On February 7th, the NWO NERA Energy Symposium took place in Utrecht, centered around the theme “Recharging the Energy Transition.” The event brought together a diverse range of stakeholders, including academics, industry experts, policymakers and societal representatives.
The symposium began with a plenary session and continued with two series of parallel sessions, covering both technological advancements and societal aspects, such as local initiatives, municipal involvement and policy frameworks. Participants had great opportunities to network with fellow researchers, industry professionals and policymakers. The poster session during lunch and coffee breaks facilitated discussions on key developments in energy transition, fostering further collaboration.
SUNERGY / SUNER-C was represented with a poster that highlighted the ambitions of the SUNERGY community. The presentation also featured the MyLeaf demonstration setup, providing insights into its progress and future plans.
Prof. Huub de Groot and business developer Serkan Esiner from Leiden University were recently interviewed on the role of research support professionals in translating scientific discoveries into real-world applications. A key highlight was the above mentioned MyLeaf, a pioneering demonstration setup that generates hydrogen through solar water splitting.
📎 Read the full Leiden Research Support: transforming research findings into products that benefit society – Leiden University interview!
Looking ahead, exciting developments are in motion to integrate MyLeaf with a smart building in Leiden, creating an off-grid system that exemplifies decentralized solar fuel production. Once implemented, this initiative will serve as a powerful proof-of-concept for off-grid energy solutions, demonstrating the potential of decentralized solar fuels and chemicals at both individual and neighborhood scales.
Beyond its technical impact, this collaboration will help raise public awareness about sustainable energy applications. Additionally, evaluating public acceptance of such technologies will provide valuable insights for the SUNER-C project, further supporting the transition to a more sustainable energy future.