In the near future, renewable electricity will play a major role in the transition to a low carbon energy economy. This transition will be facilitated by CO₂ targets determined by national governments and will require extensive electrification. However, the need will persist for other fuel sources (for aviation, shipping and heavy road transport) and for chemical products and materials. These activities and associated production processes are now responsible for more than 35% of global CO₂emissions. The big challenge is therefore to produce these fuels and chemical products via renewable electricity, starting from biomass and/or CO₂.

In addition, science and technology need to solve the imbalance between production and consumption of electricity. These solutions lie in connecting networks and production capacity (interconnection), organizing an optimal balance of supply and demand, and in the direct storage of electrical energy. Storage of electricity in batteries or similar systems is one option; electrochemical production of chemicals as an energy carrier is another option. Electrochemical conversion is especially promising for long-term storage as this technology is easily scalable to the amount of energy.

During the conference, international keynotes will take us through the state of the art in science and technology, from an academic and industrial perspective. Dutch experts will share their insight on national initiatives related to the ECCM theme.