Issue Uncertain future for energy-intensive industry

Summary

The report finds that the business climate for energy-intensive industry in the Netherlands is shaken by several uncertainties. It is unclear whether the national hydrogen backbone is economically viable, how fast it can be built, and whether enough green hydrogen will be available from domestic production and imports. Green hydrogen production also requires a lot of water, and this uncertainty about the hydrogen economy affects where industry chooses to locate. The necessary decision to end gas extraction in Groningen has also worked against energy-intensive industry. On top of this, the chemical sector faces fierce competition from China, where the domestic economy has not recovered sufficiently since covid and firms are offering products on the world market at low prices.