Managing director of EIRES Mark Boneschanscher (see main photo) kicks off the day by looking back at recent developments within the energy transition. He emphasizes that considerable steps are being taken, but that the challenge remains huge. “We know what the consequences are if we don’t turn the tide,” he says while footage of recent natural disasters – such as the floods in the Czech Republic and Poland – is being shown. His message is clear: taking action is more urgent than ever before.

Dynamic system

He paints a picture of a future where the traditional top-down energy system has been replaced by a dynamic network. “Energy will increasingly flow between producers and consumers, wasting less resources and money,” he predicts. He explains how EIRES contributes to this transition by connecting researchers, supporting start-ups (such as Tibo Energy and RIFT), and working on projects such as an intelligent mega-battery on the TU/e campus to tackle grid congestion.

Richard van de Sanden, scientific director of EIRES, then announces an important expansion: the Center for Computational Energy Research (CCER) is becoming part of EIRES. This center focuses on the application of AI and machine learning in energy research, for purposes such as designing better batteries and more efficient energy networks. With this integration, EIRES aims to further enhance CCER’s impact and research scope.

After this, Boneschanscher takes the floor again. A striking moment in his presentation is when he shows a slide depicting a giant heap of bikes in China. What looks like a colorful landscape at first sight, turns out to be a dumping ground for discarded shared bikes. “This is what happens when we don’t think recyclability all the way through.” He warns about the risk of the “from greenhouse to scrapheap” phenomenon, where green innovations generate waste.

He makes the link with solar panels and batteries. “We solve one problem, but may be creating another. If we don’t devote attention to reuse now, we’ll see similar images of discarded solar panels and batteries in the future.” According to Boneschanscher, the solution is a circular economy where materials are used more efficiently.

Batteries of the future

The keynote by Moniek Tromp, professor of Materials Chemistry at the University of Groningen, revolves around a crucial component of the energy transition: batteries. She explains that rechargeable batteries are essential, not only for sustainable mobility – e.g., electric vehicles – but also for storing solar and wind energy when there’s a surplus.

A major challenge in this area is the degradation of batteries over time, which means they can store less and less energy, she explains. For example, batteries in electric cars lose about two percent of their capacity each year. This process is irreversible. “What is lost, remains lost.” Using advanced X-ray techniques, she and her research group are studying how this process works and developing batteries that are more sustainable and efficient. “By focusing on better materials and technology, we can take a big step in the right direction.”

From hand warmers to heating your home

For the next presentation, hand warmers are handed out to the audience: small plastic bags filled with gel and a metal disk. When the disk is pressed, heat is released through a chemical reaction. “This salt solution stores energy and releases it in the form of heat,” explain the two speakers: Andrew J. Bissell, CEO of the Scottish company Sunamp Ltd, and Colin R. Pulham, professor of High-Pressure Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. “Pressing the piece of metal triggers crystallization, which releases the stored heat.”

Bissell and Pulham developed the technology behind the hand warmers and scaled it to domestic applications. In Scotland, more than 30,000 homes are now heated by their innovative heat batteries. “Heating accounts for almost half our energy consumption. There’s a huge opportunity here,” says Pulham. He emphasizes that the batteries aren’t only efficient, but also maintain their performance after countless heating and cooling cycles.

The project is an example of successful collaboration between science and industry. Furthermore, the systems contribute to social justice by tackling energy poverty. “In Scotland, we see a link between energy poverty and winter mortality,” says Bissell. “How can we allow that in one of the richest countries in the world?” Their innovative technology holds great promise for the future, the men believe.

From consumers to flexumers

Final speaker Kirsten Gram-Hanssen, professor of Sustainable Cities at Aalborg University in Copenhagen, focuses on the human aspect of the energy transition. She stresses that technological progress isn’t always enough. “We also need to look at how people deal with energy.”

She introduces the concept of the “flexumer”: a consumer who adjusts their energy consumption to the available supply. “This can reduce the enormous peaks in demand in the morning and evening,” she explains. But it’s not easy to change people’s behavior. In her research, she looks at the energy transition from a consumer perspective and examines how technical innovations, such as smart apps and flexible energy rates, can help bring about this behavioral change.