In this internal newsletter, we share important announcements, events, and invitations. We also keep you informed about news, recent publications, and job openings at Entrance – Centre of Expertise Energy. Would you like to receive daily updates about what’s happening at Entrance? Then be sure to follow our LinkedIn-page 

Only 7 days left to submit your abstract and a chance to win €1.500!

Are you a researcher or student at a university or college working on issues related to the energy transition or sustainable mobility? Then we warmly invite you to submit an abstract for the Full Day of Energy & Mobility Transition. Who knows, perhaps you will win the Entrance Research Award for the best paper. An independent jury of experts will award this prize to the student with the best paper. So, would you like the opportunity to present your research during one of the parallel sessions on June 17 or 18? Then submit your abstract now!

Procedure and deadlines: Submitting your abstract is a two-step process:

1. Send your abstract (max. 400 words) to abstract@newenergyforum.nl. The deadline for submissions is April 7, 2026.
2. You will be notified by April 15 whether your abstract has been accepted. You will then be asked to submit your full paper by May 26, 2026.

You can read more information on our website or send an email containing your question to w.j.l.elving@pl.hanze.nl.

Starting a new project? Submit it the right way!

Do you have a great idea you want to bring to life? We’re happy to think along with you. We’ll help you get your project started and guide you through the process. To handle all project requests properly, we’ve set up a few guidelines. Please read them carefully so we can process every project in the right way. You’ll find all the steps in this PowerPoint. If you have any questions, you can contact Mathieu Przybyla via ma.przybyla@pl.hanze.nl.

Summary of results

By the end of 2025, the latest results of the employee satisfaction survey had been compiled. They had clearly shown how our colleagues experienced working here. Would you like to know the results? You can view them here.

Energy Technology researcher AART HOOGERWERF from SIEN to speak at Vision User Day 2026

Store greywater in a terp: innovative research by Entrance student Jelle Kemperman

At Entrance, new ideas for accelerating the energy transition are constantly taking shape. During his internship, Industrial Product Design student Jelle Kemperman explored how terps, ancient man made dwelling mounds, can be repurposed for sustainable underground greywater storage. As part of the Floating Future project, which focuses on water based living in a changing climate, Jelle developed a design for an underground storage tank that is both sustainable and space efficient.

He examined both historical and modern water storage techniques, compared various materials, and concluded that HDPE is the most suitable option for a strong, waterproof and durable tank. His final design is now ready to be shared with a supplier for potential production. Read more about Jelle’s research here.

‘Energy by Society’ Junior Consultancy Firm

In the second semester, the Energy for Society students step into the role of junior consultants. Under their self chosen company name Energy by Society, five teams work on real assignments from real clients. After an inspiring first week filled with project visits, each team selected its challenge and the adventure began.

The projects – a glimpse into the field
Team 1 – Witteveen & Bos: In a neighbourhood preparing for a district heating network, the students dive into residents’ concerns, kitchen table conversations, and the quest for public support. Their mission: develop a strategy that truly brings people along in the heat transition.
Team 2 – Municipality of Groningen: The city aims to be energy neutral by 2035, but private landlords remain difficult to reach. The team explores who these landlords are, what motivates them, and how to effectively engage and persuade them.
Team 3 – Tanzania (Kwale Island & Ruvu): From fishers to rice farmers, the team investigates how renewable energy can strengthen local livelihoods, improve food security, boost economic activity, and support community development in two very different communities.
Team 4 – Energy Cooperative Meerkracht (Meerstad): In the Netherlands’ first gas free neighbourhood, the number of homes is rapidly increasing. The team explores how to inspire new residents to join local initiatives for producing and sharing sustainable energy.
Team 5 – Mandau, Philippines: In a city where power outages are part of daily life, the team examines how to create a reliable, sustainable, and affordable energy supply for all residents.

Throughout the semester, the teams receive lectures, weekly scrum sessions, and expert meetings to support and strengthen their advice. In the end, they design an intervention that can be applied in practice. If successful, the junior consultants advance to the third semester.

Researcher Tania Ouariachi speaks at an international conference on climate education

From 15 to 17 April 2026, the International Congress on Educational Answers to the Climate Emergency will take place in Santiago de Compostela. The congress explores how education can contribute to solutions for the climate crisis and brings together experts working on themes such as climate action, collaboration, and justice.

