About us
EnerGhentIC is the interdisciplinary community of Ghent University innovating our energy future
Our Story
Ghent University provides top-notch research in the domain of energy, spread over various disciplines, which has the potential to contribute to the much-needed energy transition. This is where EnerGhentIC comes in and makes a difference. EnerGhentIC is focused on the creation of impact, starting from the energy research at our university. The impact creation is facilitated by the EnerGhentIC team by stimulating collaborations on various levels.
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Collecting all our energy researchers into one EnerGhentIC community ensures that all of the energy knowledge in Ghent University is consolidated in one place and colleagues can easily identify and create synergies. EnerGhentIC firmly believes in the necessity of a holistic approach and addresses the energy transition process from a multidisciplinary viewpoint, bringing together both technological and non-technological sciences to encompass the entire societal energy scope.
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Naturally, the EnerGhentIC researchers are only one link in the local, national and international network of energy partners. The development of networks and partnerships with all these other players, from academia, industry and society, is a key element in the EnerGhentIC strategy to create real impact in the energy transition process.
EnerGhentIC
Our Community
The EnerGhentIC community boasts more than 200 members, all of them active in energy-related domains at Ghent University. Our group is comprised of junior and senior researchers, professors, technicians, business developers and supportive staff members, divided over 17 research groups, 5 faculties and 3 Ghent University campuses.
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Looking for a certain expertise or for someone in particular?
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Or else, browse through the vast amount of topics and research domains in our community and watch our research video pitches.
Meet the Team
Meet the lovely people making up the EnerGhentIC team
Business developer and team lead
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Judith Ooms
Judith is business developer of the Industrial Research Fund (IOF) and energy expert. Her main focus is on the creation of impact by facilitating collaboration with industrial and societal partners. Judith is the lead of the EnerGhentIC team.
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Innovation Officer
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Arne De Keyser
Arne is mainly responsible for the European collaborations within EnerghentIC, engaging new partnerships and showcasing our expertise in an international context. Het is also liaison to the Machineries & Factories and Metals business development centers at Ghent University.
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Innovation Officer Offshore wind
Sue Taelman
Sue is our Innovation Officer for Offshore Wind Energy. Sue's role revolves around fostering innovation, enhancing research impact, and building partnerships that advance the offshore energy sector particularly focussing on wind energy. She is also a liaison to the Metals business development centre of Ghent University.
Chairman
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Michel De Paepe
Michel is professor in applied thermodynamics and heat transfer at Ghent University. He works on energy efficiency in buildings & industry (for domestic appliances), by using heat pumps, fuel cells ORCs & other small energy conversion systems. Michel is also chairman of EnerGhentIC.
Liaison Officer city of Ghent
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Eline Himpe
Ghent University supports the climate and energy goals of its home city. Therefore Eline acts as Liasion Officer between Ghent University and the City of Ghent, with the common goal of realizing the energy transition in the region. She also involves our own researchers for our in-house Ghent University energy transition.
Administrative Officer
Sophie Brackx
Sophie is our Jill of all trades! Her task is to dot the i's and cross the t's in all of EnerGhentIC's administrative and practical matters.
Communication Manager & Community Builder
Marijke Mahieu
Next to project coordination, Marijke supervises the EnerGhentIC communication actions, both for the community and for the external stakeholders. She is also at the forefront of all community building events and manages the digital communication channels.
Innovation Officer
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Tom Robeyn
Tom is Energy Innovation Officer at EnerGhentIC, engaging into projects within the context of sustainable energy in general and with a particular interest in sustainable mobility and heating.
What we do
The three pillars of EnerGhentIC are:
What can we do for you?
Depending on which stakeholder you are, EnerGhentIC can offer you specific support:
ACADEMIA
If you are a representative of a Belgian or international knowledge institute and would like to exchange knowledge and collaborate on the energy transition, then get in touch! We are always on the lookout for new partners!
If you are a Ghent University researcher working on any aspect of the energy transition, then get in touch directly or via your promoter.
INDUSTRY & SOCIETY
Within your organisation, do you have an idea that you want to develop or finetune, a challenge your are facing, a problem that needs solving...where the expertise of our energy researchers could be of added value? Then get in touch!
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We offer a variety of formats to assist you, such as research projects, services, lab testing, research challenges, master theses, etc.
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GOVERNMENT
Are you looking for experts to join government contracts or to provide advice on policy measures and the approach to energy policy - tailor-made or through participation in an expert committee? Let us know!
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We consider it a core task to make our knowledge and expertise available to governmental organisations and policy makers
PRESS
Would you like to get in touch with our energy experts for interviews, opinion pieces, panel discussions, TV recordings, etc. then we can match you with the right expert!
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Also have a look at our expertise domains, research groups and our news items to get a general feel of what is on offer.
Our mission & vision
We have a direct impact on the (inter)national energy transition as a trusted partner of industry, academics and policy makers.
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Our expert community provides top-notch R&D and education, leading to societal and technical innovation.
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By engaging the actors in the energy landscape, we collectively create a sustainable energy future.
EnerGhentIC is the interdisciplinary community of Ghent University innovating our energy future in partnership with industry and policy makers
The broader scope
EnerGhentIC, which is firmly embedded in Ghent University, is partly funded by the Industrial Research Fund (IOF). The IOF provides a supporting framework for collaboration between the Ghent University Association and industry.
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EnerGhentIC is one of about 27 initiatives which are part of the Ghent University's Industrial Liaison Network. Within this network we closely collaborate with our colleagues from e.g. Metals, Machineries & Factories, BLUEGent, CSC and Crop-Fit. Evidently, we also have strong ties to the Ghent University Tech Transfer Office (TT).