NRG Magazine Edition 5 - Full Version

Back to the future withTon Schoot Uiterkamp

Edition 5 | 2012 Retailprice € 5,50

Alliander - KEMA - Real World Systems - Rational MiddleTalents in the Spotlight - Financing Sustainability - NRG Battle

NRG Battle 2011: The Winner is... Team Grontmij/Alliander

World Edition

Kuala Lumpur -2012-

People of today use an unbelievable amount of natural raw materials. Our

complex economic systems are completely dependent on them. What

would we do without iron ore, copper or bauxite, without stone, coal, oil

or gas? We would be catapulted straight back to a time when people had

to survive by primitive means, just like the animals surrounding them.

However, natural raw materials have one significant disadvantage: they

are finite. We can be dismissive about this (for there is still enough), but

that argument is too simple. It’s great that there are still plenty of essential

raw materials available but, nevertheless, we need to look critically at how

they are used. Processing raw materials and producing energy from fossil

fuels often has undesirable consequences for our environment in the form

of waste and emissions. We must take this issue seriously and take measures

now to limit these harmful effects. Fortunately many such measures are

being carried out, and successfully! Over the last few years a lot of progress

has been made in making the production chain more sustainable by

pragmatic means. Approximately 80% of the waste in the Netherlands is

used in a practical manner or recycled. However, we must remain realistic.

Whoever claims that we, cradle to cradle, can achieve a waste-free and

emission-free society in the short term, is under an illusion. We will

continue to be dependent on natural raw materials for a long time to

come. We do not need to worry about this, as long as we don’t lose sight

of our ultimate goal: sustainable production created by the use of

renewable raw materials.

That is nothing new in itself. Sustainable practices are yesterday’s news. If

you don’t believe that, you just need to have a look at one of the Wadden

Islands. Not simply to enjoy nature, the dunes and the picturesque villages,

but also the wide beaches. Then you will see that the tide brings in more

than just water. Every year, an impressive amount of stuff is washed ashore.

These things are not thrown away but collected; beachcombers scour the

beaches in search of usable waste or items that ended up in the water by

accident. They pick up what they find and sell it on. Beachcombers have

been doing this for centuries. It’s a nice metaphor for making the energy

supply more sustainable, a scenario we are pursuing by using or – natural

gas’s trump card – facilitating energy sources that can be used again.

In order to be able to realise the ultimate goal, we must develop new

technology and deploy existing technology in smarter ways. That’s why my

company, GasTerra, started a project a few years ago on one of the

Wadden Islands, Ameland, which aims to gain more insight into cleverer

and more sustainable forms of energy generation and use. Handling

energy wisely forms the essence of this project.

Or, from the beachcombers’ point of view: let’s throw away as little as

possible.Gertjan Lankhorst,

CEO GasTerra

‘Combing’ for energy

Curious about the connection between beachcombing and making energy use more sustainable? Go to www.iampartofthesolution.nl and listen to Gerbrand Bruin’s story.

Foreword

PublisherTTA Publishers

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Editor in chiefJan Schulte

EditorsMaike Veltman

Inge de Groot

Twan Wolters

DesignGiscard van Uytrecht

SalesRob Hogenelst, Director Sales

Marius Nugteren, Sales

Tel: +31 50 317 14 70

[email protected]

PrinterBest Reclamestudio

PhotographyGiscard van Uytrecht

ContactAlso interested in a subscription to the NRG Magazine or do you want your company

to stand in the next edition? Do you have interesting topics and ideas for future

publications? Feel free to contact: [email protected] or call Maike Veltman

+31 (0)50 317 14 75

Thank you!

The NRG Magazine Team

Magazine Circulation7.500

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Partners of the International NRG Battle

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Rijksuniversity of Groningen

Hanze University

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Netherlands

Province of Groningen

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www.twitter.com/thenrgbattle

NRG Magazine is published 4 times a year.

No part of this publication may be copied or

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accept liability for damages of any nature

whatsoever, resulting from actions and / or

decisions based on the information in this

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utmost care.

Colo

fon

Some call it the new industrial revolution. Cradle to cradle, a brand

new look at the way we make things. Founders Michael Braungart

and William McDonough turned the world upside down with their

book about this new philosophy in 2002. Cradle to cradle design

brings energy from waste to the next level (p. 10). But is this

technological fix enough to sustain the world?

We need new ideas, that’s a fact. New innovative thoughts. Change.

Ton Schoot Uiterkamp, honorary professor hopes that young talents

will bring this change (p. 24). They have the task to create a totally

new design while ‘maintaining the integrity to the only planet we

have’. That’s why we host the International NRG Battle. Talented

students team up in multidisciplinary teams to meet, compete and

innovate. Meet a few of these fantastic talents from the rounds of

last year (p. 28), and, of course the winners from last year (p. 38). This

year for the first time, we present the NRG Battle – World Edition.

During the World Gas Conference in June, hundred talented students

will fly to Kuala Lumpur to innovate for four days on a sustainable

future. An amazing journey and life changing experience. How great

would it be if one of these students comes up with a brilliant idea for

the future of energy?

Innovative changeWho will bring it?

Editors note

KEMA

Energy use will become a lifestyle choice

CRADLE TO CRADLE: THE NEW INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONA different look on product design

8.

IndexAlliander

10.

Coverstory

Peter Molengraaf is Chief Executive Officer of network

company Alliander. His previous roles include Director of

Customer Services at Nuon and Commercial Director of Shell

Netherlands Sales Company.

“Power to Gas” Connecting past and future

15.

NRG Battle 2011: The winner is... Team Grontmij/Alliander

38.

Talents in the Spotlight

Realworld Systems

“We have integratedtwo completely different worlds with each other.”

Rational Middle

Intelligent networks, make them as smart as possible! Or not?

18.

20.

28.

Back to the futurewith Ton Schoot Uiterkamp

24.Global Top Talents42.

Financing SustainabilityA column by Holland Financial Centre

19.

Attracting and educating for the

energy sector is a collective responsibility

8 | NRG Magazine edition 5 8 | NRG Magazine edition 5

“In the coming ten years we’ll witness

the individualization of energy

selection and use. The energy sector

will be transformed in more or less the

same way as the banking sector.

Investing in the stock market went

from being an activity you had to do

through a bricks-and-mortar institu-

tion, to today’s situation where you

can choose how and where you

invest-online, through a broker, or via

your mobile device. People will be able

to choose the type of energy they buy,

where they buy it from, or whether

they want to produce it themselves.

This will radically alter the energy

industry, resulting in the creation of

new companies, technologies and

delivery models. People will be able to

produce their own solar power, or

participate in energy cooperatives that

generate electricity from wind farms.

And although very little will change in

the physical system – energy will still be

delivered to your home through a plug

point – your choice of energy will

become part of your lifestyle. Some

people will make this apparent by

using their energy source as a type of

social identifier.”

The electric trend will become the electric norm“Creating electricity centrally will

become more standard, as it’s more

environmentally efficient and enables

any side effects, such as CO2 capture

and air cleaning, to be dealt with in

one area. And as we centralize fossil

fuel use, society will become more and

more electric. The efficient way to

bring fossil fuels to cars is through the

electric grid. In the transport sector we

will see entire segments rapidly move

from fossil fuel engines to electric

engines, especially in those areas that

want to reduce noise and air pollution,

such as urban environments. In new

housing developments we will stop

connecting natural gas. Today, 96

percent of households are connected

to both natural gas and electricity, but

this will diminish until we only supply

electricity. And within the home micro

sensor technology will replace central

heating thermostats, enabling us to

heat individual areas of our homes,

lowering costs and energy use.”

