ECN publishes annual report
Current technology cannot affordably meet the ambitious energy targets set by the new Dutch government. So claims ECN, the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, in its newly published annual report. What is needed, it says, is accelerated realisation of new technology and the development of more know-how.
“The past four years have been a successful period for ECN,” state directors Ton Hoff and Kees van der Klein, ”with many outstanding scientific and technical results achieved. But for success in the energy transition, new technologies and perhaps even an entirely new approach are needed. For the period 2007-2011, the management team has therefore compiled a new strategy under which ECN will carry out even more ground-breaking research with a major impact upon the energy transition.“
Hoff and Van der Klein have seen the social relevance of ECN’s work increase substantially in 2006. And it is becoming ever more clear, they say, that developing new technologies and possible new approaches required for energy transition is a task for their organisation.
According to Van der Klein, “ECN wants to be a prestigious and respected research institute. One renowned for its social responsibility. In fact, that is an essential precondition for gaining prestige and respect. ECN’s success comes down to the quality of its staff and the efforts they make, their mutual co-operation and respect.”
“We want to conduct ground-breaking research which will make a major contribution to the energy transition,” adds Hoff. “Through good programming, the centre is offering its staff the chance to play their part in that. Intensive participation in the process of transition is the ideal way for ECN to co-ordinate its programmes with both government and the private sector.”
But the ambitions go further still. “Even more than it is now,” Hoff explains, “we want to make ECN a powerful European player for both the EU and the international business community but based upon our strong and acknowledged national status. Energy, climate and R&D policies are increasingly being decided upon in Brussels, and that is also where more and more of the money comes from. And demand from non-Dutch industry keeps on rising, too.”
“At the same time,” says Van der Klein, “we want to continue strengthening our relationships with the universities. Our target is 10-20 per cent postgraduate and PhD students [as a proportion of the total scientific staff]. In new specialist areas such as materials development, we are working on more intensive partnerships. And we also want to reinforce co-operation with industry by clarifying the role that each side plays in the development process.”
The ECN annual report can be downloaded from the organisation’s website.
Contact:
Harold IJskes
ECN Press Officer
Tel. +31 224 564050
ijskes@remove-this-part-ecn.nl
