The Province of Zuid-Holland mapped the regional energy innovation system (including the Port of Rotterdam, Delft University of Technology, et cetera). Furthermore, they identified the 40 people most-cited as being drivers of the energy innovation ecosystem in Zuid-Holland. I was listed on the #3 spot! See below the interesting report itself.
Energy transition, or the move from high carbon to low carbon sources of energies is a complex technical,
economic and social challenge for the world. It is even more of a challenge for the province of Zuid-Holland,
with its high energy consumption, high carbon emissions and population density. Transition will require energy
innovation in order to meet the climate change targets of significantly reduced CO2 emissions. This study
explores the idea that effective energy innovation requires an ecosystem: the interaction between research
institutions, government, finance, entrepreneurs and the not-for-profit sector.
There is no historical precedent of a country moving to a carbon neutral economy. No-one has definitive
answers on what needs to be done. For this reason the government of the province of Zuid-Holland set up
the Energy Innovation Delta. Its objective is to develop the energy innovation ecosystem of the province. Does
the energy innovation ecosystem of Zuid-Holland have what it takes to realise energy innovation? In order to
answer this question, we interviewed over 100 executives from 80 different organisations, and mapped their
organisations, the focus of their work, and the challenges they see.
The output is that this study provides a unique overview of which activities are being performed within the
energy innovation ecosystem of Zuid-Holland. We take a data-driven approach to the energy innovation
ecosystem, analysing in unprecedented detail who is connected to whom, what is being done, what the
perceptions of these organisations are, how these compare to each other. This study has mapped out the
activities of over 4,300 FTE (full-time equivalent employees) across 80 different organisations. Our data can
be viewed from different perspectives: the organisations making up the ecosystem, the fields and stages of
innovation.
First, we often found that participants of the study request the government to create a clear vision, or roadmap
of its objectives for energy transition and innovation. Second, we found that there is a mismatch between the
perceived challenges and time allocation. Perceived important challenges in energy storage, system balancing
and CO2 capture receive the investment of relatively little time. Third, participants of the study indicated that
despite some useful initiatives, there is still a lack of capital to fund effective energy innovation – potentially
identifying an area for action.
The results of the study are being made available via a launch event in May 2018, at which invited participants
will also be able to prioritise recommendations. There are opportunities to submit further questions, and
detailed briefings will also be available on request.