News

The NERA Away Day (Heidag) 2026 on the 23rd of May at the University of Twente was a truly energising and inspiring gathering for the NERA community! From the very start, the atmosphere was open, interactive and full of positive energy. We kicked off with lunch on the 13th floor of the Horst Tower, enjoying stunning views over the green UT campus and the city of Enschede while reconnecting with colleagues and partners from across the Dutch energy research landscape. The programme started with an inspiring presentation by Sebastian Husein about the UT Climate Centre & Energy Innovations portfolio at the University of Twente, highlighting several promising energy-related projects, developments and collaborations. A special moment followed when former NERA chair Andre Faaij was thanked for his great contribution to NERA over the years. Together with NERA secretary Yorick W. Enters, new chair Bruno Ehrler presented André with a gift, after which André shared that he will fortunately remain closely involved with NERA in his new role as EERA liaison. Bruno Ehrler and Yorick Enters then reflected on NERA’s achievements, ambitions and priorities, creating plenty of room for questions, ideas and discussion with attendees. The strong interaction throughout the day clearly showed the commitment and enthusiasm within the network. To turn ambitions into action, Gerrit Jan Valk introduced the parallel breakout sessions. These interactive discussions generated valuable ideas, fresh perspectives and practical input from participants, which were later shared in the plenary feedback session. Great to see so much engagement and knowledge exchange across the different groups! After a short break, we visited the Advanced Manufacturing Centre (AMC), where we received an introduction to the centre’s cutting-edge work, including 3d metal printing, battery module and pack design, as well as the several advanced additive manufacturing facilities. Back in the AMC conference room, we joined an inspiring online keynote session by Stanford Fellow Rahul Dhir: “The Energy Transition: a Boardroom Perspective”. His insights sparked further reflection and discussion about the next steps for NERA and the broader energy transition. We closed the day with drinks and bites — a perfect ending to a day filled with inspiration, collaboration, new ideas and meaningful conversations. A big thank you to the University of Twente for hosting us and to everyone who contributed to such an engaging and forward-looking day. Great to meet each other in person again!

Bruno Ehrler is the new chairperson of NERA. He has worked for years in the filed of energy research. We asked him some questions to get to know him better en to know what he thinks about the future for NERA.

TNO announces the official establishment of Perovion Technologies, a spin-off focused on the industrialisation of a new generation of solar cells that are light and flexible. The technology uses perovskite, a material that allows light solar cells to be produced using significantly less material and energy than traditional glass and silicon solar panels. More information at the TNO website here: https://lnkd.in/eA6AQraB

New community activity funded by 4TU Centre for Energy: A Transdisciplinary Workshop on the Convergence and Future of Energy Access Congratulations to: • Luis Cutz (TU Delft) • Jelena Popovic (University of Twente) • Nowella Anyango-van Zwieten (Wageningen University & Research) • Henny Romijn (TU Eindhoven) Together they will lead the 4TU Alliance on EnergyAccess in organising a one-day TransdisciplinaryWorkshop in the Netherlands, designed to: ➡️ Connect researchers, policymakers, industry, and students ➡️ Compare energy access challenges across regions ➡️ Develop joint research and education initiatives ➡️ Strengthen partnerships with Global South stakeholders ➡️ Translate insights into funding opportunities and policy input This upcoming workshop tackles one of today’s most urgent GlobalChallenges: equitable and resilient energy access, which is no longer a challenge limited to the Global South. By bringing together diverse disciplines and voices, this initiative will help reframe energy access as a shared global priority—and lay the foundation for long-term hashtag#collaboration, future hashtag#funding, and socially just hashtag#EnergyTransition. Follow us and don’t miss the upcoming workshop! 🔗 Introduction about the 4TU Alliance on Energy Access: https://lnkd.in/eKvtw3AM

On behalf of NWO and the Netherlands Energy Research Alliance (NERA), we would like to invite you to the fourth edition of the NWO-NERA Energy Symposium. The symposium will take place on Friday 3 July 2026, at the Roeterseiland Campus of the University of Amsterdam. This year's theme is ‘Energy Futures: Technology and Society in Transition’. The energy transition is not only a technological challenge but also a societal transformation. Emerging technologies such as smart grids, large‑scale electrification, and renewable energy systems promise a sustainable future, yet their success depends on public acceptance, governance, and societal values. How can we design energy futures in which technology and society go hand in hand? 

The Top Sector Energy and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) collaborated with RebelGroup to develop tools related to the Fair Energy Transition.