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An event fostering collaboration between two major European energy transition projects. On 15 September, the historic Prinsenzaal in Alkmaar will be the venue for a special event uniting two major European initiatives dedicated to energy transition: POCITYF and REFORMERS. This event offers a unique opportunity to share experiences from Alkmaar, representing both the Lighthouse City of POCITYF and the Flagship Valley of REFORMERS. The immersive…
The REFORMERS project has been awarded the 2025 World Hydrogen Award in the “Clean Hydrogen Project” category, recognising its pioneering role in creating Europe’s first Renewable Energy Valley in Alkmaar and Heiloo, the Netherlands. The award was presented during the World Hydrogen 2025 Summit & Exhibition held at the Rotterdam Ahoy. Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, REFORMERS brings together 28 partners from 10 European…
On May 15, the first foundation pile was placed for the Boekelermeer Energy Hub, marking the start of an innovative project aimed at tackling grid congestion in the region. Located in the Boekelermeer business park, this hub is designed to optimize electricity distribution, ensuring businesses can access power more efficiently. What is the Boekelermeer Energy Hub? The Boekelermeer Energy Hub is a collaborative initiative between…
Hands-On Learning for Future Energy Leaders Innovative energy solutions are essential for Europe’s transition to renewable energy, and on May 26, the Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Groningen), in collaboration with Eurec, and New Energy Coalition (NEC), organized an excursion for approximately 25 Renewable Energy students. The visit provided an in-depth look at cutting-edge energy innovations, fostering engagement between students and industry experts. Showcasing REFORMERS…
A New Era for Sustainable Hydrogen The Hynoca Alkmaar project is set to revolutionize hydrogen production by utilizing organic waste streams instead of fossil fuels or electrolysis. This summer, construction will begin on a facility that will generate hydrogen from digestate and sewage sludge, marking a significant step toward decarbonizing Europe’s energy supply. Read about this on Waterstofnhn. Hynoca: Part of the REFORMERS Initiative…
The new Dutch Energy Act, adopted in December 2024, formally introduces energy communities as recognized players in the energy market. This is a significant step in the Dutch energy transition and aligns with European directives such as the 2018 Clean Energy Package. The law is set to come into force on January 1, 2026. At the same time, new EU regulations are already in development,…
By Harm Hofman, Durzaam Heiloo On the evening of Thursday, April 17, an inspiring information session took place in Heiloo as part of the European REFORMERS project — an ambitious EU initiative that brings large-scale sustainable energy solutions to local communities. The event offered residents of Plan Oost the opportunity to learn more about the project and explore how Heiloo could become a flagship village…
by Harm Hofman, duurzaam heiloo, As part of the Reformes project, the small industrial area “Oude Werf” in Heiloo has also been included. Although grid congestion is less pressing in this area, there are still plenty of opportunities to use energy more efficiently. Rob van der Wal, who previously gave the Reformes partners a tour in his company CiRopack, is once again taking the lead…
by Rebecca Hueting – REFORMERS Communication and Dissemination manager at Deep Blue In this short blogpost we report on our partners meeting at Urban Tech Republic last October. On the 8th and 9th of October REFORMERS’ research task leaders gathered in Berlin for an extended executive board meeting. The hosting partner Stoff2, our partner developing and building electrolyzers for the production of green hydrogen, organised…
This short blogspot is summarizing the first General Assembly that took place on 4th and 5th of June 2024; almost all REFORMERS Partners gathered at TU Delft premises for their first consortium meeting, after the kick-off in November 2023. The meeting took place in the amazing University Theatre Hall at X – TU Delft arts and sports compound, pushing presenters to their highest performing skills….
