Rethink Hydrogen

Green hydrogen enjoys unprecedented momentum as it is positioned as a key enabler for net zero-emission futures and for energy self-sufficiency in Europe. Currently, researchers, politicians and the wider public have a limited overview of the knowns and unknowns of hydrogen production. By fostering a holistic approach, the Rethink Hydrogen project creates space for constructive discussions on technical, economic, and socio-ethical dimensions. This initiative brings together diverse perspectives to visualize and navigate the complexities of hydrogen as a green energy solution.

Rethink Hydrogen set itself the task to create a Living Lab, to facilitate a dialogue about the multifaceted aspects of hydrogen in a just and sustainable carbon neutral society. To do so, researchers from Utrecht University reached out to the HKU to work together. This effort led to a dialogue tool that immerses participants in the challenges of balancing stakeholder needs, resource limitations, and environmental impacts.

Living Lab

Participants take on stakeholder roles, representing entities such as governments, industries, communities, and nature, engaging with complex scenarios that simulate real-world tensions. By enabling collaborative exploration of diverse viewpoints, the project ensures these conversations are inclusive and constructive.

The team developed a Living Lab that employs an immersive process, starting with a historical narrative that contextualizes today’s energy challenges. Participants interact with materials symbolizing natural resources, industrial outputs, and technological advancements, creating a chaotic representation of the interconnected crises we face.

From this complex situation, participants explore hydrogen’s role in addressing energy demands. The activity involves simulating decisions about infrastructure like electrolyzers or pipelines while contending with the consequences of resource extraction, production scalability, and global interdependencies.

Complex background

The hydrogen transition embodies immense complexity, requiring bold solutions and nuanced trade-offs. While the aim is to scale hydrogen production to 40 GW by 2030 in the North Sea region, current capacity stands at only 1 GW. Bridging this gap entails not only technological innovation but also substantial investments and policy alignment.

Environmental challenges add another layer of difficulty. For example, hydrogen production requires vast amounts of ultrapure water, and electrolysis produces heat, oxygen and wastewater, which might impact ecosystems. Moreover, European countries around the North Sea expect that, in addition to local production, import of hydrogen from sunnier areas is needed. That hydrogen must be transported, whether through pipelines or specialized ships, each method introducing further logistical and environmental hurdles.

On a geopolitical level, the global demand has implications for countries in the Global South as exporters of raw materials. These dynamics raise ethical questions about equity and justice in the energy transition. However despite these challenges, hydrogen remains an essential piece of the energy puzzle. Experts even say: it is not a question anymore if we should do this, we must do this.

Next steps

As the Living Lab continues, efforts focus on refining the dialogue tool based on feedback from student testing. Upcoming activities include documenting outcomes and exploring pathways to expand the tool’s reach. The Rethink Hydrogen Dialogue lab will be further developed in the next year(s), in connection with the Utrecht University Hydrogen Initiative.

Project Team Members

  • drs. ing. Udeke Huiskamp MBA

    Geosciences - Faculty Office - Pathways to Sustainability Office

  • dr. ir. H. (Hamed) Aslannejad

    Geosciences - Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development - Energy & Resources

  • prof. dr. R.H.H.G. (René) van Roij

    Science - Physics - Theoretical Physics (ITF) - Cond-Matter Theory, Stat & Comp Phys

  • dr. N. (Nong) Artrith

    Science - Chemistry - Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science - Materials Chemistry and Catalysis

  • dr. Vinzenz Koning

    Geosciences - Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development - Energy & Resources

  • dr. Eric Cezne

    Geosciences - Human Geography and Spatial Planning - International Development Studies

  • dr. Nathan Wood

    Social and Behavioural Sciences
    Geosciences - Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development - Energy & Resources
    Social and Behavioural Sciences - Social Sciences - Interdisciplinary Social Science

  • dr. Fatima Denton

    Law, Economics and Governance - Utrecht University School of Economics - Applied Economics

  • dr. Matteo Gazzani

    Geosciences - Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development - Energy & Resources

Non-UU partners