Large cutbacks at ECN

As of 1 January 2011, the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) will be facing a cutback of 8M€ annually in the research subsidy received from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. As a consequence, revenue from collaboration projects and assignments will be lost, resulting in an estimated loss in turnover in 2011 of about €13 million. Therefore, the ECN Management Board is announcing a shrinkage today. ECN will focus on a number of core activities and fields of expertise in which ECN holds a strong (inter)national position. As a result, a number of research themes will need to be cancelled or delegated.

Inevitably, jobs will be lost in the short term due to this reorganization and compulsory redundancy cannot be avoided. Chairman of the ECN Management Board, Ton Hoff: “It is too early to tell what the exact consequences will be, but we are anticipating a loss of about 100 jobs”. A redundancy programme will be developed in consultation with the unions for those employees who lose their job at ECN.

ECN is currently managing a wide research portfolio in the field of sustainable energy technology. In 2011, ECN will develop a new programme strategy focusing on strengthening the core activities wind, solar, biomass and process technology. Ton Hoff: “We must not underestimate the impact of this retrenchment on our employees. We therefore feel that utmost care and transparency towards our employees is very important. At the same time we will also focus on a healthy future. Obviously, it is a pity that ECN will need to say goodbye to some highly valued colleagues. I am confident that by concentrating on our core activities we will be able to deliver our energy technology to the market even faster.”

About ECN
The Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) is the largest research institute in the Netherlands in the field of energy. With its energy research, ECN focuses on a sustainable energy system: a safe, efficient, reliable and environment-friendly energy system. ECN develops knowledge and strategies for the Dutch government and trade and industry. Three basic elements are distinguished, i.e. reducing the energy demand by means of energy saving, generating energy from sustainable sources and clean and efficient use of fossil fuels. ECN also conducts research on combinations, future opportunities and economic backgrounds in the field of energy. ECN employs about 700 staff.

Note for the editor
For more information please contact .
ECN Press Officer Florentine de Maar
Telephone: +31 224-564050 or +31 6-12798123, e-mail: demaar@remove-this-part-ecn.nl

---