Marjan Oudeman, Paulien Herder and Paul de Krom will take office as program board for the growth fund program GroenvermogenNL as of 14 February 2022. With an initial reservation from the national growth fund of M€ 338, the GroenvermogenNL foundation will support the switch to a green hydrogen economy and green chemistry. Chairman Marjan Oudeman: “I am embarking on this complex assignment because I am convinced that we can continue to accelerate the major social transition of the hydrogen economy with GroenvermogenNL.”
With the appointment of the program board, the investment program GroenvermogenNL will start. At the end of the first quarter of this year, the R&D and human capital program will be rolled out. In parallel, a first tender for small demonstration projects will be opened in mid-March.
Manon Janssen (former figurehead Top Sector Energy), who composed the program board together with fellow figureheads from High Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM) and Chemistry (ChemistryNL), is pleased with the incoming program board: “We opt for managerial experience and strong connectors who willing to direct. I am very grateful to all three of them for taking up this social task for the Netherlands.”
Board with a 'hands on' mission
Last spring, the National Growth Fund committee reserved M€ 338 for the GroenvermogenNL program in the field of hydrogen production and the application of hydrogen and green electrons in energy-intensive industry. The objective of GroenvermogenNL is a strongly nationally and regionally anchored innovation ecosystem for hydrogen production and applications. The program consists of three main parts:
- Scale up & innovate
- Convert & build
- Retrain & educate
When the GroenvermogenNL proposal was submitted at the end of 2020, an extensive advice was sent on the intended governance of GroenvermogenNL. This advice was drawn up by quartermasters Dirk Smit (Shell) and Gertjan Lankhorst (VEMW) at the invitation of the top sectors Holland High Tech, Energy and Chemistry, based on discussions with many parties. The core of this advice is a program board in which the business community, knowledge sector and public administrative experience are represented. This results in a highly motivated board with clear direction, which makes connections between the various components of the program, is assisted by an international sounding board, and seeks to connect with the government's innovation policy.
Director-General for Business and Innovation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate (EZK), Focco Vijselaar: “I am very pleased that this experienced board is willing to help shape the sustainability of our energy system and industry. EZK supports the board in its mission to make GroenvermogenNL a success.”
Mr Marjan Oudeman, MBA is a member of the Supervisory Board of various companies at home and abroad, including UPM-Kymmene Corporation and Solvay SA. She also holds various ancillary positions. Previously, she was a member of the Executive Committee of the European part of the Tata Steel Group (formerly Corus) and Executive Director of the Strip Division of the steel company, and subsequently a member of the Executive Committee of AkzoNobel. She is also a former chair of the Executive Board of Utrecht University.
Prof.dr.ir. Paulien Herder is Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Professor of Energy Systems at Delft University of Technology. She specializes in energy systems integration and the de-fossilization of energy and industry through electrochemical conversion, combining engineering sciences with social and behavioral sciences. From 2013-2019 she was director of the Delft Energy Initiative, which employs around 1000 energy researchers on the Delft campus. She is also Captain of Science of the Top Team of the Top Sector Energy, which is responsible for stimulating innovations that are necessary for the transition to an affordable, reliable and sustainable energy system in the Netherlands. She is a member of the Supervisory Board of the Hotelschool The Hague and a member of the Scientific Sounding Board Committee of the North Sea Consultation.
Drs. Paul de Krom is chairman of the board of directors and CEO of TNO. He combines this with membership of the supervisory board of HTM, vice-chairman of the supervisory board of Hogeschool Utrecht and chairman of Nederland Distributie Land. Previously, he was State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment and a member of the House of Representatives. From 1991 to 2003 he held various HR positions for Shell. With effect from 1 February 2022, De Krom will be the new chairman of the Royal Dutch Chemical Industry Association (VNCI).
About GroenvermogenNL
The potential of hydrogen and sustainably generated electrons for green chemistry is considerable. The smartest solutions, effective collaboration and an integrated system approach are essential for this. Well-trained people are desperately needed to make this climate transition possible. That is GroenvermogenN: scale up & innovate, convert & build up, retrain & train.
Questions about this message?
Jasper Witte, Jerry van den Broeke. email: secretariaat@groenvermogenNL.org
(the website www.groenvermogenNL.org will go live in mid-March)