REFORMERS has been shortlisted for the World Hydrogen Awards 2025 in the Clean Hydrogen Project category, recognizing its systemic approach to energy innovation across European regions. We’re excited to share that REFORMERS has been shortlisted for the World Hydrogen Awards 2025 in the category Clean Hydrogen Project. This prestigious recognition places REFORMERS among the leading initiatives that are shaping the integration of clean hydrogen…
Join the Knowledge Exchange Forum on March 20 – online, from 09:30 to 11:00 The transition towards a sustainable energy system requires not only the widespread use of renewable sources, but also solutions that ensure flexibility, efficiency, and effective integration. Thermal Energy Storage (TES) responds directly to this need: it allows heat to be stored and used when needed, optimising the use of renewables…
By Joep Sanderink, Flagship Valley Coordinator, New Energy Coalition A glimpse into the progress of becoming the first Renewable Energy Valley of Europe It feels like yesterday that we officially launched REFORMERS on November 22, 2023. Now, 15 months into the project, it is the perfect time to reflect on the progress of the Flagship Valley (FV) and the exciting milestones…
By Fabio Lovati, Dissemination team, Deep Blue The Future of Europe’s Power Grids The Future Grid Innovation Summit, organised by E.DSO on 6 February in Brussels, brought together over 200 representatives from the energy sector, including companies, associations, EU institutions, NGOs, and Member States. The event focused on the challenges facing future power distribution systems, driven by the increasing integration of distributed renewable energy sources,…
By Bob Busser, Hydevco From Waste to hydrogen production After an intensive period, the Hynoca Strasbourg test facility provided all the information needed to build the Hynoca Marolles single-line demonstrator. This plant is located near the Haffner Energy office in Vitry-le-François. The plant was commissioned last May and in July the test results showed the expected and required Hypergaz (specific synthesis gas) composition from the…
by Harm Hofman, duurzaam heiloo In the evolving landscape of innovation, the traditional Triple Helix model—encompassing government, business, and academia—has long been a cornerstone for fostering collaboration and driving progress. However, with the rapid advancement of digital technologies and the increasing emphasis on citizen engagement, there’s a compelling need to revisit and potentially expand this framework. This evolution prompts critical questions: Can the integration…
by Anaïs Wampack, Marketer at Withthegrid At Withthegrid, our goal is to make energy systems easier to manage, more efficient, and better prepared for the demands of a sustainable future. As part of the REFORMERS project, we’re excited to contribute to this vision by providing our Teleport Pro to support energy management in the Flagship Renewable Energy Valley. So, what exactly is the…
By Luis Luengo Baranguan, Circe A comprehensive approach to energy systems integration The REFORMERS project aims to trigger Renewable Energy Valleys (REV), where local renewable energy sources meet all energy needs for electricity, heating, cooling, and transport. Through advanced energy modelling, the project optimises the integration of renewable sources like solar, wind and biomass, ensuring efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable energy solutions for communities. To…
by Sarah Arfeen (ICLEI Europe) and Fabio Lovati (Deep Blue) We were in conversation with the coordinators of two sister projects, REFORMERS and CRETE VALLEY, funded via Horizon Europe for the development of renewable energy valleys (REVs) in the EU. Both projects manifest the potential of energy valleys to advance the EU’s climate-neutrality goals and propel the energy transition forward. The projects, both rooted…
By Edrisi Munoz, James Allan, Hanmin Cai, and Heer Philipp | Urban Energy Systems Laboratory, Empa. In this article the Urban Energy Systems Lab (UESL) at Empa describes how the research team is using ontologies to organise the data requirements for our digital twin. The UESL team at EMPA supports the digital twin development work package in REFORMERS, leading the task: “Energy data space –…
by Rebecca Hueting – REFORMERS Communication and Dissemination manager at Deep Blue In this short blogpost we report on our partners meeting at Urban Tech Republic last October. On the 8th and 9th of October REFORMERS’ research task leaders gathered in Berlin for an extended executive board meeting. The hosting partner Stoff2, our partner developing and building electrolyzers for the production of green hydrogen, organised…
by Rebecca Hueting, Communication and Dissemination leader at Deep Blue Our core coordination team has recently participated in the Enlit conference in Milan, where the REFORMERS’ project was hosted in the New Projects Pavillion and joined two discussion panels jointly with other European Research projects. The project is also hosted on the official website Go to REFORMERS’ page on the official ENLIT website On our…
by Harm Hofman, Duurzaam Heiloo Duurzam Heiloo presents the EU Reformers project to the residents during a public event on the 9th of November in the central shopping center Centrum “Het Loo” in the village of Heiloo. Duurzam Heiloo carries out activities related with the design of more efficient strategies to deal with energy. Such activities are carried out in the context of the quadruple helix…
By Wouter Parys, Researcher, VUB. In this article the VUB team shares its preliminary results from the Energy System modelling done on the dutch flagship valley in Alkmaar. The REFORMERS flagship energy valley is the southern part of the Dutch city of Alkmaar. This energy valley is an around 11 square kilometres diverse region with a dense urban residential area, an industrialized area and…
