Roundtable 'Digitalization in the energy transition'

In the keynote, Johan Knijp, Manager Technology Center Groningen at DNV, zoomed in on the role of data in the energy transition. What kind of things can data do for renewable energy sources, means of transportation and converting industries? In what ways can data from different energy systems complement each other and how can digital twins, for example, be used to proactively, rather than reactively, maintain electricity infrastructure? Many questions passed in review, where connecting associated technologies, within and across ecosystems, was seen as necessary. Artificial Intelligence has great potential in this, with the associated privacy impact and energy intensity not to be ignored. To really get data sharing going, further defining data ownership and related roles will be important.

After the keynote, the first round table session got underway, with the topic "the transition to a sustainable energy landscape. In the introduction by Robert Hoekstra, Director Consulting Expert at CGI, it became clear that in this new energy landscape the focus is shifting from a demand-driven to a supply-driven model. Flexibility is gaining value in this as we move toward a more unpredictable energy system. In order to predict and steer properly, it is essential to have the right data. Where previously energy systems were mostly self-contained, we will have to look beyond energy carriers. Connecting data hubs can be expected to play an even more important role in tomorrow's energy system than they already do. In summary, bits and bytes, alongside molecules and electrons, are required for the complexity of the energy transition.

During the discussion, it became clear that much research is being done by educational institutions on this topic. Interdisciplinary and collaboration with industry appears to be the key to success here.

Participants agreed that ICT can promote cooperation in, for example, the electricity market. Some points will also require looking at the new normal. For example, when should energy consumers scale down and producers step up? When do we trade our energy and what agreements apply? And how do we free up grid capacity through ICT?

In the second round, Greetje Bronsema, Energy Transition Advisor at Enexis, took us into the world of electricity infrastructure. This is because the transition to a sustainable energy system is also a major challenge for grid operators. Due to the growing demand for electricity, the grid will have to be expanded drastically. However, grid operators are often still struggling to keep up with these needed expansions due to various reasons. For example, in the context of the connection requirement, energy supply and demand in areas are not always well matched yet. Furthermore, spatial planning procedures can take up a lot of time and there is a general shortage of technically trained personnel. All this together means that smart choices will have to be made to regulate infra demand, now and in the future. In addition, we will have to learn together how to make optimal use of the existing connections and obtain more flexibility in electricity supply and demand.

During the discussion, it became clear that the biggest challenge will be to match supply and demand spatially. More flexibility is needed here, to make better use of the capacity of the grid. Long-term collaborations with and between market parties will be crucial in this regard. Large consumers, for example, can help grid operators with balancing, by predicting the quantities of electricity to be consumed in increasing detail and proactively sharing these insights. In addition, value is seen in making better use of various energy storage methods, such as underground hydrogen storage, and working in local energy hubs. If properly deployed, such hubs will provide a more direct link between energy generation and consumption. Through this decentralized energy infrastructure, less load is placed on the grid and less energy is lost prior to and during energy transportation.

The necessary adjustments to the electricity grid, exploiting storage methods and working in local energy hubs obviously require technical professionals. Unfortunately, these are not always easy to find. In the third roundtable, building on an introduction by Wim van de Pol, Chairman of the Board at ROC Noorderpoort, the question of "how to train the professional of tomorrow?" was addressed.

In general, the skills needed of the future will have to become evident in practice. The creation of a hybrid learning environment is already linking education and the field today. Trial-and-error learning, in the form of internships and places of work and learning, provides a steep learning curve. However, the perception of technical practical training does not always match reality. Participants agree that attention to technological innovations from elementary school onward, for example focusing on drones and virtual reality, can help spark interest in a technical profession.

In addition to (vocational) education and retraining, Van de Pol believes that the existing labor force with a distance to the labor market should be expressly included in this change. After all, there is a large unused potential of people who would like to work, but for various reasons do not always find jobs easily. As a solution to this labor issue, participants saw great value in increased cooperation between educational institutions, business and government. It emerged from the discussion that many of the employers present are willing to further shape this hybrid sustainable learning environment together with vocational education. This aimed at the entire workforce, with the overarching goal of "training the energy professionals of the future.

From electrons and molecules, Erik Lücke, Director of Cooperative Rabobank Stad & Midden Groningen, took us to the euros in the last roundtable. After all, the energy transition in the Netherlands is currently threatening to stagnate because many of the required investments are proving difficult to finance. For what exactly is one investing in? How much money is needed and what is the expected return? If anything is clear, it is that there are many uncertainties surrounding the energy transition. But how do you finance those uncertainties?

Whereas previously funding was allowed on trust, nowadays many laws and regulations must be complied with. And let that be precisely the problem when we talk about funding, for example, a hydrogen electrolyser. What are the operational costs of such an asset and can the bank rely on future cash flows?

The discussion showed that this is precisely where innovative forms of funding are needed, labeled separately from general banking conditions. For new funding, it is important to include everyone in this, for example by organizing a funding table at the societal level. In this we can discuss the funding of common facilities.