From natural gas to hydrogen: The organizational change behind energy transition at Gasunie
Challenge
Gasunie must prepare for an expansion of its role: managing the Dutch hydrogen network. This will require a thorough transformation of an organization that has always focused entirely on natural gas.
Results
We helped establish a team to drive the change. In doing so, we identified, prepared, and, to the extent already possible, took the necessary steps across IT, processes, and people. In this way, the organization will soon be ready to integrate hydrogen into Gasunie.
Client
Gasunie manages and maintains the infrastructure for transporting Dutch natural gas. The company plays a key role in the energy transition by investing in sustainable energy infrastructure. Hynetwork is Gasunie’s subsidiary responsible for building and managing the hydrogen network in the Netherlands.
In brief
Gasunie and Hynetwork must prepare for their new roles. Implementing hydrogen requires not only technical implementation but also organizational transformation. As part of a broader team, we assessed the changes needed to achieve this. We then participated in the implementation, setting up IT, redesigning processes, and providing training and information sessions.
It was a project that brought together many of the characteristics of nlmtd: strategic thinking and advice, as well as hands-on cooperation in implementation. It took place in a complex playing field where it was sometimes truly pioneering, and you must not be afraid to dive into the technology. It was great to do all this together as part of such a broad team.
Challenge
Off the gas
The Netherlands aims to move away from natural gas. However, this does not mean the end of Gasunie: both its national pipeline network and installations, and its experience, knowledge, and expertise in the safe, reliable, and efficient transport and storage of gases, are indispensable to the future energy system. Gasunie will focus on, among other things, the transport and storage of hydrogen, heat, and CO₂.
Hydrogen Network Netherlands
The government commissioned Hynetwork, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gasunie, to develop and manage the Netherlands Hydrogen Network. Hynetwork is currently constructing the network, which, in addition to new buildings, will partially use existing natural gas pipelines. The network will soon connect major industrial regions, hydrogen storage and import locations, and foreign countries.
From natural gas to hydrogen
Construction is only part of the task. When the hydrogen network is in operation, Hynetwork must also be ready to manage it. That requires a different kind of organization – in terms of IT, processes, and employee skills. It also requires a cultural change: Gasunie has focused on natural gas for more than sixty years. How do you ensure employees are open to the transition to this new form of energy, much of which remains unknown?
Process
Together with Gasunie, we set up a Business Readiness department. As a team, we examined the type of organization required to manage new energy networks and the extent to which they differ from natural gas networks. We assessed the implications for IT systems, processes, and people. We then began preparing the organization (across these three dimensions) for its new role as, among other things, a hydrogen transportation organization.
Deepdive in the process
Business Readiness
Starting with a small team, we helped develop and establish a Business Readiness team that later evolved into a full-fledged department. Across Gasunie, the Business Readiness department focuses on the transformation from a traditional natural gas transportation company to a sustainable energy infrastructure company. The people in this department develop and share knowledge and expertise on the successful integration of services for hydrogen, heat, and CO2. Their strength lies in securing synergy across the new energy services.
We also acted as nlmtd within Hynetwork’s Business Readiness team and maintained close collaboration with people at Gasunie, other external partners, and, in the case of hydrogen, with Hynetwork personnel.
The blueprint
There was already a preliminary sketch of what would remain the same and what needed adjustment. Based on that, we created a detailed inventory: we took the gas model, overlaid the hydrogen model on top of it, and identified the changes required for each component.
Here we worked closely with professionals from the organization. For each team, key users were identified and released from natural gas-related work to develop the new processes with the Business Readiness team. They then coordinated this with their team and/or department: “We developed this together.” What do you think? Thus, through close cooperation, we developed a blueprint for the new organization.
IT systems
On the IT front, the starting position was to continue using as many systems as possible that are also used for natural gas, and to configure them correctly to provide insight into the control and monitoring of the hydrogen pipelines. ICT’s primary focus here is on developing IT functionality. In preparing to create IT functionality, challenges emerged, such as: Do you incorporate organically evolved, complex systems over time into your new hydrogen network? Will you handle gas day, which runs from 6 a.m. to 6 a.m., or will you handle electricity day, which runs from noon to noon? How do you see at a glance whether you are closing a valve on a gas line or a hydrogen line, and how do you keep this distinction clear? All of these needed answers.
Processes
In the operation of the pipeline network, existing knowledge from the natural gas market is also leveraged as much as possible. However, the physical differences between natural gas and hydrogen play a role. For example, natural gas flows much more slowly than hydrogen, which means that with natural gas, you have much more time to close a valve than with hydrogen. But you also have to manage different locations, hazards, and quantities. To precisely map what we can do the same way and what must be done differently, all processes were carefully reviewed.
People
Then we looked at what this means for employees: which people we will need and what they should know and be able to do. When we go live, there won’t be a complete network right away – it starts with a small patch in Rotterdam: How many operators do we need for this? And how many account managers? We created an organizational chart and reviewed each employee: where they are now, when we go live, and what training and certification they need then.
Taking the necessary steps
Once it was clear what Hynetwork still needed to do to be ready to manage the hydrogen network, we took the necessary steps. Gasunie ICT consultants then adapted the IT systems, and training courses were designed based on the new processes.
Here, too, the key users play a key role: they transfer the skills to their colleagues. Some of the training has already been provided, and some is deliberately scheduled as go-live approaches, so the material has not yet sunk in.
Bringing people along
Parallel to this whole process, constant attention was paid to change management: for an organization that has been focusing on the same thing for decades, it is not easy to suddenly switch to something new – especially not from natural gas to hydrogen. Operating a natural gas network entails risks, making safety a top priority. This has become part of the culture, making employees reluctant to get started with the still-new, relatively unknown hydrogen.
It was therefore essential to include them in the change from the beginning. In information sessions, we addressed the obvious questions: What will happen and when? What does it mean for me? What will the network look like? We also created e-learning and videos that fit the target group, for example, on the differences between natural gas and hydrogen.
Not only does internal information reach employees, but community sentiment, news, and political factors also influence the adoption of these new energy sources. It was essential to listen carefully, take questions seriously, answer them whenever possible, and continue to express confidence: “We’re just going to do it.”
Results
Ready to go live
For example, between January 2024 and April 2025, we took steps to get Hynetwork ready to manage the hydrogen network. The IT systems are in place, the processes have been adapted, and there is a change blueprint for employees: this is what they will do when the network is put into operation, and this training they have yet to receive.
Next steps
In the spring of 2026, the first part of the national hydrogen network in Rotterdam will be ready. It is the first significant milestone in the network’s phased rollout, which will continue through at least 2033.
Conclusion
The energy transition is in full swing. It is a large-scale project that relies on technical capabilities and a broad mix of energy sources, including hydrogen. But it is also a cultural shift that calls for interdisciplinary cooperation and new ways of organizing. Thanks to the strategic and hands-on efforts of Gasunie and nlmtd within the Business Readiness Team, Hynetwork is one step closer to being part of the energy system of the future.
Want to know more? I worked on this!