Sustainability will influence urban and rural development“Energy will become an increasingly

important factor in urban and rural

development. As we move towards a

more sustainable energy environment,

the connection between energy

provision and energy use will take on

ever-greater significance.

This will lead to a re-categorization of

land development, and urban and

Peter Molengraaf is Chief Executive Officer of network company Alliander.

His previous roles include Director of Customer Services at Nuon and

Commercial Director of Shell Netherlands Sales Company.

Energy use will becomea lifestyle choice

All iander

Peter Molengraaf

Chief Executive Officer

of network company Alliander

NRG Magazine edition 5 | 9

This interview is published in The Next Ten app book of Accenture

rural planners will have to re-think the

location and development of

businesses and offices. On a micro

level, the design of houses will alter. In

a few years it will be unthinkable not

to build houses that face south, to

capture the sun, or to locate windows

away from the prevailing wind, to

reduce heat loss. This closer connection

with nature will also influence business

decisions, with companies locating

data centres or energy-intensive

production facilities in areas that have

reliable access to sustainable energy

sources. In the coming 10 years we will

all become more concerned with

redesigning our society to follow this

cradle-to-cradle cycle.”.

p Facilitating local energy production

p Charging a car from the power grid at home

Coverstory Cradle to Cradle

Melle Koot Designer

Photographer: Jitske Hagens


Ten years ago, in 2002, Michael

Braungart and William Mcdonough

published their book ‘Cradle-to-cradle:

Remaking the way we make things’. It

seemed the answer of the future. Melle

Koot: “It’s a state of mind, a way of

life, not just the way a product is

made.”

“Man is the only creature that produces

landfills”, the documentary tells.

“Natural resources are being depleted

on a rapid scale while production and

consumption are rising in nations like

China and India. The waste production

worldwide is enormous and if we don’t

do anything we will soon have turned

all our resources into one big messy

landfill. But there is hope.” Cradle to

cradle is the new way to produce and

build with one conception: waste is

food. Energy from waste. The main

idea: design every product in such a

way that at the end of its lifecycle the

component materials become a new

recourse.

Make a newMelle Koot explains: “There are three

basic principles. Firstly, the sun is used

as the energy source. Second, there are

no toxic resources used. And third the

biosphere and the techno sphere are

separated.” To illustrate this Melle

Koot adverts to his ‘Make-a-new’

design collection. This design method

has an almost limitless freedom of

possibilities: one can play with (raw)

materials and ideas from a durable

point of view. For example the design

table that comprises several birch

plywood units, which are joint together

using steel connectors. This shows the

cradle to cradle principle of the

segregated bio and techno sphere.

Once the table has outlived its

functionality as a table, it can easily be

turned into another furniture piece.

When Melle Koot watched the

documentary he realized he had to

change the way he designed. “There

are so many benefits by working with

good, healthy materials. By using

sustainable resources to provide for

the current generation, you don’t limit

the possibilities for the next generation.

Cradle to cradle goes one step further

and does not only to provides our

needs right now, but wants to broadens

the possibilities for the future. Instead

of being less bad, try to work good.”

CRADLE TO CRADLE: THE NEW INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONA different look on product design


“I was drawn into it by a documentary of the Dutch program Tegenlicht,” says Melle Koot, a

designer from Groningen. In 2006 the documentary ‘Waste = Food’ aired on national TV. It

was a new approach to sustainability. It was the philosophy of Michael Braungart and William

McDonough. Cradle to cradle.

“It’s a state of mind, a way of life, not just the

way a product is made”

12 | NRG Magazine edition 5

The green coffee machinePezy, a company in product innovation

also designs according to the Cradle to

Cradle way. Maarten Rijken, Director

project management at Pezy met Melle

Koot during a Cradle to Cradle training

for designers. “At Pezy it began with

the realization what an enormous

impact we have as designer company.”

Last year they co-designed with Philips

the new Senseo coffee maker: Viva

Café Eco. “When we developed such a

product, the awareness grew. Philips

will produce a million or more of these

coffee makers. With some bad luck all

of them will end up eventually at the

dump. “As a designer you can cause

quite much, or have that same amount

of influence.”

The ‘Viva Café Eco’ is not entirely cradle

to cradle, though in the newest

generation Pezy applied some cradle

to cradle principles, in particular, the

recycling of materials. More than 50%

of the components is from plastic waste

streams. Old Philips devices are

disassembled and the parts are

transformed back into raw materials

for the Viva Café Eco. Maarten Rijken:

“We worked with Van Gansewinkel,

one of the biggest names in the Dutch

waste processing companies.” The

focus of Van Gansewinkel Group is to

get energy from waste, to get a

maximum of energy efficiency. This

idea is becoming incredibly popular in

the world. Waste can be the product

for fuel, like steam, warmth or

electricity. If waste would become food

for the biosphere or the techno sphere,

produc¬tion and consumption could

become beneficial for the planet. Can

this be the new industrial revolution?

Melle Koot: “Cradle to cradle is about

renewing the way we used to make

things or do. It’s more than just the

product. It’s a way of life. I don’t just

sell a chair or a table, but a life

enhancing product. Cradle to cradle is

a positive approach to problems such

as scarcity and toxicity of materials. By

reconsidering the existing conventions

and to come up with smart and

innovative alternatives, we can enjoy

the growth and profitability in

combination with the positive impact

on the environment.”.

p The ‘Make-a-new’ design collection



Melle Koot

Melle Koot is a Dutch designer. His

studio is multidisciplinary and focused

on interiors, furniture and object

design. His work breathes sustainable

design. In 2009 he participated in the

first training for designers to work

according to the cradle to cradle

methodology. Melle Koot is part of

Cradle Kring Noord, a partnership

between cradle to cradle companies in

the northern part of the Netherlands. In

2010 he was chosen as ‘Most

sustainable entrepreneur of Groningen’.

He received an encouragement prize of

20.000 euro from the municipality of

Groningen.

Maarten Rijken

Maarten Rijken works as Director project

management at Pezy. He is one of the

nine cradle to cradle design consultants

at Pezy. Pezy creates new and improved

concepts of products, develops products

and supports the start of a production.

With a good design and by choosing the

right materials, a product remains of

eternal value. Pezy sees this as an

essential part of integrated product

development. Pezy is also part of Cradle

Kring Noord.

Just a hype?Cradle to cradle gives the promise that we can solve the issues with energy

sustainability by consuming even more. It’s okay because waste is food, so there is

no need to reduce our waste. This is the main criticism about the cradle to cradle

philosophy. Bas Amelung, lecturer at the department of environmental systems

analysis of the Wageningen University co-wrote the essay ‘Cradle to cradle: from

hype to hype’ about the way cradle to cradle ‘deceives’. “There are problems in

the world we can’t solve just with technical improvements. We have to work hard

to do something about these things. By going after cradle to cradle, betting on it

and by designing and developing new products from this marketing principle, the

real problems in the world, such as climate change, loss of biodiversity and poverty,

are not solved. If we really want to change the world, we will have to change our

selves and not just the products we use.” A technological fix might not be enough

to sustain the world.

p The Philips Viva Café Eco



Energy Valley is a pioneering cluster of conventional and sustainable energy activities in the Northern Netherlands with more than 400 companies, 350 projects and approximately 23 billion euros of new investments.

InformationThe Energy Valley Foundation Laan Corpus den Hoorn 300 P.O. Box 110739700 CB GroningenThe Netherlands

Contact(+31) (0)50 789 00 [email protected]

T E W

InformationPowered by:

It is characterized by the involvement of a large coalition of public and private parties. Started by regional governments, companies and knowledge institutes, Energy Valley is known for its large concentration of corporate and institutionalized energy knowledge. Closely working together to generate innovative and sustainable solutions, Energy Valley is a frontrunner in energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, bio-energy and clean electricity.

