FLIE has its own field lab site at SubZero in Rotterdam
The Fieldlab Industrial Electrification (FLIE) is entering an important new phase. With its own pilot facility at SubZero on Keileweg in Rotterdam, FLIE is finally gaining the practical space it has been seeking for years: some 800 square metres where companies will soon be able to test and scale up technologies for electrification and sustainability.
The tenancy agreement with Platform Zero has recently been signed. This will not only give FLIE a physical location, but also access to Platform Zero’s ecosystem of start-ups and scale-ups, as well as – crucially for a field lab focused on electrification – a robust electricity supply. This combination has proved difficult to secure in recent years, partly due to grid congestion.
From individual pilot projects to a single ecosystem
FLIE has already been doing this in recent years eleven feasibility studies and four pilot projects, spread across various locations. With its own field lab, these activities can now be brought together in one place. This makes it possible not only to test individual technologies, but also to demonstrate how innovations work together within a larger system. According to FLIE, this is precisely where the greatest challenges lie.
Companies will soon be given the opportunity to carry out trials for three to six months on plots within the hall, focusing on technologies with a Technological Readiness Level of 4 to 6 inclusive. Existing facilities, such as a PEM electrolyser and test set-ups for heat, electricity and CO₂, will also be incorporated into the new infrastructure.
First pilot schemes in 2026
The coming period will be focused on procuring and setting up the infrastructure. It is expected that the first pilot projects will be able to get underway before the end of 2026.
Would you like to find out more about how FLIE came about, who is involved and what businesses can expect? Read the full interview with Elsa van der Zwan (FME), Iris Bergshoeff (Platform Zero) and Martijn de Graaff (TNO) in the June issue of Europoort Kringen.
Getting started yourself? FLIE helps!
The Fieldlab Industrial Electrification (FLIE) offers a unique Power-2-X voucher scheme to support projects aimed at electrification and sustainability. This scheme allows you to receive grants for feasibility or pilot studies.
A feasibility study 100% is eligible up to a maximum of €15,000. You can use this voucher for, among other things:
- Research and analysis: feasibility studies, business case analyses, market studies or infrastructure research.
- Advice around regulations: understanding regulations, financing and permits.
- Financing advice: a tailored financing scan.
- Technology assessment: exploration, selection and specification of technologies.
- Supplier selection: including risk analysis and demonstrations.
A pilot study 50% is eligible and can be used to validate your technology in FLIE's pilot hall.
