FROM DESIGN TO DEPLOYMENT.
That is the 2025 theme that the Energy Reinvented Community Steering Committee introduced at the breakfast event for invited members at Siemens Energy in Zoeterwoude. In the last five to ten years many energy transition projects large and small have gone from vision to Final Investment Decision and to actual construction. During the construction phase, the need for alignment, refinement and learning continues. That is why ERC has picked FROM DESIGN TO DEPLOYMENT as overall theme for 2025.

Three main events will zoom into subtopics:

• 13 MARCH – DEVELOPING VALUE CHAINS
• 19 JUNE – TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE AND INNOVATIVE SUPPLY CHAINS
• 20 NOVEMBER – THE BUMPY ROAD TO EXECUTION

KEYNOTE SPEECH: FROM STRATEGY TO DEPLOYMENT THE ENERGY TRANSITION
After the official opening by ERC Steering Committee member René Peters who moderated the breakfast event and Siemens Energy host Adam Middleton, it was time for the keynote speech by Michel Heijdra, Director-General for Climate and Energy at the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth, aptly called “National Energy System Plan – From Strategy to Deployment.”



Michel highlighted that because of the major transition that must take place and must take place quickly, that clear direction from the national government is needed to develop the future energy system. In developing the National Plan, the Ministry decided on a broad scope, looking at all energy carriers including those used for feedstock and international transport. Subsequently, Michel and team looked four developmental pathways for energy chains: electricity, hydrogen, collective heat and sustainable carbon.

At the heart of the strategy to develop the future energy system, are five key decisions:
1. Maximum energy supply
2. Saving energy
3. Smart use of available resources
4. International cooperation
5. Joint coordination with citizens and industry.

Michel also openly addressed the national roadblocks for executing the plan: Nitrogen, grid congestion and what he called “scarcity of everything.” International roadblocks Michel mentioned were energy prices, Clean Industrial Deal and Unfair competition. “We need a grid union,” stated Michel. “The same grid methodology and the same pricing methodology, it’s a key policy objective of this cabinet to work on that.”

PANEL SESSIONS: DEEP DIVES
Following Michel Heijdra’s keynote, René Peters moderated three short panel sessions, each aligning with ERC’s upcoming events.



The first panel consisting of Tiago Neves, Board Coordinator, TU Delft Energy Club, Henk-Jan Vink, Managing Director, TNO, Lydia Boktor, Corporate Relations Hydrogen, Shell and Jan Willem van Hoogstraten, CEO, EBN discussed what is needed to initiate First-of-a-Kind projects. Panellists discussed Porthos, PosHYdon and Holland Hydrogen I and how many companies that do not naturally know one another must collaborate to build new value chains.



The second panel featured Adam Middleton, Vice President, Siemens Energy, Oscar Kraan, Future of Energy Leader, Deloitte, Alva Bechlenberg, Future Energy Leaders, DMEC and Kaj Hoogeboom, Jonge Klimaatbeweging who discussed balancing security, sustainability and globalisation. Global supply chains are crucial for energy transition projects and panellists discussed how to deal with supply chain risks.



The third panel featured Frans Everts, President Directeur Shell Nederland, Adam Middleton,Vice President, Siemens Energy, Judith Bogaard, Board member Young E&L (the young organisation of Climate and Green Growth and Agriculture) and Pieter Spruijt, Board member Young IRO, Damen Shipyards and discussed how to stay the course. Panellists addressed the challenges that arise after a project moves from design and FID to implementation.

After the panels all ERC Steering Committee members pitched “their” events as described above. The ERC website has been updated and you can find more information here. After one last coffee and many new personal introductions it was time to head back to the office or home office.

The presentation of Michel Heijdra and pictures of the event can be found on the ERC website.
To access it:

1. Log in here.
2. Click on MY ACCOUNT
3. Go to FORUM
4. Select EVENTS 
5. Select "2025-01 FROM DESIGN TO DEPLOYMENT"

Our upcoming event is DEVELOPING NEW VALUE CHAINS on 13 March at De Loods Rijswijk