Energy Valley is situated on top of the Dutch gas reserves, with a concentration of the national gas industry. It’s located in the middle of the European gas transportation grid and this region is responsible for one third of the Dutch central power production, with state of the art technologies.

The operational activities are bundled in the Energy Valley foundation which goal is to stimulate innovations of sustainable energy, employability and economic development of the Energy Valley region. The Energy Valley foundation acts as networking organization to stimulate information exchange and cooperation between public and private partners.

A sustainable energy economy can only take shape through collaboration, now and in the future.

Energy Valleya region brimming with energy




T E W










T E W








“Power to Gas” Connecting past and future

Jörg GiglerTeam manager Sustainable & Smart Energy at KEMA

About 50 years ago, a start was made to build the gas

system as we know it today. Together with the gas of the

Slochteren and other gas fields, it provided and still provides

us with a clean, affordable and flexible fuel.

The latter – flexibility – is key to the transition to a

sustainable energy system. Why? Because the matching

between supply and demand of energy will become more

challenging in the future, as intermittent sustainable energy

sources such as wind and solar are increasingly implemented

on a large scale.

Supply & demandEnergy is always a balance between supply and demand:

when the wind blows at full speed, there may be more

energy available than needed. In these cases, wind turbines

could be curtailed but this would be a waste of energy.

Today, gas-fired power plants already provide a great deal

of the flexibility that is needed to match supply and demand.

But with a large penetration of wind and solar energy, this

may become more difficult – if not impossible.

BalancingFlexibility can be realized by storing excess power in, for

example, batteries, compressed air storages and reverse

hydropower. But since the gas grid is already there, this may

as well be used for storage. How? For instance by converting

surpluses of power into a gas such as hydrogen or methane

which can be accommodated in the gas infrastructure,

allowing for long term storage on a large scale! This highly

innovative process of using power for electrolysis of water

into carbon dioxide and hydrogen which can be fed into the

gas grid, is called ‘Power to Gas’ or P2G. The produced gas

can be converted into power, heat or a chemical feedstock.

Catalyzing the energy transitionKEMA is a frontrunner in P2G. Not only do we, for instance,

investigate the feasibility of the P2G option, look at the

processes to convert power into gas, calculate and measure

how much of the hydrogen or methane can be

accommodated in the gas infra-structure, but we also assess

what the effect could be on the pipeline itself. By providing

technical and business consulting services, we help our

clients with their necessary innovation to make this possible.

By doing so, we help the gas industry to make use of the

existing gas system to enable the transition to a sustainable

energy future.Visit www.kema.com for much more ground breaking innovations.

KEMA

The energy sector faces major challenges. The arrival of

electric cars affects energy consumption. The increasingly

decentralised generation of electricity creates distribution

problems. This requires a major rethinking of the approach

to energy distribution. Realworld Systems helps energy

companies evolve their distribution networks using smart

consultants and smart tools - we cover all aspects of

geographic network planning, network registration and

network management.

Changing electricity distribution networks is a delicate

operation. It starts with planning and calculation exercises

using a geographic information system (GIS). Next comes

the crucial step of correctly passing the modifications to the

supervisory system. The consultants of Realworld Systems

are working with both your engineers and the suppliers of

SCADA / DMS systems to create a failsafe, automated process.

Today planning changes to the network and realising them is

almost a push button operation.

Would you like to know more?

Curious to see how Realworld

Systems solutions can help you

make the most of your network?

Feel free to contact Ilco Slikker

on + 31 345 614 406

Geo-IT made real

Realworld Systems: seamless integration of GIS into your business

We at Realworld Systems believe that geographic

information helps you bring your business to a

higher level. That’s why our 100+ consultants are

specialised in IT, GIS and your business. We are able

to quickly integrate geographic information into your

processes. This way we create practical and afford-

able solutions. In fact, we do this not only for energy

companies, but also for other complex organizations

such as water and gas companies or telecommuni-

cations companies, all around the world.

Worldclass job for energetic ICT and GIS Consultants

We operate at the highest level on a worldwide

scale, this forces us to keep evolving. That is why

Realworld Systems are always looking for ICT profes-

sionals and GIS consultants at university or college

level who want to get the most out of combining

geography and IT.

Need more information? Call Frits de Graaff on

+ 31 345 614 406

Smart appliancesBut that’s not the end of it. Our years of

experience in the energy world have taught

us many things. One of which is that field

engineers working on site have no time to

operate complex computer systems. That’s

why we develop practical applications for

smartphones and tablets, which give the

field engineers a lightning fast way to transfer

changes and findings straight into the GIS so

the back office can process the information

immediately. This saves time and energy!

Make the most of

your network

With Realworld Systems

www.realworld-systems.com

?

RealWorld_advertentie_NRG_Magazine_ENG_420x297_CMYK.indd 1 3-2-2012 11:08:19


Realworld Systems

“We have integratedtwo completely different worlds with each other.”The new GIS SCADA Network – Realworld Systems

Kees Kremer

Software Architect

at Realworld Systems

“We have the vision and knowhow for the future of Smart

Grids.” Kees Kremer is IT-architect at Realworld Systems. He

worked at the new connection between the GIS and SCADA

systems for Enexis. This innovation enables Enexis to make the

next step into automation of the medium-voltage net for their

customers. Previously, all information in the network control

centre was mainly on paper charts, but the new system offers

new digital opportunities. Partners have to register just once

and the system will handle everything else. This is far more

efficient than it used to be.

Relevant information“The integration of GIS and SCADA performs incredibly well”,

Kees Kremer explains. “GIS functions as the source system and

delivers information that can be used by the management. Data

is registered in GIS and synchronized to the SCADA system. This

information contains schematic data, geographic data, the

structure of installations and cables and the electric properties

of the net components. The management will be able to make

the right decisions with this information.” The desire was to

give the users of the SCADA system, usually the operating

management, enough relevant information to make the

optimal switching actions in the net. The new system can handle

large volumes of data and can keep this up to date.

BenefitsThe importance of this project is to make the net transparent.

For example to give information about mutations in the net like

demolition of a neighborhood or rather the building of a new

one. “This way we know how much power is used and where.

We can operate loading points and take these elements into

account. The ultimate goal is to minimize disturbances and

know the limitations”, Kremer states.

Wil de Jong, enterprise architect at Enexis illustrates the

importance of the integration. “The complexity of the networks

but also the demand for capacity increases. This system makes it

possible to further automate the business. This provides us

automatically with all the necessary information and offers

many advantages, especially in the long term.”

From scratchConnections like the GIS-SCADA are rare. Realworld Systems is

leading in this area with their work for Enexis. “We have

integrated two completely different worlds with each other. GIS

and SCADA were different components within the company.

One of the challenges was that nobody had any idea what the

information exactly had to be. We registered everything in the

new system from scratch.” With this innovation Realworld

Systems raised the bar for new Smart Grids in the future. Visit www.realworld-systems.com for more innovative projects.

Resource efficiency and financing

Cradle to cradle implies a complete turnaround of existing

production processes. In the short run more efficient use of

resources may help to come closer to the ultimate goal of

cradle to cradle. Bankers could assist you with becoming

more efficient because scarcity is one of the biggest

drivers of economic value. Given the forecasted

growth of the world’s population combined with an

even faster growing group of people copying the

western style of living, a lot of people foresee a

scarcity of natural resources. Being efficient in the

use of these resources therefore creates value,

means business and avoids a much higher price

later on. An example may help.

