Friction is a sign of change and movement - even if things are not moving as fast as we’d like. That insight captured the spirit of the ERC event ‘From Friction to Flow’ on 16 April.

Hosted by TNO and Arcadis and expertly moderated by Sofie van den Enk, the event brought together a large group of energy professionals determined to tackle the hurdles, slowing down the energy transition. With over 20 expert speakers across keynotes, panels, presentations and Focus Group sessions, the event successfully delivered on ERC’s purpose to inform, inspire and enable networking.

 

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Below is a summary of the plenary programme. Reports from the Focus Group sessions will follow in upcoming ERC newsletters. 
 
All presentations and event photo's are available on the ERC website. Login here with your personal login code, go to FORUM, select EVENTS and select 2026-04 FROM FRICTION TO FLOW  
 

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Following the opening by hosts Cécile Cluitmans (Arcadis) and Rene Peters (TNO), Pier Stapersma (Director Center for International Energy Policy (CIEP)) started his keynote. He offered a structured view on the geopolitical forces shaping today’s transition. His message: uncertainty may feel uncomfortable, but history shows that disruption often drives fundamental shifts in energy systems.



From break-throughs to follow-throughs
Andrea Ramirez (TU Delft) illustrated how deeply interconnected chemical processes and clusters (such as the Port of Rotterdam) make transitions both challenging and impactful. One of her messages: moving from break-throughs to follow-throughs will determine success. And it’s possible when it comes to the energy transition, but it won’t be easy.

An audience poll then placed us at 2.7 (out of 5) on how we experience the journey from friction to flow. A sober, but honest reflection. The following panel turned that sentiment into action. This panel consisted of:

• Mark Stoelinga (Port of Rotterdam)
• Remko Ybema (VNO-NCW)
• Rajat Bhardwaj (Power2X)
• Susan Hansen (Rabobank)
• Wouter Verduyn (Energie Nederland)
• Matthijs Sienot (NVDE)

Their discussion covered grid congestion, permitting, financing and innovation — highlighting not just the challenges and what steps are already being taken, but also how friction can act as a catalyst for change. A reference was made to a recent study by Arcadis and NVDE that friction can be changed into action with significant reduction of project development time when collaboration between all parties is effectively managed.

Michèlle Prins in her presentation unpacked the many layers of complexity in the energy transition. Her call to action was simple and powerful: we can’t do this alone. Progress requires collaboration, alignment, a willingness to rethink how we work together and to embrace friction while at it.



After lunch and networking, Nicolien Vrisou van Eck talked about energy security. She highlighted our current system's vulnerabilities and the delicate balance between fossil dependency and the transition to new energy systems. Navigating this coexistence — while respecting planetary and social boundaries — may be a defining challenge ahead.

From insight to impact
The final panel of the day consisted of:

• Malou Kroezen (Erasmus Centre for Energy Transition)
• Dirk Rabelink (ULC Energy)
• Frank Wubbolts (TNO)
• Erwin Nederkoorn (ING)

They discussed how the energy transition is not only shaped by the challenges we face today, but also by the choices we make for the future. Together they focused on longer term hurdles and solutions that will define the energy transition in the fields of human capital, the role of SMR’s, material availability and the need for circular processes and financing.



After the focus group sessions (more on these soon) hosts TNO and Arcadis closed off the program, making room for network drinks. The event made clear that friction isn’t something to eliminate - it’s something to work with, and only by embracing it together can we move forward.

Save the dates
Preparations for our next main event on 19 November 2026 (location: Jaarbeurs Utrecht), are in full swing. Also, several site visits and side events are being planned, including:

• 18 June 2026: site visit Tata Steel (registration open now)
• 27 October 2026: side event VoltaChem and ERC to discuss overlapping challenges in the chemical and energy sector.