In conversation with Guido Frenken & David Peters

How to meet the huge challenge of the energy transition with smart and effective strategies? That is one of the key issues facing Guido Frenken, Global Head of Innovation & Digital at technical service provider EQUANS (part of ENGIE), and Stedin Chief Transition Officer David Peters.

It goes without saying that 2021 continued to be dominated by the coronavirus pandemic. ‘The interpersonal aspect in particular is more important than ever,’ says Guido. ‘The past year has shown how important social interactions are for us as humans. The energy transition is also clearly at the top of many people’s minds. Every news summary nowadays includes an item directly related to sustainability. That is really a huge change within the space of just a couple of years.’ ‘The energy transition has definitely moved front and centre,’ agrees David. ‘It is critical to remain in dialogue at this crucial time. Many people think that the energy transition is about technology and digitalisation. While both are important, the real driver is people’s behaviour. There is a risk that increased digitalisation, combined with the pandemic, will cause everyone to become locked in their own world. And there is no doubt it is easier to hide away when things get complicated. But that is exactly what we shouldn’t be doing right now.’

Transition is about behaviour

A key element of the transition, says Guido, is the message that the energy transition will not be painless. ‘At the end of the day, a transition is about adopting different behaviours and about changes that come with a price tag. To soften the pain, it is important to make the right choices, think in terms of solutions and create the feeling that, by working together, we can do this.’ Are we doing that right now? ‘Sadly, no,’ says Guido. ‘We are stuck in past patterns and behaviours. That is a big problem for decision-making in particular. For instance, it can take up to seven years to secure a permit. If you invest during that time, you will burn through a lot of money

just through waiting. That money could have been put to other uses.’

Risk: yes or no?

‘You can’t manage a system transition,’ says David. ‘You’re continually forced to compromise. When is the right time to risk investing or launching a project, and when is it better to wait? And risk-taking is not something we like to do.’ Guido adds, ‘The heat transition in Delft is a good example. Everyone is keen to press ahead with the project, which in itself is unique, and there is a valid business case. In spite of this, the process is beset by serious delay, as all the boxes need to be ticked. But the boxes aren’t relevant for the end result. Then I think to myself, “is there no other way?”’ The transition calls for perseverance, says David. ‘But it also means that we need to change out mindset and just say: let’s do it. That is difficult, particularly for people in public office. They are subject to intense scrutiny and are mercilessly judged on social media. They honestly need to be thick-skinned. I have a lot of respect for them. Perhaps we should encourage greater interchange between public authorities and businesses, to create more mutual understanding.’

Making smart use of grids

When it comes to smart grid usage also, it is important always to consider how we can help each other and how we can make effective use of the grid. ‘There is still so much to be gained, particularly if we can make even smarter use of data,’ says David. ‘And what about thinking far more in terms of co-creation here too?’ adds Guido. ‘At present, grid managers are quick to repeat the mantra: “Thou shalt install.” I would like to be able to go to the grid manager and say: this is a case for society in general; how can we fix it together?’ David adds, ‘And if the two of us get good at these solutions, we are also creating a valuable export product as a country!’