Suppose you’re a bank and can choose

between two potential clients, both in need

of financing a project. The only difference

being that one is using twice as much of a

specific natural resource as the other. In risk

terms this means that the first party’s

exposure to that resource’s price volatility is

twice as much. Being a banker means looking for

ways to eliminating financial risks: you will choose

for the most efficient natural resource user.

One of the working groups of Holland Financial

Centre is looking at the possibility of integrating

resource efficiency targets into terms and

conditions of loans. This would mean that use of

resources would be explicitly made visible and with

that recognizable as a financial risk. Being more

resource efficient would pay off.

Gerard van Baar - Holland Financial Centre

Managing Director Centre for Finance & Sustainability

Financing SustainabilityA column by Holland Financial Centre


The Holland Financial Centre foundation is a joint public/private venture launched by a number of parties in the financial industry and the government, who have joined together to form a broad-based interest group. The objective of HFC is to develop initiatives aimed at preserving a strong, open, internationally competitive financial industry in the Netherlands, and to retain existing jobs in the industry and create new ones. One of the focal points of HFC is Finance & Sustainability. The Centre for Finance & Sustainability commissioned the book Financing Sustainability which can be downloaded at the website of Holland Financial Centre: www.hollandfinancialcentre.com The Centre also initiated the webportal www.FSinsight.org , which has been officially launched by Minister Verhagen at 1 February 2012.

Financing Sustainabil ity

In future energy systems, renewable energy will only be

intermittently available. Demand and supply must be

continuously matched, and the user will have to be

flexible. He’ll have to get used to think about what he

wants instead of how a device consumes energy in order

to achieve that. For example, an electric car parked in the

evening usually doesn’t have to be fully charged until the

next morning. In the end, it is important that devices do

their work according to the wishes of the user, but with

minimal hassle. A user doesn’t want to continuously check

the current electricity price to charge his car. Just as he’d

like the temperature of a room to be automatically

controlled by a thermostat: as long as it yields the correct

temperature.

In order to break through with renewable energy to the

big public, the technology has to be available to cope

with fluctuations in the energy supply. And it should be as

simple as possible for the consumer, while preserving

privacy. We need good software to regulate this.

Preferably with a simple button for the costumer, and for

the enthusiast advanced features like on current PC’s. The

PC had got its big advance only after its operation got

simple. This is the same with energy: we want a

comfortable system, besides our energy awareness. Now

you can simply put in the power plug. In the future this

will be less easy, but we rather hope for software that will

manage it the way we want it.

Rational Middle


YES

Prof. dr. ir. Han La Poutré, Clusterhoofd Software

Engineering bij het CWI (Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica,

Amsterdam) en Hoogleraar Informatica bij de Universiteit

Utrecht


Han La Poutré

Everyone has an opinion based on facts and senses. We seek for experts that stand on opposite sites when it

comes to intelligent networks. Should we make them smart or should we make them simple. Read their

opinions and make up your mind. There is always a rational middle…

Consumers and other end users appreciate ease of use very

much. Therefore, its importance can’t be underestimated

sufficiently. For acceptance of intelligence in energy

networks by end users ease of use is crucial. Some believe

that the degree of ease of use is equal to the degree of

complexity, or as you like, intelligence of the network

concerned. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ease of

use is above all an experience and within that experience a

large degree of autonomy plays a decisive role. The classic

example of this is formed by the fierce reactions of users to

‘the smart meter’. Up to now the need for privacy proved to

be the ’killer app’. The end user wants to retain the control

over his or her use of energy. Ease of use is lovely, (full)

dependence of an intelligent network is not.

Another argument for the as least intelligent as possible

network is the fact that the potential for interference

increases as the network becomes more complex. A well

designed network is as simple as possible. Components,

including software, that won’t be used, simply can not

break. Also, an as limited as possible intelligence contributes

to the transparency of a network. Therefore, the network is

easier to adapt, simpler to link and much more versatile.

Because of this, one can respond effectively and efficiently

to potentially strong fluctuating supply and demand in a

network. A situation which will become common

increasingly, due to the increase of the distributed

generation. In short, simplicity is the sign of truth.

Rational Middle


NO

Mr. Roel Croes, co-founder GreenICT Foundation / initiator

IIP Sustainable ICT Foundation – Platform for sustainable

ICT


Roel Croes

Everyone has an opinion based on facts and senses. We seek for experts that stand on opposite sites when it

comes to intelligent networks. Should we make them smart or should we make them simple. Read their

opinions and make up your mind. There is always a rational middle…

Wuhan New Energy Centre:

most sustainable office building in the world.

The world energy consumption is expected to grow by 40% by 2030. To keep pace with these expecta-tions, we need to anticipate on the demand and plan the infrastructure accordingly. At Grontmij, we have decades of experience in renewable energy solutions, sustainable urban planning, design and building and can provide assistance at every step of the way.

Creating sustainable solutions for our future energy needs

European Master in Renewable EnergyThe aim of the European Master in

Renewable Energy is to train post-

graduate students to fill the gap

between the growing industry demand

for specialized renewable energy

expertise and the skills currently

available on the job market. In its

three semester structure, students are

guaranteed to spend time in at least

two different EU countries and become

familiar with a wide range of European

universities and companies involved in

the renewable energy sector.

There are numerous research activities

in which master students can

participate, such as RenQi, Flexines,

CARI-E and EDGaR.

The Energy Academy Europe The European Master in Renewable

Energy is one of the many activities

within the Energy Academy Europe.

The aim of the EAE is to create a

prominent international position for

the Netherlands in energy-related

issues and the transition towards a

fully sustainable energy economy.

The Energy Academy Europe brings

together a diversity of disciplinary

expertise and approaches, from the

humanities, social sciences and natural

sciences. Furthermore, training and

degrees will be offered across different

levels, from professional to higher

education. Top researchers pursue a

variety of topics, addressing

fundamental and applied research

questions. Students are also involved in

research projects, often working in

teams that bring together students

from different degree programs.

This European Master in Renewable

Energy will start at the beginning of

September 2012 (pending accre-

ditation).

Hanze University of Applied Sciences GroningenGroningen: the ideal region for research and education in the field of Energy

By September 2012, Hanze UAS will deliver the consortium master

program European Master in Renewable Energy. By becoming a member

of the EUREC consortium, Hanze University of Applied Sciences in

Groningen is able to make its own contribution to meet the demand of

the rapidly expanding European renewable energy industry. Furthermore,

Hanze UAS is a major partner in the Energy Academy Europe.

“My job as a RE technical adviser

has given me the chance to

work on challenging projects

like zero CO2 factories, positive

energy buildings and solar

district heating networks.” Bertrand Guillo

Alumnus EUREC Master

Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen

Are you interested in receiving more

information about the European Master

in Renewable Energy? Please contact:

Jarry Scheepens-Hasek, (liaison officer):

[email protected]

For information about EUREC,

please visit:

www.hanzegroningen.eu

www.master.eurec.be


Ton Schoot Uiterkamp

Back to the future

Ever wondered what moments in life changed the view of those who we

look up to? Ton Schoot Uiterkamp looks back at moments in his live that

changed his views and visions, moments in his childhood, study and start

of his professional career. He goes back to the future…

with

Create a totally new design keeping in

mind maintaining the integrity of the only

planet we have. Give the world processes

and systems that are genuinely self-

sustaining.

Ton Schoot Uiterkamp (1944) holds

a PhD in biophysical chemistry from

the University of Groningen. After

two years in Cairo, Egypt, he has held

research and managerial positions

at Yale and Harvard Universities.