A wonderful international stage for Tania and for Entrance.

EUREC Board member

Last December, Jan Bekkering, together with a colleague from Phaeton in Cyprus, was elected as a board member of EUREC. EUREC is the European research and networking consortium of which Hanze is a member. EUREC has 37 member organisations from 14 countries, and its headquarters are in Brussels. Within this consortium, we offer our EMRE and SESyM master’s programmes. Our connection with EUREC has also led to collaboration on applications relating to EU Horizon and Erasmus+. A project application for the latter has now been approved and has got underway. Hopefully more will follow!

Working together to build a strong LLO culture in the Northern Netherlands

On Thursday 12 February, an in-depth project meeting was held for the LLO Energietransitie Noord Werkt project.

Through this project, we are working as partners towards a shared ambition in the Northern Netherlands:
– Strengthening the culture of lifelong learning within SMEs;
– Creating a future-proof and flexible LLO provision and expanding its reach;
– Stimulating innovation and knowledge sharing.

This ambition remains urgent. The new government has once again emphasised the need for lifelong learning in the coalition agreement ‘Aan de slag’ (Getting Started). In this way, they aim to ensure that employees are well-equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing economy. And the energy transition is precisely such a rapidly changing sector where we will need all hands on deck in the coming years.

“Aan de slag” could also have been the title of Energietransitie Noord Werkt. Because we have all achieved a great deal in recent times. During various pitches on this Thursday afternoon, we were given an insight into the approach of business clusters in Leeuwarden, Drachten, Assen and south-east Drenthe. Within these clusters, we have engaged with companies to discuss their needs and what they are already doing to retain good staff, both now and in the future. In addition, we have set to work creating online modules on hydrogen to involve both current employees and job seekers in this form of energy transition.

A key insight from this afternoon is ‘know your target audience’. Staying in touch with them and understanding their needs and obstacles is essential to making progress within the project. That is where we make a real difference and take steps towards achieving our ambition.

Network event Green Molecules Collective

Researcher Joan Teerling recently organized a networking event for the Green Molecules Collective (GMC). This dynamic network promotes innovation and collaboration in the Netherlands in the field of green molecules, such as renewable methane and syngas. Their mission is clear: to accelerate the energy and resource transition by making optimal use of these sustainable building blocks. During the event, seven concrete ideas were shared that we can start working on right away to help move the energy transition forward.

Upcoming meetings:
– Wednesday 15 April – online (15:00–16:00)
– Wednesday 27 May – on-site
– Wednesday 8 July – online

Interested in learning more or joining the network? Visit the website and sign up.

DAS Conference en HyCARB kick off

In recent months, Professor of Life Sciences and Renewable Energy Zohre (Zuzi) Kurt has been involved in several key developments within the energy transition on behalf of Entrance. She served on the organizing committee of the DAS Conference and took on the role of both coordinator and speaker during the event. In her interactive workshop on material transition in energy, she engaged participants in a discussion about what material transformation entails, which bottlenecks we face, and how universities of applied sciences can contribute to a greener industrial future. Using examples from various value chains, she explored how research and education can reinforce one another.

On 11 March, Zuzi also presented during the HyCARB kick off, the largest CCU project in Europe and the largest GVNL project in the Netherlands. As task lead, she explained Entrance’s role within Task D to a broad audience. With a budget of 45 million euros, the project focuses on developing new solutions for carbon capture and utilization.

More women in engineering

Zuzi was recently featured in the Women in Science series by STARS EU – an acknowledgment she is genuinely proud of, as she believes there is still a strong need for more women in technical fields. We at Entrance are also happy to see her work and dedication highlighted on this international stage.

The Women in Science series ran from 11 February (International Day of Women and Girls in Science) to 8 March (International Women’s Day) and underscores the importance of visible female role models in science and technology. You can watch Zuzi’s interview here.

Interreg Europe Green Hydra – Sevilla Interregional Event 11-12 March 2026

The Economic Aspects team travelled to Seville on 11 and 12 March for the sixth meeting of the Interreg Europe Green Hydra project. Over the course of these two days, ten European regions came together to work on the future of green hydrogen. The Entrance team presented their own policy game, which led to new insights and lively discussions. The partners also visited two leading hydrogen initiatives in Andalusia.

