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SEVEN SEVEN

Social, User aCCeptable, Economically Sustainable Systems for hydrogen (HySUCCESS) (2024-2028)

Theme: Future of energy

Which socioeconomic factors influence the potential role of green hydrogen in a sustainable energy system?
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Green hydrogen is widely seen as a key component of a future climate-neutral energy system, particularly for sectors that are difficult to electrify. However, the feasibility of hydrogen transitions is not determined solely by technology. Legal frameworks, economic conditions, labour markets, governance structures, and sociocultural acceptance play a decisive role in whether hydrogen applications can be implemented responsibly and at scale.    

Currently, these non-technological dimensions are insufficiently integrated into policy design and decision-making, creating risks of delayed deployment, ineffective investments, public resistance, and unjust outcomes in the energy transition.   

HySUCCESS addresses these challenges through an integrated, interdisciplinary research program focused explicitly on systemic barriers and enabling conditions for green hydrogen. 

Actionable scenarios 

By integrating insights across these domains, HySUCCESS develops actionable scenarios, policy recommendations, and adaptive regulatory frameworks that help governments, businesses, and grid operators make informed decisions. The project is explicitly designed to remove policy and institutional bottlenecks, strengthen viable business cases, and align hydrogen deployment with broader societal and climate objectives. 

HySUCCESS is part of a large national R&D consortium coordinated by GroenvermogenNL, involving 10 universities, 1 research institute, 5 universities of applied sciences, and 3 industrial partners. 

  • Hydrogen within a carbon-neutral energy system

    The project analyses the role of hydrogen within a carbon-neutral energy system, assesses environmental impacts, and examines the legal and regulatory frameworks that shape hydrogen deployment. In parallel, it investigates economic feasibility, business cases, labour-market effects, and sociocultural factors such as public acceptance and perceived fairness.  

    More information
  • Envisaged impact

    Acceleration of the transition to green hydrogen by removing policy barriers through better regulatory frameworks. The project will result in policy recommendations on legal and process changes to be integrated into adaptive regulatory frameworks. It also aims to contribute to upscaling by strengthening business cases, labour availability and public support. 

  • Researchers & partners

    HySUCCESS is part of a large national R&D consortium coordinated by GroenvermogenNL, involving 10 universities, 1 research institute, 5 universities of applied sciences, and 3 industrial partners. 

    At SEVEN, the project is led by Frenk van Harreveld (Social Psychology), Bob van der Zwaan (Sustainable, Energy Technology), Ankita Gaur (Energy Systems), and Lara Engelbert (Social Psychology). 

  • Funding

    GroenvermogenNL (National Growth Fund programme) 

  • Opportunities for collaboration

    Do you see an opportunity for yourself or your organisation to collaborate on this theme? Please contact Denise Li.