He was head of department at

the Environmental Division of the

Netherlands Organization for Applied

Scientific Research (TNO). From 1991 he

has been a Professor of Environmental

Sciences at the University of Groningen.

Currently he is honorary professor of

environmental sciences.

Fifty years ago I started studying chemistry in Groningen. The

conversion to natural gas in the Netherlands had just begun. The

government didn’t know how quickly to use up the gas. They wanted

to connect every household to it. On the other hand, they had no

idea how to deal with this, because we had nuclear energy. That was the

future. It was a time when technology was everything. Everything was

possible. In ’59 hardly anybody thought that nuclear power had a down side

and that natural gas could run out.

Maybe it was the way I was raised. Or high school, where I was told not to be

passive in life. When I think back, I was an exception in thinking about the

social consequences of technology. I met a girl. Marianne. She consistently

challenged the way I thought. I fell in love. She was a sociologist, marrying a

chemist.

After graduation we left for Egypt for two years. I got a job at UNESCO as an

alternative for being drafted into military service. Cairo was a completely

different world. There was a shortage of everything. We endured two wars.

The October War in Cairo and the war in Cyprus while we were there on

holiday.

In Cairo poverty posed challenges. There were enormous health problems.

When you’re dealing with shortage of money or time, you get clever. We

cooked on butane gas. Every so often I had to go to the dock and stand in a

pushy crowd for a gas cylinder. I hated this so much. We were so thrifty with

gas just so I could postpone going to the dock. That’s being efficient with

energy. When you have to.

Such a short period in your life can throw it radically around. Two years in

Cairo has influenced me irreversible. I cannot get accustomed to unbridled

wealth. When we lived in Cairo, the Netherlands experienced its first energy

crisis. The car-free Sunday’s came. People started thinking about running out

of cheap energy. Finally.

After Cairo, I moved to the USA and then back to the Netherlands. A lot has

changed. Now we talk in Parliament about head scarves, while we need to be

talking about what your and my grandchildren will use to keep themselves

warm. We didn’t do anything substantial about this for the last fifty years.

Back then, we didn’t know how to use up all the energy and now, we don’t

know what to do when it is. Why is it that such important issues so rarely

enter the political agenda? Why do very few people think so far ahead?

Virtually everyone seems to live in the here and now. Everyone wachtes The

Voice of Holland on TV but ignores the energy demand of 2050. And if there

were only a number of people that were heard or whose opinions were even

seriously discussed, maybe it’d be fine. But nothing could be further from the

truth.

I am genuinely concerned, but not so much that I don’t believe things can

change. It’s because of the events I’ve experienced myself. They show me

things can change. That is, if people really want them to change.

Tip for Talent.

Bio.



GET READYNRG Battle 2012!


Peter Rehwinkel

Mayor Groningen

27W W W . N R G B A T T L E . N L

PROGRAMME

9 MARCH09:00 - 09:30 Arrival of the guests

09:45 - 10:15 Opening

10:30 - 13:00 Start NRG Battle - working on the cases

13:00 - 14:00 Lunch

14:00 - 14:15 Introducing the jury

14:15 - 16:30 Continuation NRG Battle - working on the cases

16:30 - 17:00 Break - prepare for pitches

17:00 - 18:00 Dinner

18:00 - 20:00 Students do a pitch for jury and public

20:00 - 22:00 Drinks, networking & announcement of the finalists


Only once in a blue moon we meet Top Talents. They are not only achievers in their studies but they also have a unique personality and bring added value to your company. In every Battle we choose four Top talents with uncommon combinations of talents. Take the Strategic Talent, both efficient and creative, a very unique blend in one person, so rare and worth meeting. You cannot see this in a resume or appearance, that’s why we use the Big Five personality test. We think these four are real Top Talents! Read their stories on the next pages.

For more information about the way we test Talent, contact Geertje Dam, [email protected].

Talents in the Spotlight


Talents in the SpotlightTalents in the Spotl ight


Master student Chemistry

Strategic Talent

Rik Mom is a master student Chemistry and was part of the futuristic

Astro Economics team during the NRG Battle. He is a strategic, both

efficient and creative. He has the capacity to think innovative, but also

to make the right estimations about risks and feasibility of new ideas.

Rik Mom

Team Astro Economics made a great impression with their

concept for sustainable space traveling at the NRG Battle last

year. “It has been a tremendously valuable experience. We

had a great team, with three technical students, including

myself and some communication students. We not only

complemented each other, but also learned a great deal

from each other’.

Rik’s personality came to the surface during the team process.

“The NRG Battle asks you to solve a problem in a limited

amount of time. You have to make compromises to make it a

feasible concept. For example we used an existing example

aeroplane as a fundament for our design, instead of

designing a new one. After we pitched our idea during the

first round, the jury was still skeptic.

They mentioned that our idea for sustainable space traveling

was close to science fiction. We had to make sure we

presented the idea as being very realistic and financially

feasible. That assignment came close to my strengths, as I

truly enjoyed making the calculations and discussing the risks

of all our innovative input.”

Rik’s parents, chemists as well, are raised with the awareness

of certain ideals. He isn’t sure whether he will end up or not

in the corporate world or might focus on a career in scientific

research. “Both are possible for me. As long as my work is

close to my ideals. I want to mean something for society even

if it means just making a small sustainable improvement. But

of course my dream is to truly change the world as we know

it.”.

Talents in the Spotl ight

Contributing to society through chemistry

“After we pitched our idea during the first round, the jury was still skeptic”


Contributing to society through chemistry

Master student

Sustainable Technology

Rosa Morales González is truly inspiring being both team oriented and

creative. She enlivens the discussion with innovative thoughts, but also

knows how to mediate between different opinions. Rosa is a Master

student Sustainable Technology in Eindhoven, one of the many studies

that she followed. This Senorita moved to the Netherlands to invest in

herself, but her home keeps pulling her back. Her dream is to make a

difference in home country Mexico.

Rosa Morales González

Rosa entered the finals of the NRG Battle with team E.ON. It

was a great opportunity to improve her talents. “I was

chosen to act as the pitch speaker. It was a big challenge for

me to sum up every broad idea without missing any key

aspects. I am a very good listener and look at myself as an

innovator. It was a great experience and I can benefit from it

for the rest of my career. I learned how to convince others of

my ideas in a short amount of time. The art is to wrap up all

the different views and to create something great.”

Two years ago she got into The Shell Centenary Scholarship

Fund. The aim of the scholarship is to give students from

developing countries the opportunity to gain skills that will

make a long-term contribution to the further development

of their country. “It’s a great chance for me and from the first

day at the University of Eindhoven I knew this is what I’ve

always wanted.”

Rosa dreams of using her knowledge in her home country

Mexico. “You know that Mexico has twice as much of

sunlight, compared to Germany? But they aren’t making any

use of it.”

“I feel that the country, sadly enough, isn’t making use of its

potential. I want to start my career here in Europe and

expand my knowledge about sustainability, in particular

about smart grids. When the time comes, I would love to

help Mexico in creating smart grid platforms. It will be quite

a challenge, but I’m ready for it.”.

Creating Smart Grid Platforms in Mexico

“I am a very good listener and look at myself

as an innovator”

TalentInspiring Talent



Bsc. student International Relations

& International Organization

Meet Xoe Heeney, Bachelor student International Relations. She is

multi-skilled: decisive, innovative, calculates the risks and is a real asset

to the team. Xoe has been internationally oriented for almost all of her

life, living in El Salvador since the age of 12, and having traveled

through Thailand and South Africa amongst others. At 19 years old

she made the Netherlands her new home.

