GREEN PROVINCE A showcase of sustainable chemistry DESTINATION GRONINGEN YOUNG, SMART AND VIBRANT Living in the Netherlands’ fi fth city Living Working Learning
DATA HUB EEMSHAVEN is is why Google settled up north
A DUTCH POWERHOUSE Groningen is leading the energy transition 12 DESTINATION GRONINGEN SPACE ENOUGH A GOOD Why city folk are going up north. And why Contents ex-Groningers return PLACE with conviction 06 Mudflats, mounds, waving grain, an ancient university city, festivals GOOGLE IN THE PROVINCE of global allure − Groningen appeals TO KEEP Tech giant Google built a data centre in The Eemshaven. to everyone’s imagination. CEO Pim van der Feltz talks Mostly unknown, however, is that the Groningen attractions and company responsability economy of the future is taking shape THE WORLD here, with a strong infrastructure, 27 an innovative chemical industry, 09 sustainable energy projects and a MUSTARD SOUP groundbreaking agricultural sector. Connoisseurs sharing HUB their recipes of a typical SPINNING The Eemshaven is increasing Not to mention great and affordable delicacy the capacity of its power living. All delivered with almost stations. Infrastructure and data traffic also grow un-Groningen like bravura. In short, Groningen is a powerhouse.
10 20 OPPORTUNITIES Groningen is the ideal GRONINGEN location for entrepreneurs, STATISTICS with its drive for innovation, From wind farms to work ethic and short lines cultural events: clarifying of communication. statistics about the ALSO The economy and northernmost province employment benefit 04 NEWS
35 KM COASTLINE DESTINATION
Of the 400 km German-Dutch Wadden Coast, GRONINGEN At 600 MW, Gemini 1 is one FACTS & FIGURES 8.5 percent borders on the province of Groningen. The Wadden are a UNESCO World Heritage Site Houses are still rather cheap, there is more than enough employment and GREEN SOCKET The latest initiatives and 4 Groningen is one of the youngest cities in Europe. e province is home to THE EEMSHAVEN IS THE Fact & Figures unspoilt nature reserves such as Lauwersmeer National Park. e pride of LANDING SITE OF ENERGY Groningen is the 34 km World Heritage coastline, which also serves as the CABLES Groningen supplies the [AB] Netherlands’ green socket. country with Norwegian hydro-electric power, wind 3 energy from the off shore EEMSHAVEN windfarm Gemini, and in the of the world’s largest wind farms. 15% near future, Danish wind energy current affairs LAUWERSMEER OF DUTCH CHEMISTRY SURFACE AREA 3 IS SUPPLIED BY NATIONAL PARK DELFZIJL 2.960 KM² The perfect spot for unobstructed stargazing. The International 7,13% OF THE NETHERLANDS Dark Sky Association offi cially PLEDGE FOR 2020 designated the park as a Dark Sky 4 Park in 2016. On some days you WIND ENERGY IS A WIND TURBINES GOVERNMENT OBJECTIVE may even see the Northern Lights DELFZIJL wind energy in Megawatts Chief editor Wilbert Geijtenbeek 1 N33 2 35 Wind turbines planned, INHABITANTS 1 target capacity 120 MW 2 Delfzijl 582.944 5 Currently: 34 wind turbines Planned: 48 3,4% OF THE NETHERLANDS TOP-5 VILLAGES 6 3 Eemshaven The two tallest wind turbines 1 Niehove in the Netherlands The ‘most beautiful mound 4 Art direction Jannie van de Goor 2 each supply 4.5 MW of energy village in Grunnen’ 16 1 per year. 4.450 855,5 2 Bourtange GRONINGEN Currently 88 smaller wind Historic fortifi ed town turbines, 64 planned. 3 A.G.O. dorp 4 Gemini 1 MICHELIN STAR Factory village of 1915 Off shore wind farm, 5 85 kilometres off the coast Herberg Onder de Linden 4 Zoutkamp Picturesque fi shing village 1 of Groningen in the North Aduard Sea, 150 wind turbines, The Netherlands Groningen 5 Bad Nieuweschans 15 Editors Miriam Bauwer, Since 1992 the only Michelin total capacity 600 MW Protected fortifi ed town INNOVATION star awarded restaurant in Groningen on the German border TOP-6 FESTIVALS
1 Festival Hongerige Wolf NATURAL GAS-FREE IN 2050 YOUNG CITY NUMBER OF STUDENTS Art and theatre festival UP TO 2030, THE GOVERNMENT STILL HAS OBLIGATIONS TO Tomasz Blom, Anouk Brinkman, Hongerige Wolf 1/3 SUPPLY DUTCH GAS TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES AGE DISTRIBUTION IN THE IN GRONINGEN BY LEVEL OF 2 Noorderzon Performing OF DUTCH ENERGY Groningen gas production since 1971 in billion Nm3 watt CITY OF GRONINGEN EDUCATION Arts Festival IS SUPPLIED BY
40.288 Performance art festival GRONINGEN 2 Business ideas from the city Groningen 12,7% 15,9% 24% VISITORS 39% fl ocked to Euro- 3 Op Roakeldais 75 sonic Noorderslag Dance and music festival in 2018. Since Warff um 1986, this is the 4 Eurosonic Noorderslag Ellis Emeis, Sterre ten Houte 202.810 80.591 European pop Pop music festival 50 festival, where Groningen INHABITANTS STUDENTS many talented 15,7% musicians have 5 Festival Art Carnivale made an Theatre and art festival and its surrounding area appearance Schildmeer SOURCES: SURFACE AREA, RESIDENTS: CBS. POWER PLANT 25 MICHELIN STAR: RTV NOORD, DAGBLAD VAN 24,7% 37% 6 ZomerJazzFietsTour HET NOORDEN. YOUNG CITY, NUMBER OF 16,7% Impro-jazz festival STUDENTS: GRONINGEN CITY MONITOR. LAUWERSMEER: DARK SKY PARK LAUWERS Various locations MEER. VISITORS EUROSONIC: ESNS. CHEMICAL 3 PRODUCTION: GRONINGEN SEAPORTS. de Lange, Loeka Oostra, ■ 0-18 ■ 19-34 ■ 35-49 ■ mbo ■ hbo ■ wo 1/3 ENERGY, GREEN SOCKET: PROVINCIE 0 GRONINGEN, GEMINI WINDPARK. WIND 50-64 65+ TURBINES: RTV NOORD. PLEDGE 2020: RIJKS ■ ■ OVERHEID, NATURAL GASFREE IN 2050: NAM 1971 ’75 ’80 ’85 ’90 ’95 2000 ’05 ’10 2017 INFOGRAPHIC: JANNIE VAN DE GOOR If you want to help build on the future, there’s no getting around the TopDutch region. Djaja Ottenhof, Naomi Querido GOES GREEN 20 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 21 We in the Northern Netherlands are bursting with energy. With new wind and solar Translation Chris Odijk Chemiepark Delfzijl 22 Final editing Robert van der Broek COOL CITY energy that we use to give the economy a sustainable boost. Hydrogen is another source Projectmanager Onno Dekker experiments with green Hip and trendy, of renewable