Stedin chief talks realising, optimising and digitising the energy transition

In an exclusive interview during Enlit's visit to Rotterdam, David Peters, Chief Transition Officer of the Dutch DSO Stedin, explains that his job is "all about realising the energy transition".

But if one decides to dig deeper, then a chief transition officer's work is focusing on the digitalisation of the utility, the creation of a sustainable investment roadmap, and of course discussing the energy transition with Stedin's stakeholders.

Key Priorities

According to Peters, one of the key priorities for Stedin in a European context is "realising our part of the REPowerEU and Fit for 55".

Increasing the grid capacity of Stedin is a second key priority for the DSO. That means Stedin needs to focus on "optimising and increasing the usage of the current grid", says Peters.

The third key priority is "making sure that the current grids of electricity and gas are operating safely and at a high level of quality".

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Challenges

These priorities are not without challenges. Since the European Union is not a homogeneous entity, but rather a collection of states in various stages of the energy transition, a robust regulation scheme is necessary. Such a task represents a challenge due mainly to the diversity of both European utilities and states.

A second challenge, according to Peters, regards "increasing the speed of realizing the infrastructure". For example, permit procedures should happen faster.

Enabling technologies

There is no energy transition without digitalisation and with that in mind, data sharing and "doing your calculations", as Peters wittily puts it, is of the utmost importance.

There are technologies and buzzwords out there, like AI and blockchain, but the fact remains that the potential that these technologies provide for the future is immense.

Make sure to watch the rest of David Peters' exclusive interview to learn about his views on legislation, data ethics, as well as his take on the future of the energy sector.

Enlit hit to road to showcase how the Dutch city of Rotterdam tackles the energy transition: the role of the Port of Rotterdam, the best case of hydrogen use and the current status of e-transport.

Follow Enlit on the Road- Rotterdam