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SMEs play a crucial role in the hydrogen transition. How can GroenvermogenNL best support them in this? In preparation for an innovation and stimulation programme for SMEs, Dialogic researched the needs of entrepreneurs at the request of PTvT.
Our inventory and lessons learned from the existing stimulation offerings show that there is a lot of fragmentation and lack of awareness of the initiatives. Participation is not perceived as straightforward enough and the administrative burden is too high, particularly for SMEs. The long lead time and/or duration of projects constitute a bottleneck, as well as challenges in forming a suitable consortium. Parties further point out the importance of small-scale generation and the role of smaller innovative players in this.
We note that specific hydrogen-related policy instruments are still largely under development, which limits our current ability to assess the extent of any remaining 'white spots' in the existing offerings. It is also challenging to evaluate the success of current efforts: monitoring and accountability for output and impact is not common practice, and it is particularly difficult to assess in advance which instruments work best where.
We have identified a wide variety of SME support needs related to innovation and talent development that can enhance SME engagement in the hydrogen transition. Concerning innovation, this primarily involves testing facilities, knowledge development (standards, protocols, certification and permits), demand aggregation, financing options, automation, and vision building. In terms of talent, solutions are sought primarily for the urgent shortage of technically skilled personnel. Factors hindering this include the image and appeal of the process and manufacturing industry, although startups seem to deviate positively from this. Due to scarcity, there is also competition between different (sub)sectors in the energy transition, such as industrial and mobility electrification, circular economy, etc. Lastly, continuous attention is needed for the alignment between education and practice, as well as reskilling opportunities.
The focus of the SME programme proposed by GVNL should, in our view, concentrate on establishing a monitoring function, growth support, knowledge dissemination, testing and learning environments, and strengthening the education offering and output.
Regarding governance, we propose that the national effort should mainly be directive and strategic, focusing on standardisation, certification, education provision, the missing links between clusters, international alignment, and benchmarking. The regional approach should be much more practical and operational, with roles involving facilitating, unblocking, brokering, and providing technology advice at sector level.
Read the article from GroenvermogenNL on this research here.