Xoe Heeney

Xoe competed in the NRG Battle with team Groningen

Seaports. They created a concept to use algae as a power

source. “I was part of a talented team of mechanical

engineers. I complemented their technical knowledge with

my background in International Relations.”

“It was great to see our idea grow and evolve. Even though

we didn’t make it to the last three finalists, it was a great

experience. I voted for team Grontmij in the finals, with their

concept for a sustainable Ice Skating Rink. It was an

impressive, innovative idea, which also made use of algae in

a progressive manner.”

Xoe’s presumed decisiveness is reflected in her moving to the

Netherlands. “I’ve done my best to find a university that suits

me best. I heard great things about the Netherlands and the

universities are ranked very well compared to other countries.

I’ve even visited Groningen to get an impression of the city

and the university. Still, it was quite a challenge. I had to live

in a hostel for a month, before I found an actual home here.

It was hard to depend on no one but myself. But I’m a stable,

organized person who will manage herself.”

Being multi talented brings the quest for Xoe which way to

go. “I do think I’m suited for a steering, controlling role.

However this study program offers you a huge range of

opportunities, which I’ll have to explore in the future. I do

know that I want to give more to the world than I take out

of it. I want to make a difference in at least one person’s

life.”.


Making a difference in at least one person’s life

“I want to give more to the world than I take out of it”

Multi Talent

Making a difference in at least one person’s life

Master of Business Administration

(Specialization in Strategy)

Jeev (Divyajeevan) Sahoo is suited for a very diverse range of jobs. He is

a so called multi skilled person: creative, team oriented, efficient and

decisive. No surprise that Jeev and his team were the winners of the

NRG Battle 2011. They blew the judges away with their truly innovative

thoughts on the use of biogas. This is just the start for this passionate

young man.

Divyajeevan Sahoo

Jeev has proven himself to be a successful entrepreneur in

the past. On his impressive résumé you’ll find the founding

of multiple energy related projects. At this point he is a MBA

student at the HEC Paris and co-president of the HEC Energy

Club. He’s about to move to London to work on a new

project. “I have got so many things that inspire me and make

me want to do something new.”

Being a real entrepreneur he not only has the capacity to

think innovative, but also successfully incorporates ideas into

practice. Jeev: “I find it very important to work in objectives.

Sometimes you just don’t have the time to think creative,

you just have to act.”

Having multiple skills gives you big opportunities, but also

requires you to choose between all of your options. Or

doesn’t it? Jeev doesn’t want to limit himself: “I enjoy being

the face of a company and doing the fundraising for projects.

But I think today you need a variety of faces. Sometimes you

have to be a leader, sometimes a follower and sometimes a

negotiator. For an entrepreneur, it is still important to

actually be part of the team that you work in as well. I don’t

see myself as a manager, but I do see the importance of

working in a satisfied team. It should never just be about

closing the next big deal.”

“I look at the bigger picture. You should always work from

your drives. That’s why I never entitle my projects as work.

As long as you enjoy the things you do, it doesn’t feel like

work to me.”.

I find it very important to work in objectives

“I have got so many things that inspire me and make me want to do something new”

Multi Talent


Vision of the Jury

Anton Broenink has held various positions in his career, ranging from Supply

Operations Manager to European Optimisation Advisor as well as managing individual

projects. He has gained experience both in the Netherlands and abroad. In 2007,

Anton Broenink joined GasTerra as Chief Operating Officer.

Congratulations with your appointment as a member of the Jury!

Thank you, it is an honour to work with young and enthusiastic educated students.

I’m looking forward to their creative solutions for the cases.

What is your vision on the NRG Battle?

We owe it to the students to involve them into the complex world of energy. They are

the future generation who will have to take over the responsibility to provide the

world with reliable, cheap and environmentally friendly energy solutions.

As a judge, what will be the topics on which you will focus?

I will pay attention, specifically, to the content of the solution: is it reliable, valid, out-

of-the-box, sustainable and something new? The presentation is also important.

Students should be able to blow the jury away with their presentation!.

Anton Broenink

Chief Operating Officer at GasTerra

Blow us away with your presentation

Vision of the Jury Always wondering what the vision of CEO’s and Directors on talent in energy is? The jury of the NRG Battle shares

their vision on the new generation in energy. This is the vision of the jury!

p The Jury of last Battle listens to pitches


Ton Schoot Uiterkamp

Em. Professor of Environmental

Sciences, University of Groningen

Young talent determines our future. Decisions taken today determine the quality of

life of future generations. That’s why young (technical) talent is so extremely

important for our future. It is fascinating to see young people gathering process

information, discussing and working as teams towards good solutions for the

challenges we see in day-to-day life.

Creative solutions for imminent challenges are produced, developed and presented

in the NRG Battle. The NRG Battle brings together ambitious young creative and well

educated professionals who are ready to put their energy and brainpower into

constructive contributions to these challenges for the future.

In selection the winners we try to judge creativeness, team spirit, the non-obvious,

usefulness, innovation and presentation of the teams. All elements together

determine the final judgement.

Decisions today determine the quality of the future

Energy is technology. Energy is behavior. Energy is environment. Energy is law. Energy

is economics. Energy is history. Energy is policy… I could go on like this since energy

is a very broad and challenging societal issue.

If successful it implies no less than a fundamental societal and technological

transformation process. In other words an extreme make-over that is likely to last

well into the next century. By its very nature energy will continue to offer employment

opportunities to a large number of professionals from many disciplinary backgrounds.

The NRG Battle format offers future energy professionals during their student years

a great opportunity to get involved in realistic problem solving projects. And when

students cooperate in multidisciplinary teams to tackle specific energy-related

problems spectacular things may happen. As a seasoned NRG Battle jury member I

have witnessed how many and often difficult projects were brought to a successful

conclusion by their hardworking teams. The characteristics jury members valued most

in these projects were and still are, novelty, creativity, practical utility, cost-effectiveness

and societal acceptability.

I am confident that the upcoming NRG Battles will be conducted in great spirit and

will live up to the high quality standards we have come to expect from the participating

teams.

Bernard Fortuyn

CEO sector Energy

of Siemens The Netherlands

Spectacular things happen at the NRG Battle

Vision of the Jury


At KEMA we stimulate professionals to explore and develop their talents. We create

an open, informal and pleasant atmosphere where they experience a lot of freedom

and self responsibility to do their job. This environment is essential to appeal to

their talents. Especially for a knowledge company like KEMA, the capabilities of our

professionals are key to success. KEMA is a thought leader in the energy market on

several topics like e.g. smart energy grids, gas quality, green gas supply. To create

this position our professionals are working at the front end of technology

development. They need to understand problems and be creative to realize

innovative solutions for our clients. Excellent social skills are relevant for building

client relationships across the world, taken the cultural differences into account.

Doing business is creating value propositions and relation networks.

As member of the jury of The Battle, I will obviously watch carefully after the

quality of the projects and innovative ideas. I will also watch if the participants

have fun in presenting their results, if they have taken the freedom to think outside

of the box and if they have taken responsibility. It would not surprise me if the

winner of The Battle will have those characteristics. For talented winners, there is

always room in each and every organization. Especially at KEMA.The world faces a tremendous problem to secure its energy supply for the future.

This cannot be solved without talented, creative and innovative engineers. The

world crucially depends on its engineering students of today!

Therefore investing in education is essential to ‘raise’ young talents to the level

that they can contribute. A climate in which we can realize the maximum potential

from everyone, at every level is needed. People don’t seem to realize that we

desperately need engineers in order to solve global energy issues. Engineers thus

deserve much more appreciation!

