Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN): Current state of technology insufficient to realise the Dutch cabinet's energy goals

In it's recently published annual report, the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) states that the current state of technology is insufficient to affordably achieve the high energy goals the new cabinet has set. More knowledge must be gathered and the introduction of new technologies must be accelerated. In order to enable an effective energy transition, it is vital that new technologies and completely new system approaches be developed and applied. For the period 2007 - 2011, the directors of ECN have drawn up a new strategy plan in which ECN can perform even more bound-breaking research with a significant influence on energy transition.

In making up the balance of the past four years, ECN's chairman Ton Hoff has seen the social importance of ECN's work increase significantly. "A lot of problems revolve around energy and can be summarised in the terms supply security, climate change and sustainability. Only a transition to a clean, reliable and affordable energy supply can provide the answer." Such a transition creates immense opportunities, especially for the business world. The past four years have been successful for ECN, with many interesting scientific and technical breakthroughs, such as the application of Olga technology for tar removal during gasification of biomass, a hydrogen-powered vehicle, increased revenue and decreased costs from solar cell technology and new technology to increase the output of wind farms.

ECN's corporate revenues in 2006 rose by € 15 million to € 122 million (€ 107 million in 2005). Still, ECN suffered a loss of € 1 million (versus a profit of € 4.4 million in 2005). The loss in 2006 was due to a one-time payment to bring about a solution to the pension problem. In 2007, ECN expects to realise positive revenues again.

The 2006 annual report can be downloaded at the ECN website (www.ecn.nl).

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Link ECN Annual Report 2006

For more information, please contact: Harold IJskes, ECN press spokesman. Telephone +31 (0)224 - 56 40 50, mobile +31 (0)6 - 127 98 123 or e-mail ijskes@remove-this-part-ecn.nl.

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