Clean Tech Delta organised a so called Atelier on Future Energy. Professor Ad van Wijk (TU Delft) on the hydrogen economy, Roebyem Anders (Sungevity) on speed and scale of solar penetration and Arnold Bos (Lux Research) on alternative strategies for biobased, stretched our thinking of the future of energy systems. It confirmed to me a message I, and others, have been conveying: most technologies to tackle climate change exist today.

So why are they not aggressively deployed at scale? It is encouraging to see programs around the world that target industrial transformation and a roadmap to a more sustainable future (that I would define as more than tackling climate change, it must also address in equality and the more philosophical question of human well being, its meaning and how to promote it) like digital EU and the US clean power program.

It is worth asking the question what pieces of the puzzle are missing for deployment of clean technologie at scale, for system changes. One of such pieces is the information infrastructure for the internet of things that will drive transformation of not only communication but of energy and logistics as well. Jeremy Rifkin articulated the vision for such infrastructure and the change it could drive, Mayor Aboutaleb of Rotterdam signalled he sees this as a priority and our region will work together on an overarching vision for the internet of things and what is loosely called “the next economy”. This infrastructure where government must play an important role, lays the foundation for capturing the aggregated efficiencies that Dr. Rifkin so clearly describes.

Another piece of the puzzle, once the information infrastructure is in place, is a productive relationship between incumbent industries and innovators. Transformation means that inefficiencies will be eliminated and new business models and technologies introduced. Existing markets and profit pools will change and redistributed. Resistance to transformation will, in the end, not lead to succes since the underlying trend of achieving efficiency is not only strong but also in the interest of society to become more resource efficient. Incumbent industries should embrace innovation, from within and with external innovators. A triple helix organisation like Clean Tech Delta can help to bring together existing companies, innovators, universities and cities to design sustainable value chains and business models. Why sustainable in bold? Without a working business model nobody will invest money and reason would be given to say that sustainable innovation depends on subsidy.

Governments, however, have a role to play as a market maker, rather than only market referee but on a very selective basis, only to promote innovations and provide critical infrastructure.

We are privileged to see a combination of engaging with a visionary scholar, local governments embracing a vision for the future and existing industries looking for innovation. Sustainability and resource efficiency can serve as useful and inspirational guiding principles. We have a good chance to begin to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

With thanks to Changhua Wu (CEO of China based the Climate Group).

gras