A Dutch-German Hydrogen Valley – The Netherlands and North Rhine-Westphalia as a Pioneer Region for the European Hydrogen Economy

Second Dutch-German Forum on Comparative and European Energy Law (FCEEL)

The European Union aims at replacing natural gas by green hydrogen that is produced on the basis of renewable energies. Model regions for this transition (“Hydrogen Valleys”) have become a global phenomenon. Hydrogen Valleys ideally cover the entire hydrogen value chain from production over storage and distribution to consumption. The Netherlands and the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia are among the European regions that seem best suited to serve as such a model region.

In the second FCEEL conference 2023, we cast a look at the chances and perspectives of a Dutch-German Hydrogen Valley, but we also discussed possible obstacles. Our speakers looked at these issues form an economical, legal and political perspective.

Date: 26^th October 2023

Click here for the details of the program

Presentations and conference report: 

• "The potential for interregional integration in the hydrogen value chain", Dr. Andre Wolf
• "The (geo)political context and the economic coordination in regard to the value chain and infrastructure management", Dr. Aad Correlje
• "The legal framework for a hydrogen valley in the Netherlands-NRW region – from the EU to the region", Prof. Dr. Dörte Fouquet
• "Contractual questions of hydrogen value chains", Dr. Christian von Halen
• "The North-Rhine-Westphalian perspective on the development of hydrogen infrastructure", Prof. Dr. Phillip Fest
• "The Dutch government perspective on a Dutch-German hydrogen value chain", Bas Pulles
• Tagungsbericht
• Conference report

 

 

About the FCEEL initiative

The Dutch-German Forum on Comparative and European Energy Law (FCEEL) is a platform for discussing recent developments in energy law, created in 2022 by

• the Tilburg Institute of Law, Technology and Society (TILT, Dr. Max Baumgart and Prof. Dr. Saskia Lavrijssen), and
• the Institute for Energy Law at the University of Cologne (EWIR, Prof. Dr. Torsten Körber).

Both institutions cooperate with other energy institutes and energy law chairs. The following partner institutions and persons are part of the initiative:

Dutch partners

• University of Rotterdam, Chair for Public Law and Sustainability, Prof. Dr. Leonie Reins
• Groningen Centre of Energy Law and Sustainability, Faculty of Law, University of Groningen, Dr. Lea Diestelmeier and Dr. Ruven Fleming

German partners

• Bochum Institute for Mining and Energy law (IBE), Prof. Johann-Christian Pielow
• Düsseldorf Institute for Energy Law at the University of Düsseldorf (DIER), Prof. Dr. Charlotte Kreuter-Kirchhof

The FCEEL initiative contributes to shaping energy law in the light of achieving the European and national climate goals as well as European energy sovereignty by bringing together experts from academia and practice in a cross-border initiative. It connects two economically and culturally intertwined European regions: the Netherlands and the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, thereby further strengthening already close academic ties. We meet in an annual conference which alternates between Tilburg and Cologne.

For further information on the FCEEL initiative, please contact Dr. Max Baumgart, Assistant Professor in European and national regulation of the energy transition: m.baumgarttilburguniversity.edu.