Speech by King Willem-Alexander at the trade dinner during the working visit to Norway on hydrogen, Oslo
Ladies and gentlemen,
A warm welcome to you all! What a pleasure it is to have you here as our guests this evening.
You are all committed to entrepreneurship, innovation and green growth. Tonight, here in Oslo, all of these interests will come together. They lie at the heart of my working visit to your country.
This morning I was in Øygarden, visiting Northern Lights – the world’s first commercial facility for carbon transport and storage, and a major stimulus for the breakthrough of blue hydrogen.
It’s a Norwegian project with Dutch involvement. And the managing director is Dutch too. Our connections couldn’t be closer.
It’s an excellent example of the power of cooperation across borders. Cooperation based on a common interest, and on a common strategy.
There’s so much to be gained if we, here in northwestern Europe, start thinking much more in terms of a shared vision and shared interests. This is the key reason for my visit to you.
A low-carbon future is well within reach if we work towards an integrated energy system. One that takes account of each country’s unique strengths and effectively balances supply and demand.
It’s important not to feel discouraged when things don’t go to plan. Yes, there will be bumps and potholes along the way. And progress may be slower than we’d like. This journey demands substantial investment. And there’s a lot of uncertainty.
Being realistic is a good thing. As long as we don’t let short-term obstacles cloud our perspective. And we stay focused on the future.
Because the long-term outlook remains the same. The green transition is inevitable. Our climate goals stand firm and continue to guide every step we take. Our industries recognise the need to go green. And building a more competitive Europe is a goal we can only achieve together.
Your presence here illustrates the depth and diversity of our partnership: government bodies, grid operators, knowledge institutions and companies in all their diversity.
The maritime sector has a crucial role to play. Last year, the port operators of Oslo and Rotterdam committed to creating a green corridor for container ships powered by zero-emission hydrogen. With the maritime sector accounting for half of Norway’s emissions, the potential for impact here is great.
The same goes for the Netherlands, with the opportunity to become a key hub for low-carbon connections between Norway and the rest of Europe.
I’m also proud of the collaboration that is blossoming between our knowledge institutions, including NORCE, SINTEF and TNO. The work of the scientific community is essential in scaling up green and blue hydrogen. The price difference with grey hydrogen is still substantial, and innovation may be our most important tool for closing that gap.
We also need to strengthen our knowledge in the area of security, and cybersecurity in particular.
The infrastructure we’re building together is vulnerable and we must not be naïve. Let’s make sure we vigorously protect our common interests.
I’m particularly pleased with the strong relationship between Norway and the Netherlands, which goes back centuries. Since the Hanseatic period, we’ve excelled in forging connections.
The North Sea has made us natural partners, and that’s what we will always remain. We believe in long-term cooperation grounded in mutual trust and friendship.
I hope this evening will make our special bond even stronger and that you will all seek to work together with even more vigour.
May I ask you all to raise your glass with me.
To the friendship between Norway and the Netherlands!
Skål!