energy. Thanks to natural gas, we already have the infrastructure in place. Sales Sylvia.Hoogendoorn-Paap@ technology. The government, minus hipster arrogance onebusiness.nl 23 And we aren’t planning to give away that lead. the educational sector, Destination Groningen is an indepen- investors and start-ups are 24 SOLAR ENERGY Energy is also released when entrepreneurs, students and administrators share knowledge, dent editorial special by ONE Business exchange ideas and join forces to bring plans to fruition. That’s how we accelerate the Media Lab, in association with the participating. Fossil fuels GRONINGEN CAMPUS Provincie Groningen, Akkoord van greening and digitization of the world. That’s how we keep the world spinning. Groningen, Economic Board Groningen are facing fierce competition; University and higher 26 WESTERKWARTIER and Marketing Groningen. the next challenge is professional education Farmers and environmentalists Cover image Jurjen Veerman We are green, digital and talented. to reduce costs institutions deliver top talents working together
DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 3 DESTINATION GRONINGEN Delfzijl looking for scale-ups with big plans News The country’s The Economic Board Groningen (EBG) first organizes a challenge for companies that smoke-free can contribute to sustainability of the chemical cluster in Delfzijl. There is a community sum of 100,000 euros to be won, explains NEW FORUM Programme Manager Bineke Posthumus (34). NEXT TO An increasing number of locations in Groningen will be What does the match involve? ‘D’OLLE GRIEZE’ smoke-free. The Groningen ‘The Delfzijl chemical cluster aims to achieve Wilco Stollenga and his agricultural drone Smoke-Free project, set up by CO2-neutral production by 2050. This ambition collecting crop data The Martinitoren dominates addiction doctor Robert van can only be realised through innovation. We the skyline of the city of de Graaf, is able to attract an therefore invite entrepreneurs inside and out- Groningen. But not far from increasing number of partici- side of the Netherlands that are active in the the 96-metre high church pants. For example, football energy sector or green energy chemistry and tower, nick-named “Old grey 5G: ON LAND, AT SEA club FC Groningen already Test hall, the plane tester in the plane have developed a new technology or innovative one”, a new image-defining introduced – at the request product. It concerns scale-ups that are ready for Interested parties bastion is being created. of some of its supporters − a next phase and search for a test site to carry AND IN THE SKY may visit the test hall out tests on an industrial scale.’ Although half its size, the a smoking ban on the of BuildinG on Groningen Forum will un- 5G is one hundred times faster than the current standard, 4G, Koeman Stand in the Hitachi working days What are the rules of the game? between 9.00 a.m. doubtedly become an eye- and can send much more data at the same time. At the Zernike Capital Mobility Stadium. ‘The challenge starts early 2019. Participants EARTHQUAKE-RESISTANT and 5.00 p.m. During catcher with its exhibition Campus, partners such as KPN, Vodafone, the Hanze University In addition, since the start of submit their ideas through a platform. The test days and special spaces, cinemas, public library, of Applied Sciences and TNO (the Netherlands Organization of the academic year, smoking FUTURE events, the hall won’t categories are green raw materials, electrifica- training rooms and skylounge Applied Scientific Research) explore the practical applications has been prohibited at the be open to visitors. tion and energy innovation. We’re not looking with a rooftop terrace. In 2019 of this new mobile network. In one pilot, ambulance employees entrances of the University of In mid-September of 2018, the doors of BuildinG, for the best idea in the Netherlands, but for a the Forum will be open to were given augmented reality glasses with a camera. With this Groningen. On January 1st the Groningen-based knowledge and innovation scale-up that wishes to settle in the northern the public, estimated at 1.6 instrument, medical specialists in the Martini Hospital were able of 2019, the University centre for the construction and infrastructure sector, part of Groningen and create at least 75 jobs in million visitors per year. All to watch the events live and assess the medical condition of the Medical Center Groningen have opened. In the centre, located at the EnTranCe three to five years. If you would like to partici- pate, please contact us at [email protected].’ the same, the city will, after − in this case − fake patient, even before he reached the hospital. announced that it will impose site − the energy pilot ground of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences of completion, no longer be what Other applications include self-driving public transport vans and a total ban on smoking on the What prize does EBG award? it used to be. [WG] drones that inspect fields (see photo). Also, a potato with sensors hospital premises. The city Groningen and Energy ‘A sum of 100,000 euros will be made available was developed. This technological crop provides farmers with of Groningen has already Academy Europe at the for the winner. The entrepreneur can also turn to data on soil conditions. amended the general muni- Zernike Campus Groningen knowledge institutions for expertise and benefit cipal bye-law so that even in − entrepreneurs, researchers from the experience of chemical professionals. SATELLITE IMAGES the space around the entrance and governments can test and The entrepreneur may also use a pilot site at the Chemport Industry Campus and count on the
