Power to the People

S1E11 - We sit down with Gerard de Leede, CTO of Solarge—one of the Netherlands’ most innovative solar companies—to talk about the growing problem of grid congestion and what can be done about it right now. Solarge produces lightweight, toxin-free solar panels with a fair and transparent supply chain. Their mission? To lead the way in clean, responsible photovoltaic production. But here’s the twist: despite making some of the greenest solar panels around, Gerard can’t get a bigger grid connection for his factory. To keep up with demand, he’s had to rely on… a diesel generator. We dive into this ironic situation, explore the challenges of limited grid capacity, and hear Gerard’s ideas for solving it.

S1E10 - Today we speak with Floor Alkemade, expert in systems change. Through the lens of systems change we see how the energy transition is connected to questions of economic survival of countries, energy policy and social behavior. We also discuss energy autonomy and the EU's dependency on gas and oil from other countries.Floor is a professor at the Eindhoven University of Technology and specialized in the field of systems change. This multidisciplinary approach shines a refreshing light on the challenges we face today. To understand system change is helps to break out of your bubble and see the system in all its different facets.She acknowledges that we have to make sacrifices in this transition and that we will have winners and losers. But more importantly, she stretches the fact that the Energy transition is a smart investment. For the planet, our economies and the people. 

S1E9 - We speak with Mark Spijker about creating compelling stories to get people involved in the energy transition.  Mark is the main director of Arnhem Electricity Week and wants to make it the number one energy conference in Europe. He is a master in the art of Brand Building and has been shaping stories to make the energy transition speak to a broad audience. That is why we talk with him about creating compelling stories to get people involved in the energy transition 

S1E8 - We speak with Professor Maarten Steinbuch about the rise of electric planes. Electric planes have a huge potential to replace short haul flight and revolutionize the aviation sector. Something that was hard to imagine 20 years ago is coming within hand reach.Maarten is a distinguished professor at the Eindhoven University of Technology. He has a very good eye for the influence that technology has on the world of tomorrow. For instance, he was one of the first to see the potential of electric vehicles and promoted this extensively in the media.  In recent years Maarten has talked about the next big transport revolution: short haul electric flying. Also, he has worked on making regional airports into energy hubs with his company NRG2FLY. Can we undo the bad rep that airplanes suffer and fly guild free again? Let's see what Maarten has to say about this. 

Today we speak with Marije Ruysch about energy poverty in the Netherlands. Marije is head of the energy bank Arnhem, where they strive for energy access for everyone. We speak with her about how energy is a basic life necessity and how it should be available for everyone in a rich country like the Netherlands. The stories that she shares of people in energy poverty make us think again about our energy system and how just it actually is. We ask the question if a system based on solar wind and batteries could provide us with a more just system.This episode is part of the Arnhem Electricity Week Series. 

S1E6 - We speak with Doctor Gautham Ram about using electric vehicles to enhance grid capacity.  Gautham sees an important role for electric vehicles in the energy transition and frames them as big batteries on wheels. They can be used for energy storage, grid balancing services and very important today: enhancing the capacity of our electricity grid. Gautham is an assistant professor at the Delft University of Technology, where he researches electric vehicles, charging and battery storage. At the Delft University of Technology he also developed a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Electric Cars Technology where he asked Auke to collaborate. This is a free university level course, feel free to enroll if you want to learn more about electric cars and their role in the energy transition!

E5S1 - We speak with Doctor Sietske Veenman at Arnhem Electricity Week about what we can know about how our projections about the future determine how we feel, think and act. Sietske is researching futures and their effects at the Radboud University of Nijmegen. She is specialized in environmental policy and governance. With her company Artemis Energie she helps organizations and governments act future proof. Sietske is aware of the different possible futures concerning climate change and the influence these have on people. Today we explore this tention with her. 

S1E4 - We speak with Dr. Johan Enslin at Arnhem Electricity Week about his idea for a US supergrid.In the US, most renewable energy is generated in the middle and the south of the country. Most of this energy needs to be transported to the densely populated West and East Coast. This means a lot of energy needs to be transported over long distances. Johan comes up with a solution that uses the existing transmission lines to transport 3 times more energy than they currently do⚡Johan is working at ARPA Energy, where they fund and direct the discovery of new energy technologies. He focuses on the future of power generation and distribution. 

S1E3 - We speak with Laetitia Ouillet at Arnhem Electricity Week about Gas Plants as Transition Technology & Energy Poverty in the Netherlands.She is concerned about gas plants as a transition technology, because they may not be profitable with high integration of renewable sources. She is also confronted with energy poverty in her work and is surprised by how much this occurs in a rich country like the Netherlands. In her eyes, this points to the injustice that is embedded in the current Dutch energy policies.  Laetitia is a specialist in the heat transition and energy markets, and has helped organisations understand the energy transition and act accordingly. She also has her own Dutch spoken podcast #voetnoten, where she dives into policy papers to really understand the implications of what is being proposed. 

S1E2 - Auke and Michiel sit down with Gerwin Hoogsteen at Arnhem Electricity Week, expert in smart grid control and optimization at the University of Twente, to explore the future of our power infrastructure.We dive into the transition to a bottom-up energy grid, where decentralized energy sources, batteries, and grid-forming inverters challenge the traditional model of centralized, rotating mass-based power generation. Gerwin compares this upgrade to performing open-heart surgery: the system must keep running while being fundamentally reengineered.We also tackle the role of AI in grid control. While promising, Gerwin brings a realistic perspective on its current limitations and where it truly adds value. He also shares why trust is crucial for the successful adoption of these technologies.🔌Batteries, AI, decentralized control, and the future of energy—this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in how we’ll power the world of tomorrow.