H2 Train and Learn Challenge

Accelerating the energy transition with hydrogen. That's the mission that vocational students from Noorderpoort, Alfa-college, and DC Terra worked on during the Hydrogen Challenge. Sixty-five students came to Energiehub050 from April 22nd to 24th to work on five different hydrogen challenges.

Our Project Manager Pjotr ​​Jacobs was co-organizer of the H2 Train and Learn Challenge from the project Waterstof Werkt: H2 Train and Learn Hub and looks back on the event enthusiastically. "The assignment was to get vocational colleges (MBO) working with hydrogen, multi-level. We succeeded, because in addition to students from Noorderpoort, Alfa-college, and DC Terra, students from Hanze University of Applied Sciences also participated in the challenge. It was great to see how the students got started and to witness the collaboration between students from the various educational institutions," says Pjotr. "The only point for improvement we have is that we hope more women will participate in the next edition. After all, women are indispensable in the energy transition."

Students could choose from five assignments to work on; concrete issues from the business world:

1. Gasunie: Develop a scale model that provides insight into the energy balance and hydrogen storage.
2. Holthausen Clean Technology: How can we remove water vapor from hydrogen vehicles in a smart way?
3. Museum ship Emma: Design a hybrid hydrogen propulsion system without compromising the ship's appearance.
4. Noorderpoort: Integrate a complete hydrogen-powered drone set into a working system.
5. RWE: Think of a suitable application for the hydrogen produced by the Battolyser.

Pjotr ​​explains: "The students could register in advance for a challenge that they would work on for three days. On the first day, they received an explanation and could start working on the assignment with their teams. On the second day, experts were present to answer questions and provide the students with practical tips. On the final day, the students presented their solutions to the challenges at a business fair. Scale models, drawings, and other elaborations of the ideas were on display." The jury, consisting of professionals from Gasunie, LEF, Museum Ship Emma, ​​Resato, and RWE, then assessed the solutions and selected a winning team for each assignment. The winning teams received a gold medal and a gift certificate. Of the five winning teams, one team still has a chance to win €3.000 to further develop their solution.

Curious about how the H2 Train and Learn Challenge went? Watch the Alfa-college aftermovie.