News

A minisymposium is held at DIFFER on the occasion of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between DIFFER and University of Twente (UT) for the collaborative work on ”Pulsed Laser Deposition for Energy Applications”. DIFFER and UT are starting a long-term collaboration on the fabrication and investigation of thin films for the energy transition.

Water splitting with electricity is a key technology for renewable energy storage. When a voltage is applied to two electrodes immersed in water, the water splits into oxygen and hydrogen gas. This process is called electrolysis. The hydrogen gas can be captured and stored. It can be used in fuel cells, or for the production of sustainable chemicals.

Marco de Baar always knew that he would eventually hold a senior position in research. But he never thought this would be possible at DIFFER, the institute that he has called his home since 2007. Nevertheless, he is now DIFFER’s scientific director, albeit in a challenging year.

Richard van de Sanden and Thom Palstra will become members of the NWO Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences (AES) board. The NWO Executive Board ratified their nomination on Wednesday 9 June. Van de Sanden is appointed with effect from 1 August and Palstra with effect from 1 September.

We have free sunlight every day, but still we dig in the ground for oil and gas to provide us with energy. That has always intrigued Anja Bieberle-Hütter. As interim head of DIFFER’s solar fuels research theme, she is determined to help solving the paradox.