Dutch Gov’t injects €28million to scale hydrogen refuelling network
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management (I&W) has allocated a €28 million Hydrogen in Mobility Grant (SWiM in Dutch) to drive the adoption of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
This landmark funding includes €8.2 million awarded to two consortia led by Fountain Fuel, a Netherlands-based zero-emission energy station developer.
The funding aims to accelerate the rollout of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure and scale up the introduction of hydrogen-powered vans, trucks, and speciality transport vehicles across the country.
A boost for the hydrogen economy
The SWiM grant is the Dutch government’s response to the surging interest in hydrogen as a viable complement to battery-electric mobility.
With at least 30 transport and logistics partners onboard – among them Van Hooft Transport and leading truck manufacturer MAN Truck & Bus – the initiatives championed by Fountain Fuel are poised to deliver tangible results.
The consortia’s collective fleet conversions are projected to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 4,000 tonnes per year – that’s the equivalent of nearly 900 cars per year taken off the road.
For Dutch transport operators, hydrogen offers a route to zero-emission mobility without the lengthy charging times or reduced range that can challenge battery-electric solutions, especially in heavy-duty and long-distance contexts.
Maarten Bos, General Manager at Van Hooft Transport, said: “For our exceptional transport and heavy truck-mounted cranes, hydrogen is the solution for zero-emission operations.”
Similarly, MAN’s Transport Solutions Manager, Jacobjan Vermeiden, highlights the importance of the grant in enabling the swift development and market introduction of hydrogen trucks.
Rising demand and growing support for hydrogen mobility
Interest in SWiM skyrocketed in 2024, with over 100 companies, 12 station operators, and approximately 10-15 vehicle manufacturers applying.
This overwhelming response prompted the Ministry to announce an increased budget of €40 million for the 2025 grant cycle, a move revealed at the Dutch National Hydrogen Congress on 4 December.
The heightened funding commitment is set to fast-track the deployment of hydrogen infrastructure, ensuring that entrepreneurs investing in zero-emission fleets will find an adequately developed refuelling network waiting for them.
Fountain Fuel’s Head of Business Development, Beer Kwantes, said: “Companies see hydrogen as a necessary and inevitable complement to battery-electric solutions”.
From long-haul trucking and construction fleets to roadside assistance vehicles, hydrogen-powered transport is emerging as a practical alternative that combines operational reliability with reduced downtime.
While battery-electric vehicles remain central to the energy transition, hydrogen is becoming a critical piece of the puzzle – particularly in scenarios where charging logistics or grid constraints pose persistent challenges.
Remedy for grid congestion and charging stress
One of hydrogen’s most compelling advantages is its ability to alleviate strain on the electric grid. As the e-charging network expands, the growing demand for electricity is creating congestion and rollout bottlenecks.
By shifting a portion of the transportation sector towards hydrogen refuelling, operators can bypass the heavy reliance on grid power that comes with large-scale battery-electric deployments.
Fountain Fuel Director Stephan Bredewold points out that a single hydrogen fuelling station with an annual capacity of 350,000 kg can offset roughly 11,760,000 kWh of grid load – equivalent to the energy consumption of around 5,000 Dutch households.
“This is precisely why hydrogen-based solutions are gaining traction, at a rapid, accelerated pace,” Bredewold notes.
Europe’s hydrogen economy
The progress in the Netherlands is part of a wider European narrative. The continent has set ambitious climate targets, and hydrogen is emerging as a cornerstone of decarbonisation strategies across industries.
The European Union’s ‘corridor strategy’, which envisions a network of hydrogen refuelling stations stretching across key transport routes, dovetails with Fountain Fuel’s roadmap.
After successfully laying the foundation with its initial stations, Fountain has begun construction on two XL hydrogen sites in Nijmegen and Rotterdam.
By 2025, around 25 stations will be operational nationwide, forming a critical backbone for Europe’s zero-emission transportation corridor.
This network effect supports a virtuous cycle: as more refuelling stations come online, the economics of hydrogen trucks and vans improve, spurring vehicle manufacturers to commit to series production.
Greater vehicle availability, in turn, encourages more businesses to adopt hydrogen fleets, galvanising the industry’s growth and driving down costs.
The rise in hydrogen mobility
Hydrogen’s rise in mobility also has ripple effects beyond transportation. As transport operators establish stable, long-term demand for clean hydrogen, energy producers gain confidence to scale up production.
This, in turn, has the potential to unlock more substantial investments in green hydrogen for industrial processes, aviation, maritime applications, and other sectors difficult to electrify.
