Three questions for Jimme Zoete
Three questions for Jimme Zoete
Jimme Zoete is advisor on Energy and Climate Studies and also head of office of the Witteveen+Bos campus office in Groningen, located at ENTRANCE – Centre of Expertise Energy. During the Geo Promotion Conference recently at the University of Groningen, Jimme recently shared his vision with a full audience: ‘the Northern Netherlands is on its way to becoming an energy rich region’.
What exactly do you mean by ‘on the road to energy wealth’?
'The Northern Netherlands has everything it needs to play a major role in the Dutch energy transition: the North Sea, Eemshaven, the existing energy infrastructure and the available space. The energy transition is already underway and unstoppable. Instead of resisting, it would be much better to embrace and promote these unique economic opportunities. If you have a plan, you will also be able to reap the benefits in the future.
What do you think a plan for the future should include?
'Just as you used to start economic activities in an area to take advantage of what nature gave you, such as a river or fertile soil, or what a mill made possible, you can now start activities that take advantage of the abundantly available free or almost free electricity.
Wind and solar-powered manufacturing, for example. The wind turbines in the landscape and at sea offer you a powerful competitive advantage on a silver platter. Not only in terms of costs, but also in terms of the most sustainable product or the most sustainable way of producing. That should be the basis of such a plan.’
But how do you deal with the ‘not in my backyard’ effect?
'Yes, that is a challenge, but as I said before: the energy transition is unstoppable. One of the serious challenges is not necessarily technical: in a little over ten years there will be an energy surplus in Groningen, but that is a story that must be constantly repeated. Every wind turbine, battery and high-voltage connection is related to the big plan. That is why it is important to embrace opportunities in the planning phase. There is certainly a task for our engineering firms in this: outlining the big picture based on vision and facts.’
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