A new home base for industrial electrification and climate innovation

Rotterdam, 2nd April 2026

To become less dependent on energy imports, scarce raw materials, and foreign technology, Europe must accelerate its focus on domestic sustainable energy production and the scaling up of innovative industrial technologies. With the opening of a new pilot hall at SubZero in Rotterdam, Fieldlab Industrial Electrification (FLIE) is taking a concrete step toward realizing this ambition. The location offers companies a practical environment to develop, test, and scale Power-to-X technologies and processes for electrification and sustainability at a relevant industrial scale.

On April 1, the lease agreement for the pilot hall was signed by PlatformZero and TNO. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is involved in the development of the facility in its role as an investor. With the support of a subsidy from the Province of South Holland, the necessary infrastructure is being realized. This marks an important milestone and lays the foundation for the commissioning of the facility, where FLIE collaborates with partners on applicable solutions for making industrial processes more sustainable.

SubZero: Strategic Location for Climate Innovation in Rotterdam

FLIE’s new pilot hall is located in SubZero on the Keileweg, in the Merwe-Vierhavens (M4H) area in Rotterdam. SubZero is developing into a climate tech hub where startups, scale-ups, and industrial partners come together around sustainable solutions for the port and industry.

The Port of Rotterdam Authority plays a facilitating role by providing accommodation, infrastructure, and connecting the hub with the port and industrial cluster. In this capacity, the Port Authority supports initiatives that contribute to innovation, sustainability, and the future-proofing of the Rotterdam port and industry.

The entire hall covers 2,700 m² of testing and production space, of which FLIE will use 800 m² for its own pilot and testing facilities. Its location within the port and industrial cluster offers users close proximity to industrial infrastructure, logistics, and end-users. technologies not only support climate goals but also strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy, reducing reliance on overseas supply chains.

Who We Help and How

The pilot hall is aimed at industrial end-users, technology providers, energy companies, and knowledge institutions that want to take concrete steps in the energy transition. The focus is on technologies involving hydrogen, energy storage, industrial heat, and carbon capture & utilisation (CCU).

FLIE offers access to advanced testing facilities, TNO’s knowledge and expertise in industrial electrification and system integration, and FME’s market knowledge and connection to the industrial network. InnovationQuarter supports this through business development and connections to its innovation network for development testing. The facilities are specifically designed for technologies at TRL levels 4 to 6, providing support for scaling up from prototype to practical validation.

Collaboration and Ecosystem

FLIE works closely with a growing network of partners who are jointly accelerating the energy transition. Platform Zero has also joined the FLIE partnership to help accelerate market development. In this way, they contribute through scouting, screening, and providing access to relevant networks and funding opportunities.

Together with this community of partners, FLIE offers a cohesive value chain: from exploring ideas to validation and scaling up in industrial practice. This next step builds on the foundation that FLIE, together with Deltalinqs, FME, InnovationQuarter, Port of Rotterdam, and TNO, has already established in recent years. The opening of the pilot hall explicitly marks the beginning of a new phase; further developments, new pilots, and additional collaborations will follow in the coming period. FLIE’s activities are strongly supported by the ERDF (EFRO) subsidy, the Municipality of Rotterdam, and the Province of South Holland.

Interested?

Does your organization have sustainability ambitions, and do you want to explore the possibilities of electrification? Or do you provide an electrification solution and wish to connect with industrial end-users and other relevant stakeholders? Please contact us!

More info at www.flie.nl