Tim Ottema Project Manager New Energy Academy
Tim Ottema works at New Energy Coalition as a project manager flightr the department Educations & Employability. From his role within de New Energy Academy (NEA) he connects young (up-and-coming) talent education, innovation and projects in Noord-Nederland. In addition, he is working on ons human capital TECHNOLOGY Hydrogen Works: H2 Train & Learn Hub. He has a background in business administration with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and strategy. In his role, Tim contributes to developing new talent for dthe energy sector.
Tim is from Groningen and still lives there: “I have a love for Groningen,” he says. “Things happen heret an awful lot on the geoffers energy. That makes it logical to work on the energy transition right here.”
Indoor New Energy Coalition Tim is responsible for the New Energy Academy, an initiative that encourages students and young professionals to delve deeper in the energy transition. This takes place through various learning activities, such as lectures and excursions., challenges en events.
Inspiring students and young professionals for the energy transition
“The energy transition is not something everyone automatically thinks of when choosing a career,” Tim explains. “That is why it is important to get people excited. We need talent in this sector. Niand not only on a technical level, but also in business, legal, and social areas.”
Tim is involved in the entire process surrounding the activities. For example, he comes up with topics., he arranges speakingrs and does promotion. “OwnActually everything from A to Z. Together with an event coordinator. en communication colleague I ensure that the calendar remains full and that students continually receive new opportunities to develop themselves. One of the events is the New Energy Career Event.
Connection between education and regional projects
An important part of Tim's work is connecting educational activities to projects in the region. Most participants in NEA activities come from the Hanze or the University of Groningen. The excursions are almost all in the north.n, apart from the trip to Paris & Brussel. The guest speakers also largely come from the north. So every now and then there is a speaker from TU Delft or VGreat University of Amsterdam. That is nice, because then they are also aware of what is happening in the northern energy region.”
When I organize a lecture about CCUS, for example, I look ik first in ons own network. Often there is a colleague working on a projectt who can tell us something about it, or knows someone again. This way, students gain not only theoretical knowledge but also direct insight into what happens in practice.”
In addition, events such as networking drinks contribute to bringing various initiatives together. “At such moments, everything comes together: students, professionals, and projects. That strengthens everyone.rs network and the visibility of what we do.”
The guiding principle
The range of activities offered by New Energy Academy varies every year a central theme. Innovation in the energy transition is central for 2026. “For example, we are organizing a series of lectures that all tie in on that theme with experts of, for example,the International Energy Agency (IEA),” says Tim. “In previous years, the focus was on system integration, geopolitics and hydrogen.In addition to the central themes, Tim indicates that er there is also room for activities on other relevant or interesting topics.
According to Tim heeft The north of the Netherlands holds a strong position as an energy region. He points to the knowledge institutions, infrastructure, and support from governments. A large part of the energy for the Netherlands enters or is produced in Eemshaven. In addition, there is a great deal of expertise here. because of that de University of Groningen, Hanze and various MBO institutions are located hereThe policies of municipalities and provinces also support the development. Together, this forms a beautiful ecosystem for talent.”
Contribute to impact
What personally drives Tim is the societal importance of the energy transition.“If you are considering working in this sector: it is good that you are doing so,” he says. “You really make a contribution to society. It is sometimes complex and not always easy, butor you are working on something bigger than yourself.” According to Tim, there is something for everyone to do within the energy transition.
Indoor New Energy Coalition Tim was surprised by the size of the organization and the impact of the projects. “We are involved in a huge number of initiatives, not only on Zernike Campus but throughout the entire northern region.the energy region and even beyond. When I see our logo pop up somewhere, you do feel a sense of pride. That we can achieve so much with a relatively small group.. I find that remarkable.
The human side of the energy transition
In addition to the substantive impact, Tim greatly appreciates the work atmosphere. “The camaraderie, the energy and the flexibility make the work here unique. You notice that you are really working together. Here, you have the feeling that you are making an impact together.
For Tim, the barrel means New Energy Coalition joint contributionand to a dynamic and impactful future for the energy region of Noord-Nederland.