Gert Hofstede has been published in Bioengineering

Gert Hofstede, a researcher at RCBBE, has been published in Bioengineering! A section of his research has been featured in the journal. In it, he demonstrates how a trickle-bed reactor uses hydrogen to produce additional methane, thereby making biogas processes more future-proof. Read more in the article.

GIRLS DAY – 14 april

On Girls’ Day, Tuesday 14 April 2026, companies across the Netherlands will be opening their doors to introduce girls to technology and IT. At Entrance, we will be welcoming a group of 175 enthusiastic girls on this day. They will delve into the world of the energy transition and discover, through challenging hands-on workshops, whether a career in technology is right for them.

STARS EU Office Open Day – 15 april

STARS EU is an alliance of nine European universities working together to offer students and staff international opportunities. By taking part, you’ll develop new skills, build an international network and give your future career a real boost. See this as your chance to step out of your comfort zone and work on real-world social issues.

Would you like to find out what opportunities are available to you? Then drop by during the STARS EU Office Open Day on 15 April, from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm at Van Olstborg, Zernikeplein 7 (B1.052). You are welcome to pop in at any time throughout the day. Would you prefer to read up on it online first? Go to www.starseu.org.

Mini-symposium: The energy transition can’t happen without you! – 15 April

Make a note of Wednesday afternoon, 15 April, in your diary. The Grotius Programme, for highly educated refugees wishing to continue their studies, is organising an inspiring mini-symposium at the Energy Barn on making homes more sustainable and sustainable behaviour.

Green Business Challenge – 17-22 mei

The Green Business Challenge is a six-day, action-packed hackathon in which international students and young professionals (aged 18–30) collaborate on real-world business cases within the energy transition. During this ENERGY Edition, participants will travel through the northern Netherlands, meet local businesses and develop new skills, ideas and valuable contacts.

New Energy Forum, academic programme – 17 june

The New Energy Forum is all about inspiring initiatives driven by a healthy dose of courage. The 2025 edition attracted more than 1,700 participants and featured an academic program for the first time.

Encouraged by this success, this year we are organising a research program focused on the energy and mobility transition.

This year’s program will be organised as separate event and will start 17 June 2026. It will start the day before New Energy Forum and ends around noon on 18 June. Visitors can then move straight on to the main event of the New Energy Forum, which starts at 12.00 p.m. on June 18!

NEW ENERGY FORUM – 18 JUNe

The festival where ideas turn into action is coming soon!

Didn’t register yet for New Energy Forum? Sign up via the button!

Make NEF a success

Fancy rolling up your sleeves during the New Energy Forum? We’re still looking for enthusiastic go-getters who want to help us make this day a huge success. Your efforts will be greatly appreciated, and you can sign up simply by sending an email to Oscar at r.o.risamena@pl.hanze.nl.

Entrance professional award

Major breakthroughs in the energy transition often start small.
With a single idea and a team that dares to do things differently.

The Entrance Professional Award 2026 is for those pioneers. For companies that aren’t waiting until tomorrow, but are already working today on solutions that accelerate the energy transition and demonstrably reduce CO₂ emissions, and which are ready to scale up.

Do you know of such an organisation? Nominate them for the Entrance Award via this link!

The winner will receive a prize package worth €100,000: not only financial support, but also access to knowledge, advice and a powerful network to help them take the next step. An independent, expert jury will select the three most promising innovations in early June.

Entrance Student Award

The Student Award is an incentive prize offering cash prizes of €1,000, €500 and €250, as well as a platform at the New Energy Forum on 18 June 2026, where innovators, professionals and students come together to discuss the future of energy and mobility.

Our team has expanded significantly recently, bringing in new expertise. We’d love to let our new recruits have their say.

Esther Siebring

My name is Esther Siebring and I joined Entrance on 2 March as a researcher in the Communication, Behaviour & the Sustainable Society research group. Together with my boyfriend and my chubby red tomcat, I live near the Noorderplantsoen, where I also go for a run regularly. I also enjoy climbing at the indoor climbing centre (or occasionally outdoors) and often spend my free time with my fingers in the compost in my vegetable garden.

Met energieke groet,

Team Entrance