SamenvattingDe aanleiding voor deze bijdrage is het onderzoek geplande onderzoek in CILOLAB2 dat antwoord moet gaan geven op de centrale vraag: “op welke wijze en in welke mate kan een ‘cityport’ bijdragen aan het verder in de praktijk mogelijk maken van duurzame logistiek?”. Er zijn verschillende redenen om een andere organisatie van de logistiek in stedelijke gebieden te stimuleren (en uiteindelijk te komen tot het projectvoorstel voor CILOLAB2, dat ten grondslag ligt aan dit paper). De belangrijkste redenen worden verder in dit paper uitgewerkt, maar kort samengevat zijn dat:1. Met technische oplossingen alleen gaat de decarbonisatie – de verduurzaming van de logistiek – niet snel genoeg; verandering van logistieke patronen, leidend tot minder voertuigbewegingen, is noodzakelijk naast de vervanging van dieselvoertuigen door zero-emssie (ZE) varianten;2. Duurzame logistiek is meer dan vermindering van CO2 uitstoot (en lokale emissies), ook gebrek aan ruimte (rond en in steden) en aan personeel en de noodzaak tot vermindering van overlast leidt tot de noodzaak om logistiek anders te organiseren;3. Generieke oplossingsrichtingen bieden beperkt handelingsperspectief voor de (mogelijkheden tot) verandering van verschillende specifieke logistieke patronen -4. Alternatieven om logistiek anders te organiseren komen beperkt van de grond, zoals hubs of stedelijke distributiecentra, die de logistiek vanuit stadsperspectief optimaliseren, maar vaak een beperkte directe waarde lijken te hebben voor de bestaande spelers in de keten (verladers, vervoerders, ontvangers).CILOLAB2 op CLIC (City Logistics Innovation Campus), een kraamkamer voor innovatieve stedelijke concepten, biedt een unieke kans op een fysieke locatie te werken aan innovatieve duurzame logistieke concepten en toegevoegde waardendiensten.
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Ending subsidies for fossil fuel heating systems from 2025, and phasing out gas boilers and other fossil fuel heaters by 2040. These are just two of the outcomes of a political agreement between the EU Council and the European Parliament, which was reached on December 7, 2023. Which measures were agreed upon, and what will the implications be for the heating sector?
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When dealing with decarbonisation of regional areas, different stakeholders perceive different social, economic, regulatory and technological barriers which they need to overcome in order to move successfully towards a CO2-neutral region. Major questions concern how different technologies for supplying renewable (low carbon) energy can be utilized in an optimal way in combination with (strongly) increased energy efficiency, flexibility in energy demand, planning of investments and minimization of costs and at the same time taking specific local conditions (e.g. capital stock, energy infrastructure) into account. At the same time not only technology and economics are relevant, but just as important is the social acceptance of the transition steps. Together they determine whether or not a theoretical best step forward in the transition will be feasible in real life. On a regional – local scale, there is currently no comprehensive methodology and analysis framework for dealing with the barriers on the level of detail that is required. Decision making for stakeholders to decide on investments and planning over time is therefore difficult. This easily leads to sub-optimal implementation pathways, ineffective use of capital and incentives and too limited emission reductions. No need to say that this will often lead to stalemate situations and progress for energy transition is limited.
The Hanzehogeschool Groningen (HUAS hereafter) is a University of Applied Sciences that is strongly inspired by the challenges of the North Netherlands region and firmly embedded in the city of Groningen in particular. HUAS has a strong track record in education, and practice-based research, and is dedicated to enhancing innovation and entrepreneurship. HUAS currently has 31,000 students Bachelor and Master students in 70 teaching programs. The 3.000 member of staff forming 17 schools and 7 centres of applied research collaborate to offer a cutting-edge teaching-based research. HUAS took the challenge to develop a strong research capacity with 67 professors, and an increasing number of researchers at various levels, supported by dedicated technical and administration support staff. PhD research thesis are co-supervised in collaboration with various universities in the Netherlands and abroad. HUAS positions itself as an Engaged and Versatile university, both in education and research. In line with this, the overall strategic ambitions of HUAS are to develop suitable learning pathways with recognised qualifications; to conduct applied research with a visible impact on education and society; and to be an adaptive, versatile and approachable organisation. HUAS links these strategic ambitions to three strategic research themes: Energy, Healthy Ageing and Entrepreneurship and four societal themes: strengthening a liveable and sustainable North Netherlands; transition to a healthy and active society; digital transformation; and energy transition and circularity. These four challenges define the focus of HUAS education and research.One of the societal themes is explicitly linked to the region: strengthening a liveable and sustainable North Netherlands. North Netherlands is a powerful, enterprising region with the city of Groningen as the healthiest city in the Netherlands. The region is a front runner in the energy transition, has a European exemplary role in the field of active and healthy ageing, and as an agricultural region, has many opportunities for the development of the circular economy and consequently the development of biobased construction material to mitigate climate change. Cooperation with different groups and stakeholders in the region is central in HUAS’s strategy. HUAS is part of extensive local and regional networks, including the University of the North and Akkoord van Groningen. As such, HUAS is well- connected to the research ecosystem in North Netherlands.HUAS has the ambition to better align, connect & develop on a local as well as a regional, national and international levels. Many of the challenges the North is faced with are also relevant in the EU context. Therefore, HUAS is a strong advocate and actor on engaging in European projects. HUAS monitors regularly the EU’s priorities and aligns its research between these priorities and its immediate societal needs. The EU provides a range of funding opportunities that fulfil our ambition as a research and teaching university and responds directly to our challenges from social, energy, and digital transformation. Indeed, over the last decade, HUAS has been successful in European programmes. In the Horizon 2020 programme, HUAS was part of five approved projects. In Horizon Europe so far two projects were granted. HUAS has performed particular well in the EU societal challenge for a secure, clean and efficient energy system. Examples of this are Making City (https://makingcity.eu/) focussing on the developing Positive Energy Districts, and IANOS (https://ianos.eu/) about the decarbonisation of islands. In addition to EU research and innovation schemes, HUAS has a considerable track record in projects funded by the Interreg schemes. In particular, these types of projects have strong links with region, and partners in the region. Currently, EU participation and involvement of HUAS is mainly concentrated in one field: sustainability & energy. In order to further disseminate to other parts of the university, only a well-designed strategy will allow the various research centres to better reach European fundings and satisfy the university’s ambitions. However, so far, no structured mechanism is in place internally to guide the research community and regional stakeholders how to reach European collaboration with confidence. Therefore, this pilot project aims to develop a strategic framework to enhance the participation of all parties at HUAS, including a pilot project that will lead to improvement and validation.