‘5G brings the Internet of Things closer’, says programme of buildings a smoking ban BORGIJINK MARLOES THUMUS: develop products. BuildinG manager Peter Rake, 58. ‘Sensors connect the most diverse can enter into force. [TB] has, among other things, a expertise of Delfzijl-based companies.’ [EE] objects with the Internet. The possibilities are therefore endless.’ vibratory plate on which According to Rake, the collaboration with Space Agency ESA An overview of all participants techniques in the field of and non-smoking public is special. ‘We can send satellite images via 5G. This results, for places can be found at earthquake and future-proof example, in better navigation for the shipping industry and more bit.ly/Groningenrookvrij construction can be tested. accurate information for the agricultural sector.’ Over 20 pilots This is certainly no mean have now been initiated in Groningen. The ideas originate from achievement for a province SMEs and start-ups, which intend to test regularly plagued by earth- The Ecolution was the dream of the Groningen 5G solutions for both social and com- quakes, as a result of gas astronaut and sustainability pioneer Wubbo mercial challenges. ‘Entrepreneurs are drilling. Although BuildinG Ockels, who past away in 2014. The energy- THE 5G ROLLOUT neutral sailing ship, owned by the foundation very welcome here, on the condition that stands for Build in Groningen, STARTS IN GRONINGEN. THE FIRST WadDuurzaam, is the flagship of TopDutch. their business benefits North Groningen’, it is the intention that the That is the brand name of the three northern says Rake. The “Digital Testing Ground TECHNIQUES OF THIS MOBILE NETWORK innovations of the centre can provinces. The Ecolution generates energy from 5Groningen” will be open until the end HAVE ALREADY BEEN TESTED FOR SPEED, be applied outside Groningen sunlight and sea currents. At this juncture, work of 2020. Subsequently, 5G will be rolled APPLICATION AND SAFETY as well. [TB] is in progress on an installation that will convert out in the rest of the Netherlands. [EE] energy into hydrogen. PHOTO: 5G: EWOUD ROOKS. THE ECOLUTION: GERARD DE BOER. BINEKE POS BINEKE BOER. DE GERARD ECOLUTION: THE ROOKS. EWOUD 5G: PHOTO:
4 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 5 DESTINATION GRONINGEN
‘Good infrastructure, Interview fibreglass and sustainable energy are essential for the technology industry’ Pim van der Feltz ‘Google and Groningen are a good match’ In 2014, tech giant Google decided to invest in a huge data centre in the Eemshaven. This year, the multinational allocated another half billion euros to expand the complex. Google Netherlands’ CEO Pim van der Feltz is proud of the cooperation in the region.
In the far north-east corner of the given the increase in the demand for How does a large American IT country, just north of the hamlet of Google services, the company regularly multinational fit into Groningen’s Nooitgedacht, on the N33 road, lies an opens new branches. Google gets the culture? enormous complex, dozens of football energy it needs from sustainable sources. ‘I am somewhat familiar with fields in size. From afar, the Google e Eemshaven was the first energy- Groningen’s culture. Not only did Datacenter, which opened its doors in neutral data centre in the world − all my mother come from here, I studied 2016, resembles a grey chequered wall, the energy for the Google servers in in Groningen myself. The people here which, with the right weather, merges Groningen is generated in a sustainable are open, discreet and clear. And these into the skies above the Eems. e site is way. For example, wind and solar energy are characteristics that perfectly match strictly guarded. e building has hardly is generated in Delfzijl. The investment our working culture at Google. A large any windows and the number of people in the construction of the data centre number of Dutch people and Groningers allowed in is limited. ‘Inside there cost the company 950 million euros, and have found a position here.’ are almost endless rows of servers, in March the company decided to invest connected by cables,’ says Pim van der another 500 million euros to expand In 2014 Google opted for an office in Feltz (54) CEO of Google Netherlands. the centre in the area. Soon, the site will the Eemshaven. What factors played a Google’s software services run on these become a large building site again. role in this? servers. It could very well be that your ‘Our data centres serve two purposes: e-mail messages from Gmail, Android Van der Feltz wants the company to have our users must be able to make safe use applications, YouTube uploads or the sustainable roots in the local community of our services and these services must applications in Google Docs are stored also. That is why Google supports video always be available for use. That’s on a server right there, in the seaport of blog courses for the elderly in the region something we just have to manage, the Eemshaven. and, together with the Hanze University worldwide. The choice of a specific of Applied Sciences, puts effort into location is based on our own fact- ONE AND A HALF BILLION EUROS coding lessons at primary schools. finding. For example, we look at how e data centres Google has spread Furthermore, Google supports a bee much territory is available, at local across the globe form the infrastructure and butterfly sanctuary in Uithuizen. weather conditions, at the possibilities of the Internet giant. Not only is the Van der Feltz: ‘We just want to be a good to operate in an energy-neutral fashion,
PHOTOS: GOOGLE PHOTOS: capacity of the servers increasing, but, neighbour.’ at the physical and digital infrastructure, >
6 | BESTEMMING GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 7 DESTINATION DESTINATION GRONINGEN GRONINGEN
