The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) organised the Netherlands Hydrogen Innovation Mission Workshop on September 10, 2025, bringing together leading experts, policymakers, and industry representatives from India and the Netherlands to strengthen cooperation in the hydrogen sector.
“The theme we are discussing today is highly relevant, given the pressing need for energy security in the current geopolitical climate. While our demand for energy continues to rise, new sources must be explored,” said Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IITGN, while addressing the delegation. He further continued, at IITGN, we are already pursuing several research projects on energy storage — one of the biggest challenges the world faces. Renewable energy like solar and wind is time-specific and variable, which creates a gap between demand and supply. Hydrogen, however, offers a unique opportunity to bridge this mismatch with constant efficiency and rapid adaptability. Gujarat has been at the forefront of renewable energy adoption, particularly solar, and can truly emerge as a hub for hydrogen innovation. This workshop marks an important step towards meaningful collaborations between Gujarat and the Netherlands.
He further remarked, “Hydrogen provides a very interesting pathway because it allows us to balance the mismatch between demand and supply. Unlike other renewables, hydrogen-based power generation maintains a relatively constant efficiency profile and can respond rapidly to fluctuations in demand. This flexibility makes it a strong candidate for the future of energy.”
Highlighting Gujarat’s leadership in renewables, he said, “Gujarat was among the first states to adopt solar power on a large scale, and today it leads the country in both generation and consumption. With its proactive policies and vision, Gujarat is well placed to become India’s hydrogen hub. The presence of our partners from the Netherlands adds tremendous value to this journey, opening avenues for meaningful Indo-Dutch collaboration.”
S. J. Haider, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Energy and Petrochemicals Department, stated, “Energy demand will only continue to grow, and hydrogen, particularly green hydrogen — will play a critical role. Gujarat has always been a frontrunner in renewable energy, with nearly 60% of its installed capacity coming from renewables compared to 45% at the national level. Building on our strong foundation, the state is actively incentivizing green hydrogen production and aims to reach 3 million tonnes annually by 2030. With its policies, infrastructure, and vision, Gujarat is uniquely placed to emerge as India’s green hydrogen hub, and partnerships such as those with the Netherlands will be vital in driving this transformation.”
Nabil Taouati, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Mumbai, while speaking at the event, said, “The strategic partnership that both our countries are building will not only enable government-to-government relations, but at the highest level, it will also extend to business-to-business cooperation. The partnership revolves around four main pillars—energy transition and maritime development being two of them. Gujarat, with its long coastline and major ports, is central to maritime development as well as our cooperation in energy transition, sustainable food production, healthcare, and innovation. It also supports Gujarat in health, particularly in medicine. For example, today we are hosting a hospital in Dubai. Across all these areas, knowledge and innovation remain the cross-cutting themes.”
“The Netherlands and Gujarat share a vision of a sustainable energy future. This mission reinforces our commitment to developing innovative solutions in hydrogen and accelerating the clean energy transition,” noted Nabil Taouati, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Mumbai.
“I am very impressed with India’s technology setups and the way innovative solutions are being demonstrated at scale,” said Jan Reint Smit, Innovation Counsellor, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in India, New Delhi.
In his keynote address, Dr. Jörg Gigler, Mission Leader and Managing Director, TKI Gas & Top Sector Energy, Netherlands, introduced the Dutch delegation, emphasizing the country’s commitment to advancing global hydrogen innovation and fostering international partnerships.
The event featured presentations from Indian participants showcasing emerging hydrogen technologies and initiatives, followed by a roundtable discussion on the theme: “Gujarat as a Hydrogen Hub: Opportunities for Indo-Dutch Collaboration.” The discussion explored synergies between Dutch expertise in hydrogen innovation and Gujarat’s strategic position as India’s energy hub, focusing on research, technology transfer, and investment opportunities.
A key highlight of the workshop was the participation of Dutch organizations and companies including Energy Innovation NL, ROSEN Europe B.V., Hydroflexx, Circonica, VTTI, TNO, University of Groningen, REDstack, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority. The delegation, led by Dr. Jörg Gigler, interacted with Indian counterparts to identify pathways for collaboration in advancing clean hydrogen technologies.
The workshop concluded with a networking and matchmaking lunch, enabling meaningful exchanges between Dutch mission members and Indian stakeholders from academia, government, and industry.
The Netherlands Hydrogen Innovation Mission Workshop marks a significant step in fostering Indo-Dutch collaboration in the hydrogen economy, paving the way for Gujarat to emerge as a leading hub for hydrogen innovation and deployment.