New Energy Coalition is on a mission to improve our world – Northern Times

Being on a mission to improve the world makes getting out of bed early in the morning a little easier. This is what Charles van Santvoort thinks about every day as he prepares for a job at the New Energies Union in Groningen.

“Our aim is to accelerate the energy transition to make the world a little better,” he said. New Energy Coalition (NEC)He describes the coalition as a networked company with three focuses: innovation, education and human capital. Currently working with around 160 partners on his 60 projects related to the energy transition, the world’s transition from fossil fuels to more sustainable sources of energy.

NEC acts as initiator, coordinator or implementer of various energy related projects. We believe in working together to achieve our goals. It aims to bring together the knowledge, experience, innovation and willpower of companies, government agencies, NGOs and knowledge institutions. The Union also seeks to enable national and international cooperation with regions and countries around Groningen.

Van Santvoord aims to make the world a little better for future generations and the people of today’s world. NEC is trying to achieve this by accelerating the energy transition.

“It’s a big goal,” explains van Santvoord, adding that he can’t do it alone.

“We don’t have all the knowledge ourselves, so our coalition needs a lot of companies who have that knowledge,” says van Santvoord. Together they combine their skills to create projects that drive more knowledge and innovation.

“We are looking forward to attracting bright-minded and broad-minded students, and we are also attracting professionals looking to re-educate them on sustainable energy,” he adds.

Interdisciplinary. Multicultural. Versatile.

There is a great focus on human capital at NEC, and it’s not just the Dutch people that are involved.

“We also have international companies and people working at NEC.

Lawyer, business developer, communicator. All their different skills are needed in the Union.

“To reach a world that no one has ever been to, you have to combine all these skills. Development and innovation require all these different skills and people with different cultures and perspectives We love internationals because they bring a lot of knowledge, they bring a unique point of view, which is very nice,” explains van Santvoord.

“Energy transitions are really sexy”

When asked how to convince someone to work for NEC, van Santvoord says it’s actually pretty easy.

“For the purpose of making our world a little better, we will not struggle to get new employees. Foreigners who wish to work here, please contact us. We regularly accept students and internships, which is mainly how we recruit new international players,” says van Santvoord.

According to van Santvoord, many people think the energy transition is about technical aspects, hardships and crises such as Russia’s war with Ukraine. But van Santvoord insists it’s a fun area.

“The energy transition is really fascinating,” says van Santvoord, who recommends people keep an eye on NEC’s website to see what kind of projects people are working on.

“We have a lot to learn and we are not there yet. We still have a lot to do, but it is a very satisfying job,” concludes van Santvoord.

Video by Julia Dumchenko and Daindra Utami.

This article is make in the north‘s Corporate Spotlight series focuses on companies in the North that employ foreigners.