Erik ten Elshof

Sustainable Urban Energy Systems in the Perspective of Dutch Regional Energy Strategies

Abstract:
Regional energy strategies (RES) are a relative new phenomenon in Dutch Energy Policy. About 30 regions in the Netherlands will start working on such a RES. The roots of the RES lie in the growing complexity of the energy system and the governance that is needed to realize the energy transition. The need to decarbonize the energy system leads, together with technology developments, to new governance issues. An important - and often neglected part – dimension of the energy transition is spatial effect. Not only in rural areas – where large solar and wind energy projects arise – but also in the urban environment where a transition is needed towards sustainable heating sources. The energy-infrastructure is also critical in these spatial questions. How can we combine the different perspectives of the different actors that have to be part of the energy transition. How does a multilevel governance approach look like? What has the RES to offer? 

Biography:
Drs. E.J. (Erik) ten Elshof (1963) is senior policy advisor on Energy Policy at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate since 2007. Before he started at the Ministry he studied Public Administration and worked for the Dutch Association of Municipalities and the Dutch Advisory Council on Energy Policy. His work at the Ministry at this moment covers the relation between the energy transition and spatial policy, energy innovation and the social dimension of the energy transition. In this position he is also participating in the board of the Dutch Topconsortium of Knowledge and Innovation for Urban Energy. Important items in his field of work at this moment are the development of regional energy strategies and system integration issues that come along with the growth of renewable energy.