‘In the port, you can take measures with a real impact on the climate’
Reading time: 7 minutes
With everything he does, he asks himself: what affect does my work or action have on others? Douwe van der Stroom is committed to more than just a CO₂-neutral port. ‘I was recently asked, “Douwe, if you want to change everything, where do you start?”’
Douwe works at the Port of Rotterdam Authority as Smart Energy & Industry Program Manager and is extremely motivated to make the world a better and fairer place. He is always occupied with the climate and with improvement wherever possible.
He grew up in Rotterdam, in a family full of opportunities. At home, he was taught to never walk away from the responsibility that brings. More so because his peers around the corner had fewer privileges. And he developed that sense of responsibility more and more. While at secondary school, he was given the chance to complete his final two years in Italy on a scholarship. Along with pupils from no fewer than 100 nationalities, he was taught at the idealistically driven United World College. This school community strives to use joint education to bridge cultural differences and prevent international tensions, while giving tools to make a positive impact. ‘That really changed everything for me.’
Activist side
‘I want to make a positive impact and contribute to solutions to the major problems of our time.’ During his studies, he encountered people who told him about climate change. ‘You hear about the greenhouse effect at school of course. But what I learnt at the time about the effects on our biodiversity, the increasing intensity of extreme weather conditions, and food and water shortages really opened my eyes and ears. It developed my activist side.’ Laughing: ‘I was 18 at the time. So, you are all fired up and want everything to change by tomorrow.’ I eventually decided to do a master’s in innovation studies with a focus on climate science. Since then, he has committed himself to the energy transition in order to slow down climate change. That is something he has been doing for almost five years now in various roles at the Port of Rotterdam Authority.
Against the tide
Douwe has seen how the urgency for the transition has drastically changed in the port in recent years. ‘A different culture dominated when I first started. It’s a complex system. And swimming against the tide is quite a challenge.’ He recalls his initial meetings with industrial companies in the port, ‘They were working on the energy transition, but it wasn’t the priority. Now, the question is no longer: do we have to transition, but when, how quickly and with how much money and risk can and do we want to take to achieve that? In the past few years, I’ve learnt that patience and determination are essential to make an impact.’ And yet he can still use much of his activist side in his work. ‘I like kicking over sacred cows. It gives me energy as well. Because after all, here in the port you can take measures with a real impact on the climate.’ He also sees that his vision of things is appreciated too, ‘As a counter force.’ He adds, ‘We have to make tough choices too. And the question is, Do we dare?’ He sketches an image of a massive supertanker whose course you have to try and change. ‘That’s a massive challenge. And in the end, it all has to be done by people. I find that the most fascinating part.’
Digitalisation as key to sustainability
Douwe is currently working on integrating digitalisation in the energy transition. ‘In recent years, we’ve seen increasing data flows becoming available that we can really use, also for the energy transition.’ He does not see digitalisation as a goal in itself but as a means to achieve the energy and raw materials transition. ‘As far as we are concerned, digitalisation is an important key to a sustainable future where technology and green energy go hand in hand.’ He sees that smart technologies are paving the way for more efficient use of energy and raw materials. ‘And that they can help to connect parties.’ He gives an example: ‘Imagine that one company has an excess of residual heat that could potentially be used by another party. But how do you know that about each other? You are integrated because companies exchange heat via pipelines, for example, but perhaps you are not yet optimised. And data can really help with that.’ He continues, ‘Although, data centres do consume vast amounts of energy, we see that it results in lower energy consumption and therefore lower CO2 emissions below the line.’
‘In recent years, we’ve seen increasing data flows becoming available that we can really use, also for the energy transition.’
A thick cable instead of ten ‘straws’
He gives another example of a successful project: grid operators like TenneT, Stedin and Gasunie have a major task and must invest billions in cables and pipelines with long permit procedures. ‘Companies in the port then request for X amount of megawatts. A month later that grid operator receives a similar request from another company. The result is several plans next to each other to pull ten "straws" next to each other. While it would have been better to lay a single thick cable.’ The solution? The Data Safe House: a secure environment where grid operators and industry can share standardised information about their production and energy consumption with grid operators, without the risk of competition-sensitive information being shared. It is an initiative of the Port of Rotterdam Authority and Deltalinqs. ‘That will speed things up and it’s fantastic. And a great thing is that after our pilot, the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth is implementing it nationally in all industrial clusters.’
He states that companies are well optimised on an individual level, but joint optimisation could be improved. ‘The complexity increases for companies with the transition to fossil-free energy sources. They can choose from various sustainable alternatives that all fluctuate in availability and price. Adding a smart layer on top enables parties to match demand and supply among themselves and with the market. You can therefore save costs and energy.’ His next project uses such a smart energy management system. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is joining forces with several companies to start a pilot project in the Botlek to look at how companies can optimise their energy flows with each other. ‘The system considers the companies as a whole to provide suggestions: you can switch something off now and switch something over now. In our preliminary study, we saw this could provide 5 to 10 per cent energy savings and thus also lower CO2 emissions and lower costs. That’s brilliant but also causes tension. Industry is under pressure: they need to switch, not stagnate. We need industry in the Netherlands to remain independent.’ He hopes to be able to work towards a sustainable, reliable and competitive energy system.
Jack of all trades
Alongside his position, Douwe has also co-founded the so-called Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce within the Port of Rotterdam Authority. ‘There we are working on how to get a range of perspectives at the table and create an inclusive working environment.’ He explains its importance, ‘If you come from a different cultural background, if you have experienced some form of exclusion as a woman or certain discrimination as a homosexual, you have different life lessons. A certain awareness, for example, and often strong adaptability. It is therefore important to create diversity together with inclusivity. ‘I believe that improves decision-making, certainly with a challenge like the energy transition where so many different interests play a role. But above all, we want every colleague to feel welcome and heard.’ Beside his work for the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Douwe is also a committed energy coach. He helps people in Rotterdam South make their homes more sustainable. And he is active for the GroenLinks political party.
Values as the basis
To keep up with all his activities, Douwe believes that it is important to live life based on certain values. ‘If you do something based on your own values, you are not easily influenced or knocked off your course.’ He outlines his own values, ‘Justice, sustainability as well as solidarity are key words for me. It may sound rather moralistic, but I always try to assess what affect my work or action has on others. That gives me something to hold on to.’ He would like to contribute to the idea of broad prosperity through the rest of his career and life based on those values. ‘I can really do the things that are important to me with the energy and raw materials transition in the port of Rotterdam. Here, the transition really goes from a PowerPoint to a spade in the ground.’
MAKING WAVES
In this series, you'll hear from people who are committed to a smart and sustainable port of Rotterdam, and our planet as a whole. Let them inspire you and help make that a reality.
