The Province of Drenthe provides a subsidy of up to € 500,000 to Groningen Airport Eelde (GAE) for the further development of liquid hydrogen infrastructure at the airport. With the GRQ Hydrogen Valley Airport project, GAE aims to become the first regional airport in Europe with an operational hydrogen chain.
The contribution from the province makes it possible to move from research to practice. The follow-up study focuses on preparing investment decisions for the construction of facilities for storage, distribution, and refueling installations for liquid hydrogen. This lays an important foundation for sustainable aviation and the strengthening of the regional hydrogen economy. “With this step, we strengthen the leading position of Northern Netherlands as Hydrogen Valley. Groningen Airport Eelde will become a testing ground for sustainable aviation and innovation in hydrogen technology. This is good for the climate, the economy, and employment in our region,” states deputy Henk Jumelet.
The subsidy creates a leverage effect of investments. With a contribution of € 500,000, an investment program estimated at € 50 to 150 million can be initiated, enabling follow-up investments in infrastructure, storage and refueling facilities, hydrogen technology, and sustainable applications on and around the airport.
The initiative contributes to provincial goals for a 49% CO₂ reduction by 2030 and energy neutrality by 2040, and aligns with the Energy Agenda 2024–2027 of the Province of Drenthe. The development also offers opportunities for collaboration with knowledge institutions and companies in the hydrogen sector, thus strengthening the knowledge economy and the business climate in Drenthe.
The project is expected to start this fall and run until the end of 2026.
