Grid Congestion Learn & Share

The power grid is congested. This has great impact on sustainability and economic development. In the event series Grid Congestion Learn Share, we exchange knowledge, connect partners, and identify what solutions are needed.

We’re organising this event series together with our partners Alliander, Centre of Expertise City Net Zero of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and Waag Futurelab.

To solve grid congestion, we need each other. Scaling up and acceleration are still proving difficult. We see two main challenges:

• Knowledge level: Grid congestion is no longer a new topic. Yet many organisations know little about the current situation and possible solutions. When more partners are informed, we can activate a larger group of stakeholders to work together on solutions.
• Overview: Much is already happening nationally, regionally and locally. The Amsterdam Economic Board and our Amsterdam InChange programme are also working on initiatives that touch on the challenges surrounding grid congestion. An integral overview of activities is lacking. Understanding more about what works well and possible next steps, would be a good idea. Then we won’t duplicate efforts.

Labour Market

This third edition of Grid Congestion Learn & Share is all about the tight labour market. Thicker power lines, more medium-voltage substations and other forms of grid reinforcement offer the most straightforward solution to grid congestion. Unfortunately, that’s not a smart or quick fix. And it requires a lot of staff, which is not available right now.

We’ll discuss this at the Faculty of Engineering at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. A place where students, lateral and transfer students are trained every day in engineering, built environment, smart maintenance, among others. The Life Long Development modules also offer professionals room to keep learning.

Want to join us?

This event is intended for members of our Network Council, partners of Amsterdam InChange and partners of Green Tech Campus MRA. Are you interested in this event or would you like to contribute to the event series? Please send an email to Christine Groothuis.

14:45 – Walk-in

15:00 – Welcome – Renée Heller, Head of Kenniscentrum Techniek at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences

15:10 – Plenary session – Erwin Niedeveld (Top Sector Energy) | Human Capital Agenda Energy Transition

The Top Sector Energy will need new competencies on a large scale and is making efforts to provide better, equal and accessible training. To this end, Top Sector Energy has drawn up a Human Capital Agenda with 4 concrete programme lines. These help the sector anticipate innovations. Including labour-saving inventions, effectively setting up learning and innovation ecosystems and learning communities, and setting up Lifelong Development modules. How do public and private parties best work together to make this happen?

15:40 – Time for questions

16:00 – Break-out sessions

Masha Smulders and Caroline van der Kooi (Hogeschool van Amsterdam) | Green Tech Campus

In the Green Tech Campus, teachers, students and the business community work together to accelerate the energy transition in our region. Through public-private partnerships (PPPs) such as Make IT Work, Be An Engineer, VTi, ASTA, NexTechnician, we bring education and practice together. From Amsterdam to Almere and from Hilversum to Haarlem.

To achieve the ambitious climate goals, we need more and better educated technicians now and in the future. We need to find, guide and train all these people. In this session, we would like to explain how we help students and professionals do this and discuss with those present how this can be done even better.

Viktor Bos (Amsterdam Economic Board) | E-Connect: more people towards jobs in the energy transition

Our initiative E-Connect is developing a model to get more people interested in jobs in the energy transition. In doing so, we increase the inflow, we follow people during their training path and prepare employers for lateral entrants.The question during this session is: how can E-Connect’s approach be a solution to the shortage of people for grid reinforcement? And how can E-Connect partner with you in this?

Jop van Amelsfoort (Alliander) | Overcoming language barriers in attracting foreign talent

The energy transition is one of the biggest challenges of our time and requires a huge increase in technicians. Alliander alone needs 3,000 additional technicians. All network operators and contractors together need as many as 20,000. The growth is mainly in operational positions. In the current tight labour market, Alliander is focusing on all kinds of target groups, including internationals.

But internationalisation in operations is not without its challenges, and is a lot more complex than in an IT department, for example. How to deal with internationalisation in an environment of practically trained employees, where safety is so incredibly important? How to deal with cultural differences and what demands do we make on language skills and professional training? Jop talks about his experiences and three biggest challenges.

16:50 – Plenary feedback and closing

17:00 – Networking