96 Compulsory redundancies at the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands

ECN hit hard by discontinuation of research subsidy   Friday 14 January 2011, 96 employees of the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) in Petten (The Netherlands) have been informed that they will be dismissed. This is a direct consequence of the Dutch government´s decision to discontinue a research subsidy of 8 M€ as of 1 January 2011. Agreement has been reached with the Unions and the Works Council about the Social Plan, the Works Council gave a positive advice. ECN will make an all-out effort to guide the redundant professionals to a new job elsewhere as quickly and successfully as possible and to preserve part of the knowledge, among other things by transferring business activities to other parties.

Due to the discontinuation of the 8 M€ subsidy of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (EL&I), ECN will also lose revenue from collaboration projects and assignments. The total loss of revenue in 2011 will amount to 13 M€. Despite cost reductions and cuts 96 employees have been notified of their dismissal today. Some of them will stop working immediately.

ECN will now focus on a number of core activities and fields of expertise in which ECN holds a strong (inter)national position.

Focus on successful core tasks
Chairman of the Management Board of ECN, Paul Korting: “It is a personal disaster for the colleagues who have to go. For ECN the loss of highly valued and educated employees and their outstanding expertise is a major drain of resources. Nevertheless, we have no other options. We will focus on a new future by concentrating on a number of successful core tasks, which will enable us to bring our high quality energy technology to the market even faster.”

Intensive help with outplacement
ECN has reached an agreement with the Unions about the Social Plan with emphasis on helping the redundant colleagues in finding a new job. ECN has contracted a specialised agency for this intensive outplacement trajectory. Moreover, ECN is involved in negotiations with several external parties about transferring a number of research activities with the aim of preserving at least part of the high quality knowledge for society. The research programmes that will be discontinued or transferred are smart grids, built environment (excluding heat management), fuel cells and hydrogen.

New strategy
ECN is currently managing a wide research portfolio in the field of sustainable energy technology. ECN will develop a new programme strategy that will focus on strengthening the core activities wind energy, solar energy, biomass, renewable heating and process technology and policy studies in 2011.

About ECN
The Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) is the largest research institute in the Netherlands in the field of energy and holds a strong international position. With its energy research, ECN focuses on a sustainable energy system: safe, efficient, reliable and environment-friendly. ECN develops knowledge and strategies for the Dutch government and trade and industry and transfers them to the market. Three basic elements are distinguished (the so-called trias energetica), i.e. reducing 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 future opportunities and economic backgrounds in the field of energy.


Part of ECN at the research location in Petten. Photograph by Fotovlucht Soesterberg, Eric Vorstenbosch.

Note for the press
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

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