In my newest blog post, I elaborate on the use of hydrogen. Hydrogen has many advantages (easy storage). However, to produce it, a lot of electricity is needed which can better be deployed directly. The import of hydrogen from countries where the production of electricity is much cheaper is a feasible solution. But as the countries most eager to export hydrogen are the Gulf states, many doubts are arousing.....
A slightly different version in Dutch can be found here: https://hmjvandenbosch.com/2018/12/17/waterstof-vooral-geopolitiek-bepaalt-toekomstige-rol%EF%BB%BF/
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Ivanna Vinnicsuk,
Content Marketer
at Digital Society School,
posted
Smart City Haarlemmermeer - Digital Society School project
In large and diverse public organizations like the Gemeente Haarlemmermeer, communication can sometimes be hindered by silos. Different departments or teams in the organization may work independently leading to a lack of information sharing and coordination. With so many channels and platforms available, it can be difficult to filter out the information that is relevant and important to employees. This can lead to information overload and make it difficult for employees to stay updated on important updates.
Thus, the trainee team from the Digital Transformation Traineeship Programme at Digital Society School embarked on a challenge on how Gemeente Haarlemmermeer can be facilitated to become a smarter, more connected, transparent and digitally inclusive organisation.
Read more about the project on the website of Digital Society School!
Cornelia Dinca,
International Liaison
at Amsterdam Smart City,
posted
3 Ways to learn more about Amsterdam Smart City
Do you want to connect, learn, and exchange experiences about Amsterdam Smart City? We have designed programs to help you connect to Amsterdam’s innovation ecosystem and key learnings from projects in the Amsterdam metropolitan region. Here are our most popular programs:
1. Smart City the Amsterdam Way
We give you an overview of Amsterdam Smart City’s program, governance and key projects. It’s a light way to get introduced to it all in 1,5 hours and we can also offer this online.
Timing & cost: 1.5h hours, from €300 per group
2. Amsterdam Smart City Deep Dives
Go on a Deep Dive with Amsterdam Smart City and get to the bottom of the energy, mobility, digital city or circular economy transition during this customized 2,5 hour session with multiple experts from Amsterdam’s ecosystem.
Timing & cost: 2.5 hours, from €500 per group
3. Smart City Experience
Since 2016, Amsterdam Smart City has hosted more than 250 customized study programs, innovation journeys and trade missions from over 30 countries. With the Smart City Experience we offer tailor-made programs consisting of expert meetings and project visits connecting local and (inter)national stakeholders to the Amsterdam Smart City approach and innovation ecosystem.Timing and cost: 6-8 hours, from €1,500
Where do the Amsterdam Smart City Programs take place?
Most programs take place, or at least start at, the Smart City Lab on the Marineterrein Innovation District. This is a "small space for big ideas" where we showcase examples of smart city solutions from Amsterdam. The Smart City Experience Lab is also a workplace where Amsterdam Smart City partners meet and collaborate. Groups visiting the Experience Lab can also visit the Marineterrein Amsterdam Living Lab on their own or as a part of an organized program.
Questions
Questions or looking to organize a different or customized program? Please send an email with your request via cornelia@amsterdamsmartcity.com.
Hidde Maas,
Adviseur
at Over Morgen,
posted
Over Morgen - De toekomst van tankstations
Het speelveld van de energiemarkt voor mobiliteit verandert in snel tempo. Het geloof in de verkoop van diesel en benzine verdwijnt. Gemeenten kunnen voorsorteren op de duurzame mobiele transitie door na te denken over de toekomst van huidige tankstationlocaties.
De vereisten voor het ombouwen van een tankstation tot een laadstation zijn afhankelijk van verschillende factoren, waaronder de grootte en indeling van het tankstation en de elektrische capaciteit van de ligging. Over het algemeen zal een geschikte locatie voor een laadpaal voldoende ruimte moeten bieden voor de minimale vereisten. Eveneens moet de locatie toegang hebben tot een betrouwbare en voldoende elektriciteitsvoorziening, waarvoor mogelijk upgrades van de lokale elektriciteitsinfrastructuur nodig zijn.
Onze two-pager over dit onderwerp lezen? Dat kan via deze link.
Contact over dit onderwerp opnemen? Dat kan via Hidde van der Maas of Anouk Hodemaekers.
Hi Gerald, I'm in a position that is comparable with yours. My gas powered heating system broke down and I made inquiries to replace it and to go for a 100% electric solution (preach what you teach;-) This appeared to be impossible, even if I spent many tens of thousands at isolation. Fortunately, the heating system could be repaired with second-hand parts. So, if I could vote personally, hydrogen would be my favourite. But from a more remote point of view I think that we need a neighbourhood-centred approach, preferably with some options for choice. And I will read the WRR report that you mentioned.
Have nice Chrismas days and a well-heated new year.
Thanks for the very interesting Link. Offcourse I have some remarks :). The beauty is indeed that there is not one single solution but an intelligent and dynamically evolving, changing, mix of solutions. An open and honest critical discussion without dogmas or powerplay is of vital importance for society to move forward smartly. And THAT is unfortunately NOT really happening.
For my own house here in Amsterdam (kashuis) I am going for 100% solar (with a thermal heat battery). Knowing what this takes I realise that this solution is relatively too expensive, labour and space consuming to be applied to millions of Dutch homes within a very short timespan. (yet is by far the best long-term solution:). I also know people are risk and thus change-averse (WRR has a great report on this https://www.wrr.nl/publicaties/publicaties/2010/02/07/hoe-mensen-keuzes-maken). Add the huge lack of skilled labour then a system of simply replacing the natural gas boiler by a home micro - wkk condensing H2gas boilers (+ a non-invasive smart grid) seems to me far more realistic.
By the way...
I looked at the HYDRO website. A litthe bit self-congratulatoy..... But I know that my former colleague Jepma is also in favor for hydrogen that is directly produced in wind mills. This article dives deeply into its costs: http://www.wattisduurzaam.nl/15443/energie-beleid/tien-peperdure-misverstanden-over-wondermiddel-waterstof/
I feel unable to comment on it, but I hope that the debate on hydrogen will not end in a one-dimensional plea for its blessings, neglecting the less favorable aspects, all departing from our still limited knowledge. Because each energy source we are thinking of, has advantages and disadvantages.
We will have to look for a balanced picture, where sun and wind energy, hydrogen and geothermal all contribute in a degree nobody can anticipate yet.
You are right that upgrading the electricity grid ought te be prevented.Hopefully smart grids, in combination with locally collected sun enengy, will be solve this proble,.
As I wrote, deployment of hydrogen defenitely is a mayor contribution to our energy need in the future.. We only will have to accept that hydrogen is imported from countries that can produce cheap electricity. In that case hydrogen will be an excellent partial alternative for natural gas, especially in unsufficiently isolated houses.
By the way, hydrogen is an excellent medium for long-term storage too.
“electricity […] can better be deployed directly’. In theory yes, a. if it could get to the homes and b. if it is needed directly.
But the moment you take the whole chain (generation, buffering, transport, end conversion) into consideration a very different picture arises.
In the Netherlands 90% of all the households are already connected to the gas-grid whereas it will cost tens of billions to heavily upgrade the electricity grid. Then there is the very problematic issue of electricity storage. Most of it is generated when we don’t need it. A lot can be said about electric batteries, even in mobility. Hydrogen is again here, by far, the more effective solution.
And as for it generation, there are many great solutions already out there, like Hygro, just waiting for the green light of our policy makers. They are the only real problem.