Interview Hub have to be there three hours in advance. In turn, you can reach Eelde within the hour and you only need to be there an hour in advance.’ In the at the security situation and at the we have decided to expand our location, next years, 46 million euros culture of the country. All these issues ‘Groningen is the contractors are back to resume build- will be invested. Th e airport are taken into account. Naturally, we hospitable to us. ing activities.’ will gain in economic impor- compare each location with other loca- tance, thinks Kremer. ‘From tions from all over the world. At the Conversely, we are According to a study commissioned by Eelde you can travel all over time, we were asked how we viewed the Google into the economic impact of the world. Th at is why com- earthquakes that sometimes occur in a good neighbour the data centre in the Eemshaven, the panies like IBM and Google the area, due to intensive gas drillings. who wants to be presence of the data centre contributed are located here.’ We were aware of that, but our overall no less than 800 million euros to the assessment remained that this is a socially involved’ Dutch economy and created 2,200 jobs suitable location for our data centre. in the period between 2014 and 2017. The Eemshaven Th e Eemshaven is attractive to us for its ‘Th e impact will be even greater thanks DATA HUB spaciousness, climate and the possibility to the expansion. But we not only wish of expansion, among other things.’ to make an economic impact on the environment, we also hope to become THE EEMSHAVEN A factor that also played a part was the part of the local community. Our neigh- possibility of using the energy supply bours have also been very good to us. Another reason why Internet of the data centre in a sustainable From the beginning, there has been great GLOBAL CENTRE giants have settled in manner. How does that work? collaboration, both with the province of Groningen is the fast fi bre- ‘From the fi rst day our data centre Groningen and with the municipality of Groningen may seem far away from the Randstad, but for those optic connections with the opened, it has run entirely on renewable Eemsmond and the city of Groningen.’ who zoom out further, the province is a logistical hotspot. United Kingdom and energy. Th at energy is generated in the Here, worldwide fl ows of sea freight, raw materials, electricity, Denmark. Th e cables land nearby wind farm of Delfzijl, a solar Have you succeeded in being a good in the Eemshaven and con- farm, also in Delfzijl, and two wind neighbour? passengers and masses of digital data come together. nect the region at lightning farms in the province of Zeeland. To ‘Yes. I am proud of the cooperation we speed with the Internet make the use of our services reliable, a have built with the Groningen commu- nodes of Amsterdam and combination of energy sources is needed. nity. Our fi rst encounter was with a local Hamburg. Th e local Internet At the Eemshaven, the generation of all job market. We announced our arrival SUSTAINABLE HYDROGEN PLANT 400.000 PASSENGERS industry also benefi ts. the diff erent forms of energy is 100% and asked if people would want to come ENERGY CENTRE ‘Speed is everything. Ask sustainable and energy-neutral.’ and work for us. Now, four years later, our webshops. Together they we can conclude that things have gone THE EEMSHAVEN THE EEMSHAVEN EELDE form a very good ecosystem Two hundred people are expected well on all fronts. Th e people here have with a total turnover of to work in the data centre. Are these been very hospitable to us. In turn, we With the construction of large For the periods when there is Groningen can be reached by about 1 billion euros’, says employees easy to fi nd? have been socially concerned with local power plants, the Eemshaven a power surplus, there should airplane, from Copenhagen Kremer. A new fi bre- ‘We have appointed 250 employees. initiatives, such as coding projects for developed into the energy be storage capacity available. and Munich, for example. In optic connection with Th e proximity of a top-quality university primary schools, and contributing to centre of the Netherlands, Th is is a well-known problem. 2017 Eelde airport was the Norway is under construc- makes the circumstances favourable for the conservation of bees and birds.’ supplying almost 6.5 million Using surplus power, a fastest growing airport in the tion. Gerard Kremer expects us as an employer. Th e IT specialists, people with electricity. Th e hydrogen plant could make Netherlands, with 26 percent that the sector will receive an engineers, catering staff and security What opportunities do you see for current energy transition hydrogen out of water. Hydro- passenger growth. In 2026, additional impetus through guards were easy to recruit. But when the future of Groningen? off ers an extra incentive to the gen can be stored. When the number of passengers will the introduction of 5G, making our choice, we also looked at the ‘Groningen has a well-developed digital port, says Gerard Kremer (60) the power is needed again, have doubled from almost the network for the new local possibilities for the construction infrastructure and a top-quality Chairman of MKB Noord, hydrogen is converted into 228,000 to 400,000 per year. mobile Internet generation. industry. In 2015 this area was one large university. Th is may also attract other the regional Chamber of electricity again. ‘At the time Kremer understands the Groningen will become the construction village where contractors companies to settle in this region. -SCHIPHOL Commerce. ‘Th e electricity people almost laughed at us’, appeal of Eelde: ‘From North testing ground. ‘Young and construction companies with their Th e cultural off erings of the city of generated in the wind farm Kremer says, ‘but we keep on Netherlands it takes you two entrepreneurs are grasping manpower settled. It took two thousand Groningen and the welcoming climate Gemini comes ashore in the pursuing our goals. We even hours to get to Schiphol opportunities with 5G. As people to do the job. Partly from abroad, of the Netherlands in general make Eemshaven. Th at’s a headstart plan to build a huge hydrogen Airport, let alone searching a result, a whole new indus-
but especially from the region. Now that this an attractive location.’ [WG] AEROPHOTO PHOTO: for ambitious entrepreneurs.’ plant in the Eemshaven.’ for parking space. Also, you try is developing.’