As member of the jury of the NRG Battle she will seek for originality, technical

innovativeness, persuasion and quality of the team. Her philosophy is: ‘Try to get

as much out of your life as possible.’ She hopes to find finalists who seeks their

borders and inspire others to do so too.

Pierre Bartholomeus

Global Director Gas Consulting

Services at KEMA

Have fun, think outside the box and take responsibility

Finalists who seek their borders

Hester Bijl

Director of the Delft Energy

Initiative of Delft University of

Technology

Vision of the Jury


The jury is very proud of what students and organizations have accomplished so far.

Both preliminary rounds and especially the finals showed a vast improvement in

case content, coaching, development and presentations. For me, this clearly proves

that the NRG Battle is growing into a successful event which attracts high quality,

talented and engaged students who aspire a career in the energy sector. As a result,

students now have growing expectations towards participating in the NRG Battle

and towards the organizations they will meet and possibly work for in the future.

The jury therefore would like to invite organizations to meet these expectations by

delivering challenging cases and work closely with the students.

During the judging process we are specifically looking for innovating, non-obvious

and well thought through concepts and solutions which are not only coherently

presented in a surprisingly convincing way but also have a pretty fare chance to

become a reality in the near future! Only in this way the uniqueness of the NRG

Battle will come to its full bloom: a one day event where organizations and students

meet, compete and provide innovative ideas and actually work together towards

solutions for the important challenge we are facing today: providing a sustainable

environment for our future generations.

Vision of the Jury

Working on a sustainable future

Jeroen Rijnhart

Director of Water & Energy at

Grontmij

Pieter Romer is Executive Director Operations at Alliander, the largest energy grid

company in the Netherlands. Before Pieter Romer worked as VP Operations at

Gasunie and held several senior management positions at KLM. He is member of

the jury of NRG Battle 2012.

“In the near future we will be in desperate need of talent. For a network company

like Alliander the importance of the NRG Battle is to get in contact with students in

an inspiring way. Students that are working with topics such as energy transition

and innovation within the energy sector. These topics are significant for us because

we want to shape our networks well-timed with a new energy infrastructure and

from a social involvement. In this context, we need talents now and in the future

that will help us innovate these nets considering the future demand.

As member of the jury I will look at the proposals with three aspects in mind.

Primarily there is the originality of the idea. Second, the relevance of the proposal

in the energy transition and innovation. Concepts like scarcity of energy and

sustainability are important for me. At last I will look at the quality of the entire

presentation and the two-minute pitch.”.

We’d like to get in touch with inspiring students

Pieter Romer

Executive Director

Operations at Alliander


And the winner is...

New use for biogasThe case description sounded: “Hellouw,

a town in Gelderland, has plans to build

a co-fermentation plant. The area has

an agricultural character, so there is

enough biomass available. A brick

factory in the area is already interested

in the biogas. But we are still looking

for other opportunities for (local)

biogas consumption.”

The co-fermentation plant produces

enough biogas to provide for an entire

neighbourhood. Until now research has

focused on optimizing the complex and

expensive upgrading process of biogas.

And the winner is...Team Grontmij/Alliander

Team Grontmij/Alliander won the international NRG Battle 2011 with their truly innovative case about biogas.

The four talented guys didn’t expect to win. “No, not at all. ”, says Marcio Fleury, one of the team members.

They are presenting their case and solutions on the National Geographic Channel which will be aired soon.

Eva Liesting, case instructor for Grontmij is very proud of ‘her’ team: “They didn’t know each other, but were

a brilliant team.” They blew the judges away with their great three-minute pitch about the use of biogas.


Team Grontmij/Alliander thought of

ways to adjust the installations on the

end user’s side instead of adjusting the

biogas.

Esther Hardi, case instructor and

Innovation Manager Gas at Alliander:

“We have looked for solutions to a

problem that exists in every gas net,

especially with biogas. How do you get

supply and demand balanced with

each other? During the day people

cook, they use the heating boiler; they

need gas, but during the night they

don’t.” The team thought of an

innovative idea: use the gas for

streetlights to create a demand in the

night. “The design of the streetlights

are one of a kind. Instead of the usual

way where the flame is in the top of

the lamp, the flame is nearly above the

ground.” Esther Hardi is very

enthusiastic about this solution. “The

heat of this process can be used for

other initiatives as well.”

From Brasil to Paris“Diversity is very important.” Esther

Hardi explains why they had students

from different backgrounds in their

teams. Jivyajeevan Sahoo, one of the

team members, came all the way from

Paris where he now lives, to join the

NRG Battle. “We came from different

schools, different countries, different

cultures. That, and our different

personalities made us such a good

team. We really complemented each

other.” The team consisted of four

guys: Marcio Fleury, born in Brasil,

Patrick Son, from the Netherlands,

Lakkumanan Ramu and Jivyajeevan

Sahoo, both from India. “Because of

our international background as a

team we had a broader view on the

solution. We were able to think about

feasible concepts that are used all over

the world, for example the gas burner

that we wanted to use which isn’t

known in the Netherlands”, Patrick

Son states.

Esther Hardi: “This was a completely

new concept for Alliander. We really

did need the students to help us think

about new ways of using biogas. It was

absolutely a win-win situation. They

brought new, fresh ideas which we can

use now. At the moment we are

working to adjust the net so we can

implement their ideas.” After the NRG

Battle, Patrick Son got a job offer from

Alliander. “A month after the Battle I

asked Patrick to come and work for

us”, Esther Hardi says. “He is part of my

team as a technical trainee. The next

two years he will be working on a

diverse range of projects. This way he

can find out what really fits him and

we have the opportunity to work with

him and gain by his ideas.” In addition,

Eva Liesting says: “Isn’t that what the

NRG Battle is all about: working with

young promising talent with the aim of

great innovative ideas.”.

“It is a dream coming true”

And the winner is...

Interested in the story

of the winning team?

Check www.nrgbattle.nl

Northern Netherlands: European Region of Energy Excellence

• Green Gas• Bio Based Energy• Decentralization & Smart Grids• Power Production & Balancing• Research & Education

Strenghts of the Energy Valley region

www.noord-holland.nl www.fryslan.nl www.provinciegroningen.nl www.provincie.drenthe.nl


The International NRG BattleThe shortage of talent in the

competitive energy sector has become

a critical business issue. This is why the

company TTA World (formerly known

as StudentsMedia) started the

International NRG Battle as a ground-

breaking event in 2009. Main goal is to

attract and retain talent in the sector

and to innovate the energy business. It

has become the most successful annual

returning event for attracting talent.

The battle has become successful

through collaboration between

companies and top talents.

The main issue for energy companies is

to take the lead in accelerating

development of young potentials.

Because when critical positions aren’t

filled, the business will run down and

important projects will be delayed. This

is not only a problem for the companies

but for society in general. We need

people who can overcome the

difficulties of securing energy supply

for the future. Time is ticking towards

the zone of uncertainty. Therefore TTA

World sees young top talents and the

existing experts as one of the solutions

to a greener world.

TTA World is building a community of

passionate global talents to be able to

cover the critical positions for the

future. The idea is that the energy

sector takes its responsibility and

educates talent in an accelerated way.

GLOBAL TOP TALENTAttracting and educating for the energy sector is a collective responsibility

TTA World

By Jan Schulte and Geertje Dam


TTA World

“You immediately have to know who the right person for the right job is” John

Kamminga, Global Recruiter, TTA World mentions. “That’s why we test the

talents of the students”.

