Rotterdam boosts green, smart innovations through SES programme

ROTTERDAM, 12 July 2023 – The municipality of Rotterdam bolsters its commitment to a cleaner and smarter future as it funds four trailblazing sustainability projects through its Smart Energy Systems (SES) programme.

Funding smart and sustainable innovations

Today, the SES programme issued financial grants to four new innovations. The programme supports entrepreneurs who develop solutions aimed at creating a cleaner, smarter, and more efficient energy system in the city and port.

Alderman Chantal Zeegers (Climate, Building and Living) stated, “Utilising this new knowledge is essential to achieving our ambitious climate goals and accelerating the energy transition. I am pleased that four more innovation projects can benefit from the subsidy. The chosen entrepreneurs demonstrate that Rotterdam is actively working on intelligent, innovative energy systems and out-of-the-box solutions.”

SES subsidy recipients for 2023

The new sustainable innovations receiving the SES subsidy in 2023 include:

1. Zero Emission Fuels – MethaGIS: Zero Emission Fuels (ZEF) is developing microplants to convert solar energy directly into sustainable methanol. This technology could be broadly applied to large-scale solar panel systems, like those implemented in countries such as Morocco and Chile. The sustainable methanol could be used, for instance, as eco-friendly fuel for shipping and energy provision.

2. Flying Fish – Feasibility study Foiling Demonstrator Nieuwe Maas: Flying Fish is developing hydrofoils to make emission-free boating faster and 80% more efficient. Hydrofoils lift the hull out of the water at sufficient speed, reducing resistance. Watertaxi Rotterdam is partnering in the project.

3. Hygro – Charlois Hub, iBundle & satellite: Hygro is researching the feasibility of a hub for the compression and distribution of hydrogen for heavy road transport. This is a chain innovation in the field of hydrogen and can contribute to Rotterdam's objectives.

4. RABLE – Solar-on-parking-places: RABLE is developing a solar carport, an overhead cover for parking areas, based on the RABLE technique, a smart self-supporting system for solar panels. This innovation should make it easier and more appealing to implement solar carports.

The Smart Energy Systems programme

Since 2020, the city of Rotterdam has been encouraging smart and sustainable innovations through the SES programme to speed up the energy transition. The grant amount is up to €100,000 per participant. The aim of the subsidy is to support the further development of innovations and stimulate business activity and employment in the Rotterdam region.

In the previous four rounds, 27 innovations have already utilised the subsidy. The SES programme now includes a total of 31 innovation projects. The municipality is contributing to the development of, among others, a digital tool for optimising the heat network, a battery that stores solar and wind energy and produces hydrogen, and large-scale energy storage in the port linked to the hydrogen infrastructure.

For more information about the SES programme, visit www.ondernemen010.nl/ses.