2020 funding and the EU Hydrogen Alliance, the partner list reads like a who’s who of global innovation: Airbus, Siemens Energy, TotalEnergies, and STMicroelectronics, just to name a few.

Local Wins, Continental Reach

This isn’t just some local success story—it’s setting the stage for a broader clean energy wave.

• Scalable business model: The first full rollout of HYNOCA tech anywhere in the world.
• Urban meets rural: Cities, farms, and factories all feeding into and drawing from the same energy flow.
• Hydrogen exports made easy: Being near the Port of Amsterdam gives Alkmaar a clear route to ship sustainable energy across Europe.

The project is also creating jobs in clean tech and reinforcing the Netherlands’ role as northwest Europe’s green energy hub.

One Final Thought

What’s happening in Alkmaar isn’t a pipe dream or a PowerPoint fantasy—it’s real, it’s running, and it’s redefining what’s possible for industrial decarbonization. This valley is already generating clean power for homes, buses, and businesses, proving that big things happen when cross-border innovation and forward-thinking energy policy come together.

If Europe’s serious about hitting its 2030 climate goals, it’s going to need a whole lot more projects like this—and thanks to Alkmaar, there’s now a playbook to follow.