HyFINE consortium receives major investment to reinvent fine chemical production with renewable hydrogen and electrons

HyFINE consortium receives major investment to reinvent fine chemical production with renewable hydrogen and electrons

(IN BRIEF) NWO and GroenvermogenNL are granting €19.3 million to the HyFINE consortium to develop greener, hydrogen-driven production methods for specialty and fine chemicals, helping reduce reliance on fossil feedstocks and lowering waste and energy use. Including co-funding and in-kind contributions, total investment reaches €24.2 million. The HyFINE initiative unites nine universities, three universities of applied sciences, three research institutes and twenty companies to create climate-neutral and circular chemical ingredients for applications like paints, plastics, cosmetics and adhesives. The project also emphasizes talent development, knowledge sharing and the strengthening of Netherlands’ leadership in green chemistry. HyFINE is led by main applicant Fernanda Neira D’Angelo (TNO) with technical manager Evgeny Pidko (TU Delft). GroenvermogenNL supports projects that use green hydrogen to drive industrial transition, while the National Growth Fund programmes foster innovation and long-term economic sustainability.

(PRESS RELEASE) EINDHOVEN, 8-Dec-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The Dutch Research Council (NWO), together with the National Growth Fund programme GroenvermogenNL, has allocated €19.3 million to the HyFINE consortium, supporting a major initiative that aims to reinvent how specialty and fine chemicals are manufactured in the Netherlands. The funding will enable researchers and industry partners to accelerate the transition from fossil-based processes toward cleaner, hydrogen-driven and electricity-powered synthetic routes. With this investment, the project is positioned to make a meaningful contribution to the sustainability objectives of the Dutch chemical sector.

Special and fine chemicals are essential building blocks for countless products in materials science, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and other high-value industries. Today, their production largely depends on fossil resources, consumes considerable energy, and produces significant waste streams. Through technologies such as electrochemical conversion and photo/redox catalysis, HyFINE aims to shorten synthesis pathways, reduce environmental impact, and enable reactions that would otherwise be thermodynamically challenging under traditional conditions.

This initiative originates from a funding call developed jointly with GroenvermogenNL, linked to R&D Work Package 6. Alongside the public contribution, the consortium secured nearly €2 million in co-funding and an additional €2.8 million of in-kind contributions from companies and civil society partners, bringing total project investment to €24.2 million.

HyFINE was shaped through two collaborative workshop rounds in which academic institutions, applied universities, research centers and industrial partners combined expertise into one shared proposal. The consortium consists of nine universities, three universities of applied sciences, three research institutes, and twenty industrial partners. Beyond developing sustainable production methods, HyFINE will train new specialists, stimulate knowledge exchange and help position the Netherlands at the forefront of green chemical manufacturing.

The project—HyFINE: Green Hydrogen and Electrons for Specialty and Fine Chemicals—is coordinated with main applicant Fernanda Neira D’Angelo (TNO) and technical manager Evgeny Pidko (TU Delft). The goal is to create circular, climate-neutral chemical building blocks for applications in adhesives, paints, plastics, cosmetics and other everyday products.

About GroenvermogenNL

The National Growth Fund Programme GroenvermogenNL is the green capability investment programme for the Dutch economy and society. Through this programme, green hydrogen should be the pulling force for the transition from a fossil-based society and industry to sustainable energy supply. This will enable the Netherlands to build a new industry and an attractive business climate. To make this transition possible, well-trained people and a strong structure of knowledge sharing are necessary. The investment programme runs until 2030.

National Growth Fund programmes

NWO runs thematic programmes for research, knowledge development and innovation funded by the National Growth Fund. The results are used in innovations and organisations, thus contributing to the sustainable earning capacity and broad welfare of the Netherlands. The programmes bring together parties from the entire knowledge chain, both public and private.

Media Contact:

Freek Hofland
Spokesperson
+31 6 58920086
+31 (0)70 3494587
pers@nwo.nl

SOURCE: NWO