The NERA Away Day (Heidag) 2026 on the 23rd of May at the University of Twente was a truly energising and inspiring gathering for the NERA community!

From the very start, the atmosphere was open, interactive and full of positive energy. We kicked off with lunch on the 13th floor of the Horst Tower, enjoying stunning views over the green UT campus and the city of Enschede while reconnecting with colleagues and partners from across the Dutch energy research landscape.

The programme started with an inspiring presentation by Sebastian Husein about the UT Climate Centre & Energy Innovations portfolio at the University of Twente, highlighting several promising energy-related projects, developments and collaborations.

A special moment followed when former NERA chair Andre Faaij was thanked for his great contribution to NERA over the years. Together with NERA secretary Yorick W. Enters, new chair Bruno Ehrler presented André with a gift, after which André shared that he will fortunately remain closely involved with NERA in his new role as EERA liaison.

Bruno Ehrler and Yorick Enters then reflected on NERA’s achievements, ambitions and priorities, creating plenty of room for questions, ideas and discussion with attendees. The strong interaction throughout the day clearly showed the commitment and enthusiasm within the network.

To turn ambitions into action, Gerrit Jan Valk introduced the parallel breakout sessions. These interactive discussions generated valuable ideas, fresh perspectives and practical input from participants, which were later shared in the plenary feedback session. Great to see so much engagement and knowledge exchange across the different groups!

After a short break, we visited the Advanced Manufacturing Centre (AMC), where we received an introduction to the centre’s cutting-edge work, including 3d metal printing, battery module and pack design, as well as the several advanced additive manufacturing facilities.

Back in the AMC conference room, we joined an inspiring online keynote session by Stanford Fellow Rahul Dhir: “The Energy Transition: a Boardroom Perspective”. His insights sparked further reflection and discussion about the next steps for NERA and the broader energy transition.

We closed the day with drinks and bites — a perfect ending to a day filled with inspiration, collaboration, new ideas and meaningful conversations.

A big thank you to the University of Twente for hosting us and to everyone who contributed to such an engaging and forward-looking day. Great to meet each other in person again!