Column by Joyce Hondong: The energy transition cannot do without data

‘Renewable-energy production grew by 15% in 2022. We can see this from the annual figures on Energieopwek.nl.’ So I was sitting in the car, and I heard that on the radio, and my face lit up with a smile, because I contributed to those figures.

I work in an inspired and close-knit team of six. Together with colleagues and partners, we have developed several data initiatives designed to further the energy transition as well as systems integration, where different systems and forms of energy interact with each other. There’s always a lot to be getting on with, but that afternoon in the car, I heard that our efforts had paid off. For example, with partners such as TenneT, Nationaal Klimaat Platform (which previously operated under the name Voortgangsoverleg Klimaatakkoord), and Netbeheer Nederland, we developed the website Energieopwek to show the current state of play regarding renewable energy in the Netherlands. On the site you can see how much renewable energy, broken down by source, has been generated right up to as little as half an hour to two hours before the moment you check. Examples include energy from solar, wind, and biogas. Energieopwek.nl is now a major source of information on the state of renewable energy, as evidenced by the news report on the radio or the one that went out on the Dutch TV station NOS that same evening, to name just a couple.

And that’s not all: I also helped develop the CO₂ Monitor and the Energy Weather Report. Here, too, I feel proud when the launch of the CO₂ Monitor in collaboration with TenneT goes off nicely, and shows that we’re fulfilling a need for up-to-date CO₂ emissions data from the gas and electricity system, or when Climate and Energy Minister Rob Jetten presents the Energy Weather Report. Predictive energy data is made understandable and accessible to a wide audience by NVDE, TenneT, and Gasunie. I also remain struck by how market players are using this data. An EV charging station that uses data to tailor charging to the greenest time of day is one example.

All of a sudden, the energy transition is no longer an abstract concept. It’s a complex puzzle, and I contribute to a small piece of that puzzle with data. After all, without insights you can’t see the road ahead. And the great thing is that my team and I are still hard at it. Together with TenneT, we are developing new data services that offer even more data, not only current but also predictive, that is relevant to the energy transition. So I’m expecting many more great reports on the radio, which I will listen to with a smile.