8 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 9 what the animal’s foot func- smith near Zuidhorn and branches in Europe, America tion is like. In this way he then changed over to milk and Canada and, thanks can measure the hoof fittings transport. His son Klaas to its partners, supplies its even better. According to bought two Fiat car transpor- ‘A DEVELOPER products in another 40 coun- Werkman, this does not ters in 1964, which grew with OR A DRIVER tries. This success is attribu- mean that horses have been the increase in the number of ISN’T HARD TO FIND’ table to the timely response wrongly shod for centuries. cars. Nowadays, Leek-based to market developments, Compare it to sports shoes, Koopman Logistics is the such as demand for sustain- which are now also better largest haulier of new cars Maurice de Wilde able packaging. For example, developed than 20 years ago. in the Netherlands − about the company sells cardboard With the right horseshoe you 1 million annually. that contains roadside and DESTINATION Werkman Horseshoes Koopman can prevent injuries.’ In the Amsterdam port the elephant grass. The company GRONINGEN Sharing knowledge with imported cars are driven from is also investigating the customers is an important the ships, parked at a termi- between parties is encrypted properties of fruit peelings. nal for a few days and then and reliable. ‘It is therefore The pores allow oxygen to Labor transported to the dealer or not possible to tamper with pass through and thus pro- lease company. Koopman odometer readings.’ tect the fruit from drying also has terminals in Born, out’, says Boot. That’s why ‘GOVERNMENTS Nijkerk and Neuenburg, GRONINGEN-BASED there are holes in potato bags AND INSTITUTIONS ARE Germany, where 20,000 MULTINATIONAL nowadays. A clever discovery EASILY vehicles can be parked. Other Innovation is also at the heart is oregano oil. By adding this ACCESSIBLE’ automotive activities include of the packaging company to plastic film, potatoes can remarketing of leased cars. NNZ. In 1922, the Noord- be kept for at least two weeks Christel Werkman Vehicles that leave the fleet Nederlandse Zakkenhandel longer. NNZ is also strong in are sold on behalf of the started business from the product innovations. Meal NNZ Werkman Horseshoes company. In addition, with Libau warehouse in packages were devised for the Koopman Cargo division, Groningen as a distributor of supermarket chain Jumbo. the company distributes jute sacks to potato farmers. The family business will soon aim of Werkman Horseshoes. pallets and larger parcels. Today, the family business is be launching a new concept: The manufacturer gives a renowned player with a cardboard cases with recipes demonstrations throughout BLOCKCHAIN broad portfolio of packaging and ingredients for Indian the country. Once every two This year Koopman Logistics solutions: from big bags for dishes from various regions. years it organises the Spring adds a new milestone to the building materials to paper Incidentally, the roots of Games. In addition to a company’s history: together bags for animal feed and from NNZ are in Gouda. Founder THE STRENGTH OF THE NORTH conference on the trade, there with IBM, the family busi- orange nets to plastic films for Marinus Boot initially sold is a skill competition for ness developed a digital car vegetables and cardboard the jute sacks in Gouda, but farriers. Doing business in transaction system based boxes for vulnerable fruit. But moved to the potato-rich city Nothing beats doing business in Groningen. Three entrepreneurs with strong Groningen is pleasant, on blockchain technology. NNZ also designs custo- of Groningen, because there roots in the province know for sure. Short lines, a history of close cooperation according to Werkman. The A novelty in the European mer-oriented solutions: for and a strong drive for innovation make them leaders in their sector. network is clear, the lines are transport sector, according example, NNZ supplies short; governments and insti- to De Wilde. Importing cars cotton covers for test horse- tutions are easily accessible. is a complicated process. The shoes to the above mentioned The profession of farrier may Netherlands and, in more says Christel Werkman, (39) the Groningen company did chain of factory to customer manufacturer Werkman ‘AS A SMALL be centuries-old, but the way than 40 countries, to distri- who, together with brother research into the effects of WORK ETHIC sometimes has more than Horseshoes. The company, MULTINATIONAL, horses are shod has become butors. The family business Reian (37) forms the fourth different substrates on the The supply of good staff is seven links. That means a which has over 200 employ- WE SUPPLY THE WHOLE a true science. Werkman is still located where it once generation of the company. lower leg of the horse. With another asset of the region. lot of paperwork, which ees, still sells jute sacks; accor- WORLD’ Horseshoes plays a pioneering started, even though the Werkman Horseshoes provi- these insights, the Werkman ‘A developer or a driver is easy means that things sometimes ding to managing director role in this. In 1909, the workshop in the countryside des horseshoes for both sport- Orthokit was developed in to find’, says Maurice de go wrong. Even damage and owner Len Boot (59) Len Boot company started as a farrier has been ‘swallowed up’ horses and leisure horses. Not 2013. ‘This enables farriers to Wilde (47) managing director during transport is often NNZ is even the market business for pack and work by the residential area of in the least famous horses, make orthopaedic hoof fit- of logistics service provider undetectable. leader in this segment in horses, but that changed when Helpman. The horse sector from royal Prinsjesdag horses tings themselves’, explains Koopman Logistics. ‘There is With the system built in Europe. ‘The tightly woven trucks and tractors came into is particularly large in the to jumping and dancing horses Christel Werkman. The com- less competition here; in the Groningen, the dealer or material is perect for potatoes, the picture. Four generations Netherlands. Approximately for the Olympic Games. pany is also launching a digi- Randstad there are many importer follows the location but also for mussels. In addi- was greater demand for pack- later, Werkman Horseshoes is 12,000 people earn their tal tool that shows how the more transport and automo- of his ordered cars. Waybills, tion, Sinterklaas remains a aging there. Len Boot belie- a leading company in the living in this sector and there HORSESHOES horse walks. ‘A horse may tive companies. The work invoices and insurance loyal customer with 600,000 ves that there was another international horse business. are 650 farriers. ‘This country To prepare the company for have abnormalities that you ethic is also good; our staff documents can be stored and pieces a year.’ Boot likes to contributing factor: ‘Even The manufacturer makes 750 has about 450,000 horses, another hundred years, inno- cannot see with the naked are loyal and hard-working.’ signed digitally. The block- call his company a ‘small back then, the government different horseshoes and which need new footwear vation is important. Together eye. Through sensors on the In 1923 Siebe Koopman chain technique ensures that multinational from encouraged entrepreneurs to supplies them to farriers in the every six to eight weeks’, with the University of Leipzig, hoof, the farrier really knows started business as a black- this information exchanged Groningen’. NNZ has 24 settle in the north.’ [EE]
10 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 11 DESTINATION international artists are concerned! best of both worlds. ‘I am frequently in You can imagine that they’re sometimes the capital. But in Haren I find comfort. GRONINGEN surprised about that.’ Now that I no longer live there, I am far more aware of the constant noise in WORK-LIFE BALANCE Amsterdam.’ Another good thing about Living Eight years ago she met her future Haren: nature is just around the corner. husband. They decided to move to ‘I’ve taken up cycling again: I pedal in Loppersum. He comes from Ireland and no time across De Onlanden and along appreciates the Groningen landscape. the Zuidlaardermeer. We regularly take ‘For relatively little money we bought a the boat to the island of Schiermonnik- mansion with a garden and garage, oog. I also like to go to Groningen City. where we live with our 6-year-old son I play cards in my old student pub. The AWAY FROM Finn.’ The move led to a new work-life range of cultural events is surprising. balance: on Mondays, Tuesdays and Take the wonderful Noorderzon festival, Wednesdays she is in Amsterdam, where which I prefer to the Randstad-based De she has a rental apartment. Finn stays Parade.’ Arjen is charmed by the THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE with grandma in Loppersum. Groningers: they have a certain under- ‘Commuting is sometimes tiring. But I stated humour. ‘If you ask them what feel at home in Groningen. The vastness living in Groningen is like, they say, “It The population growth in the province of Groningen lags behind of the landscape scattered with the occa- could be worse.” I think that’s great.’ the Randstad. It is precisely this tranquility that attracts people from ARJEN BOEKHOLD Farm sional farm represents ultimate freedom outside the province. Four inhabitants tell why they moved to 200 m2 living area, to me. There is no province that feels so COOL CITY Groningen − or moved back. ‘The moment I drive north, I unwind.’ 800 m2 plot extensive.’ Groningen is popular as a student city. But once they have a diploma, three COMMUTING TO THE RANDSTAD quarters of its graduates leave for the Arjen Boekhold (39) grew up in Midwolde, west. Not so Benjamin Derksen, who In the world of dance there are no nine- ‘a village with no more than one street grew up in Huizen, Kapelle-Biezelinge JOSÉ WOLDRING to-five jobs. As PR manager of super stars and a church’. He studied International (Zeeland) and Almere. After graduating Mansion like Martin Garrix, David Guetta and Relations at the University of Groningen in International Relationships at the 580 m2 living area, 1.800 m2 plot Jonas Blue, José Woldring (31) knows and left for Tanzania to join a coffee University of Groningen, he remained in everything about it. For seven years now, cooperative. Seven years ago he started the ‘coolest city of the Netherlands’. > Woldring has lived in north-eastern working at Tony’s Chocolonely, the Groningen, in the village of Loppersum, chocolate brand that aims to make cocoa where she grew up. ‘The contrast is stri- production slave-free and sustainable. king, as there is not a great deal of activity With his wife Marieke, 37, also from BENJAMIN DERKSEN here. Randstad residents don’t always Groningen, Boekhold lived in the Mansion understand that, but it works for me. The Randstad for a long time. ‘We both 292 m2 living area, moment I am approaching Groningen, wanted to go back to the north one day. 175 m2 plot I unwind.’ Woldring had a pleasant But then, when? Much too soon we childhood in the village surrounded by saw our dream home on the propertry potato fields. Her father had a breeding website Funda; a farm on the edge of a farm, so she drove horses from an early residential area in Haren.’ The couple age. ‘Of mere curiosity, just to find out seized the opportunity and moved with what the world had in store for me, their three young children last year. I moved to Amsterdam at the age of 19.’ ‘My wife found a nice job here, however After an internship at a booking office I don’t wish to leave Tony’s Chocolonely. for DJs, she started her own PR agency: Luckily, I was able to make an arrange- The Media Nanny. Success followed ment with my employer. On Mondays quickly − and yet, Groningen kept and Tuesdays I work in Amsterdam, beckoning. During the week she ar- where I stay overnight. The trip takes ranged publicity for famous DJs and over two hours by train; I use that time every weekend, she left for the north. to go through e-mails. On Wednesdays ‘To get charged up again’, she says. ‘In and Thursdays I work at home.’ Amsterdam it is important what you do and what you look like. Here, I am just ALWAYS NOISY José, the horse girl, and I walk around in One day a week he helps social entre- my ragged jeans.’ She never denies her preneurs in the region by sharing his roots. ‘Being from Groningen, I am quite knowledge of sustainable entrepreneur-
FOTOGRAFIE: MAARTEN NOORDIJK FOTOGRAFIE: level-headed. I tell it like it is, also where ship. Boekhold believes he now has the
