On Thursday, 27 November, Sadegh Seddighi, professor of Balanced Energy Systems (BES) at HAN University of Applied Sciences, delivered his inaugural lecture: Balancing Energy Systems through Storage: From Molecules to Megawatts. In this session, he clearly outlined what is needed to keep energy systems reliable, affordable, and scalable, especially now that congestion, electrification, and peak demand are increasing more strongly.

Storage as the foundation for a balanced energy system

According to Seddighi, flexibility does not arise automatically from a single technology, but emerges when batteries, thermal storage, and molecular energy carriers (hydrogen and e-fuels) are intelligently combined. Central to his vision is the principle measurement → models → control:

• measuring what actually happens in components and systems,
• models that reliably predict that behavior,
• rules and control systems that ensure flexibility can be deployed safely and economically.

His research shows how smart thermal management of batteries, robust sensor technology, and digital twins directly contribute to the reliability of the energy system. At the same time, it demonstrates that molecular energy carriers will remain necessary for sectors where high power, long duration, or industrial process behavior are decisive.

Role within the Connectr ecosystem

In addition to his role as professor, Sadegh Seddighi works closely with Connectr – Energy Innovation. The collaboration between the Balanced Energy Systems research group and Connectr ensures that research is directly translated into practice. New technologies for energy storage and conversion are not only developed in the lab, but also tested in living labs in which companies, government, and knowledge institutions work together.

As a result, hydrogen systems, batteries, thermal storage, and energy management systems can be integrated into real applications more quickly and safely. Moreover, the latest knowledge from the research group flows directly to entrepreneurs, policymakers, and partners in the Arnhem–Nijmegen region.

This joint effort forms a powerful regional testing ground: a place where innovations are validated early, technical risks become visible, and companies can scale up more quickly with the support of reliable, applied research.

A future that requires smart storage

Seddighi’s message is clear: anyone who wants to accelerate the energy transition must invest in proven flexibility, not only in technology, but also in measurability, models, rules, and collaboration. It is precisely at this intersection that the Balanced Energy Systems research group will develop new knowledge lines and projects in the coming years.

Download Seddighi’s lecture here.