Cabinet sees the benefits of hydrogen and grants subsidies, here’s why

With subsidies for trucks that run on this potentially climate-friendly fuel, the cabinet wants to ensure that hydrogen gains a foothold fuel and associated gas stations. This is what State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen (Infrastructure and Water Management) writes in a letter to the House of Representatives. The minister is providing 22 million euros for the program and expects it to start in early 2024.

At the climate summit in Glasgow last year, the government, together with several other countries, promised that new trucks should no longer emit exhaust gases from 2040. One of the ways Heijnen wants to achieve this is for the vehicles to run on hydrogen. “Heavy traffic can cover many kilometers with zero emissions with hydrogen,” says the State Secretary.

Truck-ready hydrogen

Currently the fuel but little used. In the Netherlands there are not many trucks and cars running around with hydrogen and given the small number of filling stations, it is not interesting for transport companies to buy them. Heijnen speaks of a chicken-and-egg problem, because it makes little sense to build filling stations on hydrogen if hardly any trucks drive on them. She wants to change that with this funding program.

The state secretary wants to put 20 to 25 hydrogen trucks on the road for every filling station she subsidizes. This is intended to ensure supply and demand in one fell swoop. It is estimated that the program will allow gas stations to be built at five to ten locations. This equates to an associated subsidy for a maximum of 250 trucks. There are currently fourteen hydrogen fueling stations in the country, but not all are equipped for trucks.