For those who are not familiar with the Energy Valley concept, it can be described as a large local energy system that is decentralised and controlled by local communities, as opposed to centralised power systems. The REFORMERS project, as the CRETE financed project under the same Horizon Europe call, is a project deploying this concept while also focusing on the integration of other renewable energy…
By Shary Heuninckx, Vrjie Universiteit Brussels The European REFORMERS project aims to develop sustainable and lasting solutions to the current and future energy challenges facing Boekelermeer and its surroundings. In collaboration with local stakeholders, we will seek resilient solutions to issues such as grid congestion, energy security, and the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels. This is a complex task, as the project area involves a…
By Alex Felice, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) The REFORMERS project aims to transform Local Energy Systems (LES) into Renewable Energy Valleys (REV), where local renewable energy sources fully meet energy needs for electricity, heating, cooling, and transport on an annual basis. Achieving this requires advanced planning, and energy modelling plays a crucial role in ensuring that renewable systems can meet these goals efficiently. Energy modelling…
We’re glad to announce that REFORMERS will be hosted at the EU projects zone at ENLIT, taking place in Milan 22-24th of October this year. Our coordinator Professor Thierry Coosemans will present the project in the session “New projects in the Spotlight” 22 Oct, 14:00 15:30 This session focuses on the newly approved by the EU Commission energy projects and their plans. Beyond REFORMERS, also…
In an ambitious step towards sustainable energy, the project’s fifth research track REVT#5: Technology and business integration, focuses on enhancing initiatives beyond REFORMERS, offering a future outlook towards Renewable Energy Valley (REV) adoption. This track leverages local expertise and partnerships to promote the deployment of innovative solutions within and beyond the Alkmaar Flagship Valley (FV) through innovative business models and governance structures. Collaborative Efforts and…
The fourth research track REVT#4 on Innovative Energy Management, promises a revolutionary step in enhancing the efficiency of the FV’s energy management system. This initiative aims to drastically reduce energy consumption, align energy demand and supply more effectively, and increase self-sufficiency while easing the load on the congested electricity grid. As a key part of the Renewable Energy Valley Track #4, REFORMERS will implement sophisticated…
This short blogspot is summarizing the first General Assembly that took place on 4th and 5th of June 2024; almost all REFORMERS Partners gathered at TU Delft premises for their first consortium meeting, after the kick-off in November 2023. The meeting took place in the amazing University Theatre Hall at X – TU Delft arts and sports compound, pushing presenters to their highest performing skills….
REFORMERS plans for its third research track REVT#3: serving a sustainable community, aim to increase renewable energy production and consumption across the different areas in the Alkmaar Flagship Valley. This initiative aims at transitioning from fossil fuels to greener energy sources among all types of consumers including residential, industrial, tertiary, and mobility sectors. The consortium will demostrate these solutions in the Overdie residential area, the…
In a significant stride towards sustainable energy, the second research track REVT#2: Advancing REV energy system is dedicated to piloting a comprehensive local hydrogen infrastructure at InVesta‘s center of expertise. This setup includes the pipelines, a compressor, and a docking station, all tailored to seamlessly integrate clean hydrogen production from HYNOCA with its consumption at NXT Mobility‘s hydrogen filling stations. To ensure efficiency and reliability,…
How does REFORMERS plan to increase renewables energy generation in Energy Valleys? The REFORMERS project runs part of its research in the Flagship valley in Alkmaar and plans to test and replicate preliminary and mature results within the different Satellite energy valleys for replication. The research is organised around five clusters, or “tracks”. In this article we describe the Research track #1 on how to…
by Rebecca Hueting and Fabio Lovati, Deep Blue Italy How can Renewable Energy Valleys impact our future? This is the question we aim to answer through our research activity. The implementation of a local energy system which shifts energy production from a centralised system to a decentralised system has been thoroughly studied across Europe, and today takes a significant leap forward with its latest initiative…
In a significant stride towards the European energy transition, the REFORMERS project announces its first press release. This ambitious research initiative is set to explore and develop the potential of Renewable Energy Valleys across the Europe in a large testbed facility in Alkmaar, setting up and testing energy solutions that are both sustainable, safe and efficient. In REFORMERS, larger communities including households, services, and light industries…
Thanks to the joint effort of 28 partners from 10 European countries, a large testbed facility in Boekelermeer business park will prove how “Renewable Energy Valleys” can represent the optimal energy system for small to medium industrial sites close to residential sites. In Alkmaar’s “Renewable Energy Valley,” a diverse mix of more than 300 businesses and 3,000 households is currently connected to a shared energy…
On November 22nd, the city of Alkmaar set the stage for the inaugural Kick of Meeting of the REFORMERS project during an exciting two-day journey The first day of meeting started with a short welcome from Alkmaar’s alderman Christian C. Schouten and the opening remarks from the flagship coordinator Joep Sanderink. REFORMERS project coordinator Thierry Coosemans and the sister project CRETE VALLEY coordinator Vangelis…