Various social and political issues require a transition. People want to move towards a desired situation. That is normal, but if a profound change takes place (such as Brexit), such a transition also has a major impact on people.
To use Brexit as an example, it is still unclear at the time of writing this column how this transition will proceed. Both the government, various interest groups and FHI (see the article 'Good preparation required for possible no-deal Brexit') try to inform clearly and concretely. In a transition this turns out not to be easy.
Another example is that the government wants to 'get off gas'. There are experiments in neighbourhoods, where consultations between residents take place. The local government also offers other ways of providing information, but the picture of the future has not yet become completely clear.
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| Paul Petersen Director of FHI |
The energy transition, the climate tables and the importance of hydrogen are current themes, where enough FHI members point out critical points to me. Sometimes the desire to claim something (from politics or the media) is greater than the technical realization can handle. I often compare that with Good Times, Bad Times. A character in such a series decides to become a doctor and six months later that character is the family doctor.
Apart from these obstacles, society is still constantly looking for changes. You only have to watch YouTube videos from the fifties or eighties. People want transitions. Perhaps the desired energy transition is the most widely supported change.
The need for technological expertise is greater than ever. In practical terms, this is evident from the large number of professionals who, for example, are responsible for the new event Energy Storage have visited. People in the technical world understand that it is not easy. A GTST reality simply does not exist.
But it is broader than just the energy transition. Visitors to events and trade fairs are looking for expertise in IoT applications, cyber security, standards, safety, effectiveness and efficiency.
In short: the transition need requires technology, collaboration and expertise.
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