On 22 June Dr Beata Kviatek, the Jean Monnet Chair in Sustainable EU Economy of the International Business School, hosted a roundtable on regional initiatives for a sustainable H2 economy , which took place during the 3rd edition of the New Energy Forum, an annual international event for (future) energy and mobility professionals that takes place at EnTranCe Centre of Expertise Energy.
The roundtable brought together experts, policy makers, and representatives from business and academia to discuss efforts in different European regions aimed at making local economies more sustainable. In the discussion, led by Dr Kviatek, participants discussed the prospects for regional green H2 economies in several regions across Europe: the Northern part of the Netherlands, the Subcarpathian region in Poland, and Puglia region in Italy. Specifically, the guests speakers discussed the opportunities and existing challenges, including regulatory, for businesses (and SMEs in particular), the need for specialists who know the energy of the future in different disciplines and sectors, the role of regional and local governments and universities in overcoming these challenges, and the need to create social advantages for regions in energy transition.
Besides Dr Beata Kviatek, there were six guest speakers:
- Agnes Mulder, Director of VNO-NCW MKB Noord, the largest business association of the northern Netherlands, and former Member of the Dutch Parliament (foreign affairs, economic affairs, infrastructure and water management)
- Jonas van Dorp, Manager Business Development, Commerce and Communication at Groningen Airport Eelde and initiator of the NXT Airport living lab programme on energy, sustainability, education and innovation and the first Hydrogen Valley Airport project.
- Luuk Buit, Project Leader Hydrogen and Project Leader Heat, Biobased Economy and Gas 2.0 at the Province of Groningen. Previously, Researcher at DNV KEMA Energy and Sustainability Research Lab and Project Engineer at DNV GL.
- Prof. Jarosław Sęp, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, is President of Subcarpathian region Hydrogen Valley; Vice Rector for Development and Business Cooperation; and First Deputy Rector of Rzeszów University of Technology in Poland.
- Prof. Jan-jaap Aué, Director of EnTranCe – Centre of Expertise Energy and Professor of Hydrogen Application within Energy Transition at Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen.
- Prof. ing. Arturo de Risi, Professor at the University of Salento and the Chairman of the National Technological Cluster on Energy in Italy.
