Connectr – Energy innovation has presented a new position paper titled “De Programmaraad als kompas voor het energiecluster in de Lifeport-regio.” The document outlines the strategic choices made over the past five years and describes how the organization will continue strengthening the regional economy, with Arnhem–Nijmegen at the heart of a growing energy cluster.

A clear focus: daring to choose

From the outset, Connectr and its Programme Council have focused on themes where the region has strong potential and competitive advantage:

• electricity systems
• charging infrastructure
• energy storage
• system integration

The council helps determine strategic direction based on market opportunities, regional strengths, and time-to-market, ensuring that initiatives reinforce one another and lead to practical application and scaling.

Achievements to date

This focused approach has already produced tangible results, including:

• A strong community around heavy-duty charging infrastructure, including development of a megawatt-scale charger at ElaadNL.
• A growing ecosystem for emission-free construction sites and events, featuring sustainable generators and electric machinery.
• The launch of the Urban Energy Systems community, addressing integrated energy solutions for the built environment.
• Shared facilities such as the Energy Demo Field, the ElaadNL test lab, and programs supporting storage, testing, and certification.
• Increasing national and international recognition of the Arnhem–Nijmegen region as a hotspot for energy innovation.

The Programme Council as guiding body

With this publication, Connectr positions the Programme Council as a key steering body within the regional energy-innovation ecosystem. The council helps safeguard coherence, realism, and impact, providing partners with clear guidance for programming, investment decisions, research, and regional positioning.