“If you know who your best people are in the most critical positions. You will

know who you strategically need in these positions in future years. This is where

accelerated education comes in”, Geertje Dam, Director New Business TTA

World mentions. The Energy Academy Europe and Energy Delta Institute (EDI)

are perfect examples of accelerating knowledge and personal development of

young talents.

“The Energy Academy Europe is unique in its

interdisciplinary approach (bringing together technical,

economic, legal and social expertise), the broad

scope ranging from vocational training to scientific

education and the demand-driven stance in which the

requirements of industry are leading

for the innovation in energy

education and research.”

Noe van Hulst, Director Energy Academy

“Today we are facing a very dynamic global gas

market. A lot of international infrastructure projects

are in development (new gas fields, shale gas, LNG,

pipelines, storage) to ensure security of supply. With

this development we see an increasing demand for

professionals in the gas industry. These professionals

must have an international approach and an international

network. In EDI we are focusing on that in our

executive courses.”

Eric Dam, President EDI

John Kamminga

Global Recruiter, TTA World


TTA World

International Ambitions NRG Battle The Energy Talent pool and the NRG Battle are becoming

a worldwide application for attracting talent in the field

of energy. This year, we organize the NRG Battle – World

Edition in Kuala Lumpur during the World Gas Conference.

A worldwide campaign is launched to attract the best

global talents of the world to the energy pool. TTA World’s

ambition is to become a worldwide online Talent hub for

the Energy sector.

Building strong Human CapitalTTA World also assists companies in discovering the

personality structure of their most excellent people. When

you know who your best people are and what talent is

scarce you can recruit in a more strategic way. We

discovered there is a strong relation between excellence

and accomplishing strategic goals. We use the Corporate

Identity Model for this analysis and perform an internal

benchmark in the company.

TTA World maintains an online Energy Talent pool where

(inter) national Bachelor, Master, MBA and PhD graduates

(for example: finance, engineering, commercial, energy) can

sign up if they are interested in working in the energy sector.

These students are tested online on their personality traits.

“With these test results, in combination with their resume,

we know exactly what the students’ full potential is in for

example: leadership-, management-, innovator-, strategic-,

entrepreneurial potential” mentions Dam. “The Energy pool

of students can be found online and is open for all the

companies that participate in the NRG Battle. Companies

select and contact the talents they need for their cases directly

and online”.

We can attract these talents because the energy companies

join forces in the Battles and showcase their most interesting

projects. We learned in the last three years that the brightest

talents are attracted when they are able to contribute to

interesting projects. This is how a drive to innovate business

arises.


Quote, UnquoteFeel the emotions of our talents who competed during the finals of the International NRG Battle.

Read their quotes about a day full of innovative ideas presented by the most talented students.

They became finalists of the three preliminary rounds, they prepared for months for this particular

day. Watch and read what finalists thought of it.

“We aim for the highest!”-Marcia Fleury, Grontmij/Alliander-

“Our key is to keep it simple and to make it visual for the public. We therefore let an industrial designer create a drawing of

our design”-Reinier Schneider, Grontmij 2-

“We are very proud to have integrated our concept into the

streets of Assen”- Filiz Zorluer, Light Challenge -

Winners NRG Battle 2011

Second place NRG Battle 2011

Third place NRG Battle 2011

INTERNATIONAL NRG BATTLE THE FINALS 2011


“Good ideas need to grow through communication”

-Anne Johnson, Gasterra 1-

INTERNATIONAL NRG BATTLE THE FINALS 2011

“Our idea for sustainable storage of

ballast water is already incorporated in the organization”

-Tomas Moerman, Groningen Seaports 3-

“Never thought it would have worked, the collaboration between communication and

engineering students. But we have learned so much from each other”

-Thomas van der Meer, Siemens 3-

“The presentation during the preliminary rounds was already a great success, we just had to cross our t’s and dot our i’s”

-Team Siemens 2-

“I think the most bizarre idea is going to win”

-Rick Mom, Astro Economics-

““We radically changed our solution, since the preliminary round”

-Tomas Moerman, Groningen Seaports 3-

“We want to win, but the most important thing is to provide Gasterra with a product they can use”

-Anne Johnson, Gasterra 1-

Overview BATTLES 2012

NRG Battle – Europe EditionThe International NRG Battle is a yearly recurring event. During a year

there are preliminary rounds held nationwide. Each annual edition will

end with a final during the Energy Delta Convention in Groningen.

NRG Battle 2012:Preliminary round 1: 9th of March

Preliminary round 2: 25th of May

Preliminary round 3: 12th of October

Finals: 21th of November

Cases are provided by renowned companies in the Energy sector, for

example GasTerra, Siemens, E.ON and Grontmij. Topics to be discussed are

amongst others: solar energy, transport, bio-based energy, law, sustainable

energy, policy and communication, storage and autarkic energy.

At the end of the day each team will present their solution to an expert

jury of CEO’s of renowned companies. This jury will select the winners

based on three criteria; utility, non-obvious of character and novelty.

After each round five teams will proceed to the final. They have a chance

to win their own broadcast on National Geographic Channel.

www.nrgbattle.nl

Where students meet, compete...

The NRG Battle – World Edition is a competition organized during the

World Gas Conference in Kuala Lumpur where 100 global top

talents work, for four days in multidisciplinary teams of five, on

challenging cases provided by companies. At the end of the four days,

each team presents their idea in a 3-minute pitch to an expert jury,

consisting of CEO’s and Directors from the energy sector. The jury

nominates three teams that will pitch their idea once more to 5000

delegates at the World Gas Conference, who will then choose the

winner of the NRG Battle - World edition.

www.nrgbattle.com

NRG Battle – World Edition 4 - 8 June 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

International Health BattleThe International Health Battle is gaining a prominent place in our

innovative health sector. Prime Minister Mark Rutte already presented

the Health Innovation Award in a previous battle and this year the

talents will work on cases with subjects like Life Sciences, Food &

Nutrition, Medical Technology, E-Health en Healthy Lifestyle. Are you

ready to innovate as well? Sign up now!

Health Battle 2011:Finals: 15th of March (2012)

Health Battle 2012:Preliminary round 1: 11th of May

Preliminary round 2: 7th of December

International Finance BattleAre you a Bachelor/Master student and interested in a career in the

Finance sector? This is your chance! Register for the Finance Battle

2011. The Finance Battle will be held at the Duisenberg School of

Finance in Amsterdam.

Finance Battle 2012:Preliminary round: 9th of November

You will be competing in multidisciplinary teams and work on cases like derivatives trading, finance &

sustainability, retirement management of financial logistics. At the end of the day each team presents

their innovative solution in a pitch. Participation is free of charge and it is your chance to get in contact

with big names in the industry.

Will you be the most talented student in the next round of the Finance Battle? Sign up and win a

scholarship worth €26.000,- offered by Duisenberg School of Finance. The Prize for the winning team is

a masterclass offered by Duisenberg School of Finance.

www.healthbattle.nl

www.financebattle.nl

...and innovate

At GasTerra, you get the chance to contribute to a range of ambitious projects that really make a difference to society. You therefore have a wealth of opportunities for personal development. The development of our new office is just one of these projects. In our team of specialists, we are currently preparing the implementation of the newest ICT innova-tions. It is fascinating how we are all coming together to transform an energy-guzzling colossus into an exceptionally sustainable and modern office.

In order to help realise a sustainable society, GasTerra seeks the best possible balance between all available sources of energy, both renewable and conventional. As the cleanest of all the fossil fuels, natural gas plays a key role in achieving this balance. We are therefore part of the solution.

www.iampartofthesolution.nl

Marijn DresdenYoung Professional and ICT Operations Manager, GasTerra

NRG Magazine Edition 5 - Full Version

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