About me

Piet Nienhuis

The past 10 years of my working life at Gasunie have been devoted to energy transition, the decreasing role of natural gas in the energy system and the emerging role of hydrogen. Cooperation between energy carriers and therefore also energy infrastructure is of utmost importance of we want to achieve the climate goals in a cost-effective way. Numerous studies and initiatives, although appreciated, focus on just a part of the energy system. Consequences for other parts (in an upstream or downstream part of the chain) or in adjacent chains are often not well understood or even forgotten. If we want to connect supply and demand in an energy system, in my view we have to achieve three goals:

1. We have to connect supply and demand IN TIME, that means that we need to ensure that energy is available at every moment we need it; we have to be able to store energy
2. Secondly, we have to make sure that we can satisfy demand in the right carrier, so we may have to convert energy from one carrier into the carrier that is needed
3. Thirdly, we have to make sure that we can transport the energy to the location where we need it

We have to bear in mind that these three rules must always be satisfied.

I am now active as independent consultant, my contribution to research, studies, policy development are to advise about these topics. It is my aim that every project takes its relevant and suitable place in the energy transition.