12 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 13 Derksen feels so much at home there DESTINATION INCUBATOR FOR that he calls himself a stadjer (an infor- SPACIOUS LIVING BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATIONS mal name for a Groningen resident). A SELECTION OF THE HOUSING GRONINGEN During his studies he became co-owner MARKET BLOCKCHAINGERS of the online company Frank. It started as a webshop for graduation gifts, with Innovation maps of student cities and globes. 250.000 EURO Over a period of two years, Other niche products followed, such as Groningen put itself on the microscope.nl, or vijverpomp-expert.nl. map with the largest Blockchain hackathon in INNOVATION ON THE AGENDA the world: Blockchaingers. According to Derksen, doing business in During the last edition, seven the northern province is pleasant. ‘That GRONINGEN NETHERLANDS AMSTERDAM PIONEERING IN hundred techies from 20 coun- Detached house Terraced house Flat fighting culture, as in the west, is absent. tries sank their teeth into SMART FARMERS And ostentation doesn’t play a part here 143 M² 115 M² 64 M² blockchain applications. The either.’ He notices that recent graduates Outdoor area Outdoor area Balcony THE PROVINCE creator of the event is 37-year- DACOM FARM INTELLIGENCE are following his example and are not 624 M² 132 M² 4 M² old entrepreneur Rutger van moving out of the province in such large With virtual reality glasses, blockchain Zuidam. His company numbers as before. For a long time a technology and drones, you really get a different DutchChain wants to lift The modern farmer monitors corporate job at the Amsterdam Zuidas 300.000 EURO blockchain technology to the his fields by using his smart- was the ultimate goal, but young people ROB & MARJOLIJN BERREVOETS perspective on innovation in Groningen. next level. That is why phone. Thanks to moisture Farmhouse are discovering that Groningen also 1.664 m2 living area, DutchChain organizes the sensors in the soil, data from offers excellent jobs.’ Rightly so, Derksen 3 ha plot Blockchaingers Innovation weather stations and drone states: ‘It is the second digital city in the Program, to be held prior to images, he knows the condi- Netherlands; innovation is high on the the hackathon. Professionals tion of his crops and when to entrepreneurs’ agenda here.’ Three years GRONINGEN NETHERLANDS AMSTERDAM from companies, start-ups, spray or fertilize them. Where ago, Derksen bought a house in the 1,500 new homes were going to be built Detached house Terraced house Flat governments and universities there is an increased risk of Schilderswijk, at crawling distance from in the new village of Blauwestad. 163 M² 125 M² 66 M² address social issues. The most insect infestation, the advice the city centre. He lives there with his Tourism would be given a boost. That Outdoor area Outdoor area Balcony valuable ideas are developed is given to spray pesticides. soon-to-be wife Antje and their two seemed a terrific spot for a bed & break- 760 M² 142 M² 4 M² during the hackathon. Thousands of farmers in the children, aged 7 and 1. ‘The great thing fast with group accommodation.’ Rob ‘Blockchain is a promising Netherlands, and also in about Groningen is that there is some- and Marjolijn bought a large farmhouse: way of organising society Poland, Saudi Arabia, China thing to do every day. The centre is the Blauwestadhoeve. They provided 500.000 EURO more efficiently’, says and Argentina, use the smart compact and everything is within wal- guest rooms, a campsite, a tennis court Van Zuidam. ‘With this technology of Dacom Farm king distance. In addition, Groningen and a beach hall to offer guests some technology we can exchange Intelligence. moves with the times. There are promi- extras in case the weather would be bad. information − which we are The company was founded in sing newly-build projects, such as the That was not easy: because of the crisis, sure is authentic − via the 1987 by Jan Hadders, who, Groninger Forum, a new cultural com- many homes did not get sold. The water Internet. It makes controlling apart from being a potato plex.’ Derksen has good memories of sports facilities were removed and so the parties superfluous.’ farmer, was mainly an his student days. I played in a band, number of visitors was disappointing. GRONINGEN NETHERLANDS AMSTERDAM VIEMR made an app for the According to Van Zuidam, inventor. ‘At the time, he was Detached house Detached house Flat of which Ralf Poelman was a member. ‘We had some very difficult years’, says VIRTUAL VISUAL LANGUAGE UMC Groningen, which gives blockchain may, for example, already developing software He wrote the song Het gras van het Berrevoets, ‘but now the accommoda- 182 M² 181 M² 94 M² patients in need of radiation form a new system for the that enabled farmers to
Noorderplantsoen (The green grass of tion is running well. Guests can cycle to Outdoor area Outdoor area Balcony VIEMR treatment a virtual tour of future sustainable energy improve their yields’, says the Noorderplantsoen), which became the fishing village of Termunterzijl or to 1.300 M² 900 M² 5 M² the radiotherapy department. supply and for the pension daughter Janneke Hadders, the anthem of Groningen. As a student, the fortified town of Bourtange. The Lauwers- Patients are given special and benefits system. 41, who has been managing you have become fully integrated once meer is also nearby.’ The owners like to Eight years ago, the Groningen- glasses at home. They activate director since 2013. ‘Our you know the lyrics by heart.’ tell their guests more about the history 1.000.000 EURO based company VIEMR the app via a code. strength is that we can con-
