The energy transition requires the search for alternatives for the use of fossil fuels in all sectors. The built environment is one of these sectors and in the Netherlands the built environment is largely heated by natural gas (Klimaatakkoord, 2019). Experimentation is fundamental for the Dutch approach to the energy transition in the built environment and experimentation is a way for planners to plan a future with emerging technologies (Programma Aardgasvrije Wijken, n.d.; Klimaatakkoord, 2019; Reimer, 2013; Scholl & de Kraker, 2021). At this point in time there are mainly three alternatives for the use of natural gas in the built environment, among which hydrogen as a sustainable gas (Expertise Centrum Warmte, 2020; Planbureau voor de leefomgeving, 2020). The possible transition towards using hydrogen in the built environment is largely dependent on the success of the two residential hydrogen experiments in Stad aan ‘t Haringvliet and Hoogeveen, as these experiments provide knowledge for policy and legislation (Nationaal Waterstof Programma, n.d.; Wiebes, 2020; Gigler, et al, 2020). However innovative experiments are likely to fail if they are not protected from constraining regime barriers (van den Heiligenberg, 2017; Kemp et al, 1998; Smith & Raven, 2012; Geels, 2019). Therefore this research examined how barriers and opportunities set by the socio-technical regime are experienced with the development of experimental hydrogen neighbourhoods in Stad aan ‘t Haringvliet and Hoogeveen.