A major R&D initiative aimed at decarbonising the Dutch chemicals industry has received nearly €45.7 million in funding to develop hydrogen-based processes and technologies.

Led by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), the five-year HyCarb project brings together over 45 partners—including nine universities, five universities of applied sciences, three research institutes, and 30 companies. The goal: to create scalable, circular chemical production systems using hydrogen, renewable electricity, and CO₂.

The initiative has secured €35.3 million from GroenvermogenNL, part of the Dutch National Growth Fund, with an additional €10.3 million in co-financing from project partners. The funding will support breakthrough R&D in areas such as CO₂ electrolysis, electrified high-temperature reactors, and integrated hydrogenation processes.

Martijn de Graaff, Project Leader at HyCarb, said the programme aims to position the Netherlands as a global leader in hydrogen and circular carbon technologies, while also training the next generation of talent in this space.

With the Dutch chemical sector generating €87 billion in turnover in 2022, 16% of the nation’s exports, HyCarb represents a strategic push to decarbonise one of the country’s most critical and emissions-intensive industries.