Joep Sanderink Project Manager
Joep Sanderink works at New Energy Coalition as a project manager in North Holland, in Alkmaar. He works on concrete solutions for regional energy challenges, from energy hubs to European innovation projects. In addition, he is involved in the strategic direction of the North Holland region, where, together with his team and regional stakeholders, he sets the course and focus of the business unit.
From graduating to making an impact
Joep holds a Bachelor's degree in Natural Sciences and Innovation Management and a Master's in Science, Business & Innovation. During his studies, his interest in the energy transition grew: “That was already my passion back then,” he says. “I really wanted to do something with it.” After his graduation research, in which he focused on the integration of Vehicle-to-Grid and hydrogen into smart energy systems, Joep almost immediately rolled into the practical realities of the energy transition.
As part of my graduation research, I analyzed national hydrogen projects, and in doing so, I came into contact with projects where New Energy Coalition worked on it. Then I thought, this is an organization where I would really like to work. When I saw a vacancy, I applied immediately, and I have now been working here for six years with great pleasure. That says something, of course; it is a nice place to work.”
Working on projects with impact
Indoor New Energy Coalition Joep has left his mark on a wide range of projects. Early in his career, he contributed to the European project POCITYF, which focuses on making culturally and historically significant cities more sustainable. “There, among other things, we made a residential area and a sports complex in Alkmaar energy-positive. The ice rink is now almost completely off gas, makes smart use of residual heat, and produces its own solar energy.” Joep also works on projects related to the sustainability of business parks and integrated energy systems.
Nowadays, his focus is primarily on the large-scale REFORMERS project. “In this project, we are building Europe’s first Renewable Energy Valley. We bring together the supply and demand of sustainable energy and integrate various energy carriers. That makes the projects unique.”
The role of connector
An important part of Joep’s work is connecting different parties. “You deal with a lot of stakeholders: governments, companies, knowledge institutions. Everyone has their own knowledge and interests in every project.”
According to Joep, the challenge lies in finding the shared ambition. “A technology developer wants to test something, a government has ambitions regarding sustainability and employment, and a company wants a return on investment. We translate these divergent interests into a shared vision in concrete projects.”
From standalone projects to a system
That connecting role also plays a major factor between projects. “We always try to see the bigger picture. A project in one location never stands alone. We look at how it fits within the regional strategy and how it can be linked to other initiatives.”
Where projects previously sometimes seemed to stand alone, the focus is now increasingly on coherence. “A hydrogen project does not stop at just a production facility. You also have to think about sales and how the hydrogen gets from A to B. In this way, together with the ecosystem, you are truly building a future-proof energy system.”
Joep's work has a direct impact on the position of the region. The importance of the energy transition is greater than combating climate change alone; the transition also goes hand in hand with regional development and liveability.In this way, our energy hub projects help overcome grid limitations, enabling businesses to establish themselves and become more sustainable, and making housing construction possible.
Tangible results
Joep is proud of the tangible results: “The best part is when the step is taken from planning to making an impact. Over these six years, I have had the privilege of contributing to the development of InVesta’s expertise center, among other things. From an organization on paper, it has now become a vibrant expertise center that we, through POCITYF, have been able to make energy-positive and where we are running the first pilots as part of an ERDF project.”
Within REFORMERS, the expertise center has now been equipped with a battery, and clean hydrogen will be produced there later this year. Notable experiences included winning 'project of the year' at the World Hydrogen Summit, chairing Wind Meets Gas, and putting our Hydrogen Valley in South Korea on the map. “Those are wonderful experiences and recognitions, but ultimately, I am most proud of what we have concretely achieved.”
Joep has made himself strong in six years can develop within New Energy Coalition. “You start with smaller projects and rolesbut you get soon more responsibility.” According to him, this is partly due to the scale of the organization. “It is not too small, but also not so big that you disappear into the crowd. You get opportunities to grow and are well guided in doing so.” That growth is often gradual. “You sort of roll into it, but you also indicate what you want yourself. They really think along with you.”
Working on something bigger than yourself
What Joep appreciates most about his work is the combination of content and collaboration. “I work here because I want to make the greatest possible contribution to the energy transition. That is my main driving force.” Additionally, he mentions his colleagues as a major plus. “They are simply very nice people to work with. Everyone is approachable, and you really do it together.”
For Joep, everything comes together in one conviction: contributing to the energy transition means working on something bigger than yourself. “You are working on the future. Not just of energy, but of entire regions and societies. That makes the work meaningful.” And it is precisely that combination of impact, substance, and collaboration that ensures he enjoys being at New Energy Coalition works.
