STOFF2 to test innovative hydrogen technology at InVesta in Alkmaar
ALKMAAR, 3 September 2026 – German technology company STOFF2 will test a new type of installation for the production and storage of green hydrogen at the InVesta site in Alkmaar. InVesta and STOFF2 signed a rental agreement on 31 August. The demonstration is part of the European REFORMERS project, in which Alkmaar plays a central role as Europe’s first Renewable Energy Valley.
Storage of Renewable Energy
On sunny and windy days, more renewable electricity can be generated than can be transported and used at that moment. STOFF2 is developing the so-called Zink-Zwischenschritt electrolysis technology, in which energy is temporarily stored chemically using zinc. This energy can later be released on demand as green hydrogen.
“We are proud to validate our innovative technology with the help of the European Union in Alkmaar under real-world conditions. InVesta is a wonderful place for us to prove the unique value of the ZZE in balancing the energy system and to show how we can provide baseload H2 to industrial offtakers,” says Dr. Christian Friebe, Project Manager at STOFF2.
Practical Test at InVesta
Within the REFORMERS project, a demonstration installation with a capacity of approximately 750 kWh H2 per cycle – charging, storing and producing – will be placed at InVesta. In addition to the installation itself, supplementary technical facilities will be installed for control systems and electrical connection.
The project is initially intended as a practical test. STOFF2 aims to demonstrate that the technology can operate reliably in an industrial environment and under real-world energy market and grid conditions.
“The arrival of STOFF2 at InVesta and in Alkmaar is a good example of what InVesta stands for,” says Peter Simões, Director of InVesta. “We give promising energy innovations the space to prove themselves in practice and scale up further. STOFF2 is therefore a valuable addition to the innovation ecosystem we are building here at Boekelermeer.”
Part of a European Energy Project
The STOFF2 demonstration is part of the European REFORMERS project. Within this project, Alkmaar plays a central role as Europe’s first Renewable Energy Valley. At various locations, technologies for the production, storage, integration and use of renewable energy are tested in practice.
InVesta is one of the demonstration sites within the project. With the arrival of STOFF2, infrastructure is also being developed on the site to handle and further distribute the hydrogen produced.
Joshua Dauda, on behalf of New Energy Coalition and coordinator of the regional hydrogen ecosystem within REFORMERS, describes the arrival of STOFF2 as a concrete next step in the development of the area.
“In Alkmaar, the REFORMERS project is facilitating the connections in the energy system that are needed to create a functioning Energy Valley. The arrival of STOFF2 strengthens this ecosystem and demonstrates how hydrogen can become an integrated part of the region’s wider energy system.”
Planning
STOFF2 is currently preparing the detailed engineering phase of the project. According to the current schedule, this phase will start in September and should be completed before the end of the year. Construction at the InVesta site can then begin.
Application of Green Hydrogen
During this phase, testing the technology is the primary focus. The team is exploring opportunities to use hydrogen with other industrial partners and in mobility applications nearby.
In the longer term, hydrogen from systems such as these could be used in sectors where direct electrification is difficult, such as heavy transport and certain industrial processes.
Note to Editors
About REFORMERS
REFORMERS is a European project in and around Alkmaar in which new solutions for the production, storage and use of renewable energy are tested in practice. Alkmaar functions as a Renewable Energy Valley: an area where different energy technologies and energy carriers are connected and demonstrated. The project is coordinated by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and consists of a consortium of 28 partners from 10 European countries.
About STOFF2
STOFF2 GmbH, based in Berlin and founded in 2020, is developing a new type of electrolyzer with an integrated energy storage function, the Zink-Zwischenschritt Electrolysis (ZZE), a highly innovative technology for securing a 100% supply of renewable energies beyond the electricity sector and for producing renewable hydrogen in Europe: safe, cost-effective and green.
ZZE combines the functionality of energy storage and an electrolyzer and serves as a cost-effective system to decarbonize hard-to-deplete sectors with green hydrogen. The ZZE charges electricity for four hours during the day when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing – and electricity prices are low – and produces safe, cheap and green hydrogen over a cycle of 12 to 24 hours, providing customers with a continuous supply of green hydrogen.
About InVesta
InVesta is an expertise centre and test and development site in Alkmaar for innovative energy technologies. Start-ups, scale-ups and other organisations are given the opportunity to develop, demonstrate and test new solutions for the energy transition in a real-world environment.
About New Energy Coalition
New Energy Coalition is a knowledge and network organisation that brings together businesses, governments and knowledge institutions to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable, reliable and affordable energy system. Based in the northern Netherlands, it connects regional energy developments with national and European initiatives.
The organisation supports energy innovation through collaborative projects, knowledge development and the demonstration of new technologies, business models and integrated energy systems.
