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Interview with Bram Holtus – Dekra

If it were up to Bram Holtus, managing director of DEKRA Certification B.V., the Netherlands would have a safe, reliable, and CO2-neutral electricity supply by 2035.

 “There is not just one holy grail. You can’t just cover a country with solar panels and think that’s the solution. It’s important that industries and governments embrace various partial solutions. In the pursuit of sustainability, you need to develop all aspects of the chain.”

He knows what he’s talking about. DEKRA is one of the largest independent expert organizations in the world in the field of testing, inspection, and certification, with a turnover of four billion and 50,000 employees worldwide. The company offers a wide range of services. In Arnhem, DEKRA has a state-of-the-art test laboratory.

What is tested in Arnhem?

“Here, we test a wide range of products, from consumer electronics and medical products to items related to the energy supply. In 2022, our test center was expanded with an Open Area Test Site, where large vehicles such as electric buses, e-trucks, and drones can be tested and certified. Around 2017, we were the first in the world to start testing charging stations.”

You’re strong in testing charging infrastructure?

“We are the biggest in this area. We actually cover the entire electrification chain, from batteries to testing electric vehicles and charging stations. This moves toward megawatt charging, where you’re talking about one to two megawatts of power to charge. That’s not relevant for cars, but it is for electric trucks.”

Grid congestion is a problem with large-scale electrification. Do you work on that?

“Absolutely. Testing energy storage systems is a huge challenge. There are many aspects that could help resolve grid congestion issues. In the Netherlands, we’re good at generating energy sustainably, with solar panels and wind turbines, for example. The problem is that the timing of when that energy is available usually doesn’t match the demand. We generate more energy than is needed at any given time, and that energy could be useful later. Energy storage systems can help significantly with this.”

What could be another solution to prevent grid overload?

“There are global initiatives to switch to direct current (DC). This is an area where DEKRA is very active.  The constant switching between AC and DC results in loss. Eventually, switching to DC could be a major part of solving grid congestion.”

That will likely take some time, right?

“Yes, I foresee that we will eventually find local solutions for the use of DC, but it will take time. You can’t just say, ‘Switch the whole city to DC today.’ It needs to be phased. First, neighborhoods or office buildings will be fully or partially supplied with DC. DEKRA is actively involved in international teams like Current OS (Current Operating System), which promotes the development of DC products.”

How does DEKRA help the Netherlands and Europe stay at the forefront of the global transition to sustainable energy? What lessons from other markets do you apply?

“We focus heavily on new technology and sustainability. This means we concentrate on products that contribute to solutions for issues like grid congestion. In the Netherlands, for a long time, installing solar panels was promoted, but we didn’t think enough about how to handle the extra energy generated during the day. It’s important that industry and society embrace various partial solutions. All stakeholders have a role to play. Use DC in small environments while simultaneously ensuring energy storage. Otherwise, we’ll always be playing catch-up.”

Innovations in the energy transition bring new risks. How does DEKRA ensure safety remains a priority with new technologies?

“We are involved in almost all the important standards committees globally when it comes to developing safety standards. It’s essential to know how something should be tested to ensure it is safe. We then carry out those tests. The focus is on new technologies and products that offer solutions for or contribute to resolving grid congestion issues.”

Which innovation or trend in the electricity sector inspires you the most due to its potential impact on a more sustainable energy system?

“Electrification. Ultimately, we need to move away from using gas, coal, and oil. So, it’s important that the industry and transport sectors electrify, and that investments are made in technologies like heat pumps. People often say, ‘Electric cars aren’t useful as long as there is still polluting energy generation.’ That’s partly true, but switching to an entirely new system requires a long-term effort because it’s a chain. In the end, the entire chain needs to be sustainable. One part will move faster than another, but not doing one thing because the other isn’t ready isn’t an option. Everything has to be addressed if you want results.”

What do you think is the most important message to inspire young talent and professionals in the electricity sector to innovate and collaborate?

“Collaboration. We’re dealing with various suppliers, producers, and consumers. They need to collaborate to create the traction necessary to switch to a fully electrified environment. At the same time, it’s a very promising sector for young talent. You need to get them excited. A lot of technology is being combined to come up with new solutions. More challenges lead to more innovation, and from that comes new technology. Very interesting for young people interested in electronics.”

Is there much enthusiasm for this sector in the Netherlands?

“The job market in the Netherlands is challenging, and it’s hard to find new employees. Of the 400 employees at DEKRA, 80 are from outside the Netherlands. In countries like Spain, Turkey, and China, technology is a more attractive field of study than it is here. That’s why we have internal training and qualification programs to educate people in the field of testing.”

DEKRA is a partner of Arnhem Electricity Week. What themes do you think are essential to discuss here and why?

“Electrification in the broadest sense. To fully move away from gas, electrification is almost always the ultimate solution. However, this also leads to grid congestion issues. Therefore, all partial solutions in the chain will need to be embraced.”

Looking ahead to 2035, how do you think our electricity grid will look, and what do you hope DEKRA will have achieved by then?

“Our mission is to ensure a safe and sustainable world. I hope that by then, the Netherlands—and ideally all of Europe—will have a safe, reliable, CO2-neutral electricity supply. Internally, we are already working hard toward that. In 2021, we were awarded a platinum sustainability rating by EcoVadis. We are among the top one percent of the world’s most sustainable companies. EcoVadis is one of the leading sustainability assessment systems in four categories: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. ‘Practice what you preach’ is our motto. If you actively contribute to solutions for a sustainable world through testing, you must also focus on that internally.”

If you could give the government advice, what would it be?

“Our electricity grid is critical infrastructure. I think it’s important for the government to be steering, or at least playing a guiding role in this. That could also be placed in a European context. At that level, it’s important to steer more and to lead.”

 

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