of their farm and the Oldambt land- 2018 NVM BUILD), (EXISTING started producing 360-degree Subsequently, the glasses give vert data into specific advice. HOLIDAY IN BLAUWESTAD scape. ‘This was the granary of the videos. A fine piece of work them an experience that is This information saves the After years of hard work and traffic Netherlands. Cereal farming is still an that no other company tailored to their specific treat- farmer headaches and reduces jams, Rob and Marjolijn Berrevoets important source of income.’ As host equalled, and so large adver- ment. In this way, they will the waste of water and chemi- (aged 61 and 59) from Waddinxveen and hostess they almost never have a day tising agencies queued up. know what to expect. The cals.’ Recently, Dacom has changed course. The couple initially off. ‘But it feels different. In the country- ‘We filmed all over the world’, reactions are positive, empha- also started analysing data wanted to start a B&B in Greece or side we experience nature very intensely. says founder Stefan Vogelzang sizes Mr Vogelzang. For a measured by agricultural GRONINGEN NETHERLANDS AMSTERDAM France, only to settle in Groningen. We regularly spot a roa deer or a fox. The Detached house Detached house Flat (35). ‘By now, we’ve moved few, the tour was so truthful vehicles. All activities such as Rob Berrevoets: ‘It was the year 2005. On diversity of birds here is great. My wife 246 M² 222 M² 149 M² past the gimmick stage. With that they did not show up for sowing, irrigation or fertilis- TV we saw how Queen Beatrix turned says that every day she experiences a virtual and augmented reality, the intake interview: they were ing are entered in the records. on the tap to fill up Oldambtermeer, an holiday moment when she walks through Outdoor area Outdoor area Roof terrace we focus on the care and convinced they had already This leaves the farmer time for 3.000 M² 1.500 M² 15 M² artificial lake of 800 hectares. Some the Midwolderbos with our dog.’ [EE] AGENTS ESTATE BY PROPERTIES SOLD SOURCE: security sectors.’ For example, seen the doctor at home. other business activities. [EE]
14 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 15 Clockwise: Pilot Photanol, EAZ Wind, Teijin Aramid (Twaron yarn), ChemCom
OPPORTUNITIES IN ENERGY, CHEMISTRY AND DIGITAL Groningen is steadily turning green. Ever since the province distinguished itself as a frontrunner in the energy transition, chemical companies find their way up north. The industry is given plenty of room to experiment with promising technologies. The first plants are already blossoming.
At the very tip of the northern Nether- sustainable technology.’ According to made from oil can also be made from lands, along the river Eems, lies the Ms. Posthumus, the strength of sugars. With this technique, the chemical Delfzijl chemical cluster. On this indus- Chemport Europe lies in the triple helix industry gets another important biomass trial estate, storage tanks and a complex − local governments, the business com- flow. Avantium proved earlier that plastic web of pipelines have arisen. The basic munity and knowledge institutions join bottles based on raw materials could be chemical sector is the largest, with pro- their efforts to increase knowledge and created from sugar plants. The future ducts such as industrial gases, fertilisers innovation. ‘There is an enormous drive plant for large-scale production of this DESTINATION and plastics. In addition, agricultural to make the sector greener.’ “sugar bottle” is located in Antwerp, chemicals, paints, adhesives, detergents Belgium. For the pilot plant in Delfzijl, GRONINGEN and cosmetics are produced. Most of the PILOT PLANTS Avantium engaged 20 highly educated installations still run on fossil raw mate- Chemport Industry Campus, a test area people from the region. The company rials − with large amounts of CO2 where Groningen’s new future is given a based in Amsterdam chose Delfzijl be- Power plant emissions as an undesirable consequence. chance, has existed since this year. cause of the business partners present But there is a change going on. For a ‘Technologies that have proved them- there. For example, Staatsbosbeheer (the couple of years, the chemical clusters in selves on a small scale can be tested here National Forest Service of the Nether- Delfzijl and Emmen have projected in pilot plants’, says EBG manager lands) supplies wood residues from the themselves as Chemport Europe. By Posthumus, who is the quartermaster of forests of Groningen and Drenthe. switching to biomass, the alliance wants the Campus. ‘In a next phase the process Neighbour AkzoNobel supplies hydro- to turn green the northern chemistry can be scaled up to a commercial factory.’ chloric acid and is at the same time a sector. Natural residual could be the Together with the province, EBG sup- potential buyer of sugars extracted from future raw material for chemistry. ports companies with grants and venture wood chips. Energy company RWE capital, such as the Regional Investment purchases lignin as fuel. Moreover, there ENORMOUS AMBITION Support Groningen (RIG) and the is enough space for expansion in Delfzijl, Groningen is the ideal place for a thri- GROEIfonds. ‘The Campus is unique’, underlines De Jong. ‘After the demon- ving bio-economy. ‘The industry has a says Ms Posthumus. ‘Innovation does not stration plant, a commercial plant will be large hinterland where potatoes, grain take place in isolation at the Research & built for large-scale production of indus- and sugar beet are grown. This means Development department of a large trial sugars from wood residues. The that the supply of agricultural waste as company. Entrepreneurs work together expected production capacity is 135,000 biomass is easy’, says Bineke Posthumus and set aside their individual interests.’ tonnes of biomass per year. About one (34). She is the manager of the Green The first company to land on the site was hundred employees will be needed for Chemistry and Energy programme of chemical technology company Avantium. this.’ De Jong expects construction work the Economic Board Groningen (EBG), In an old fire station they built impressive to start in 2023. which is responsible for creating jobs. ‘In installations, in which wood chips are addition, there is a strong energy sector converted into sugars and lignin, or wood WONDER FIBRES and with the University of Groningen dust. ‘Sugars are an important raw mate- The greening of the environment is and the Hanze University of Applied rial for the chemical industry’, explains also an important issue for the well- Sciences, we have renowned knowledge Ed de Jong, 56, Vice President for established chemical companies. Teijin institutions conducting research into Development at Avantium. All materials Aramid, managed by a Japanese con- >
16 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN BESTEMMING LIMBURG | 17 DESTINATION glomerate, makes semi-finished products from this solvent. Kiewiet: ‘The business energy company Eneco, runs on biomass tap is permanently closed, it can be used in Delfzijl that are processed in Emmen GRONINGEN climate in Groningen is often the and thus supplies AkzoNobel, among for transporting hydrogen. The oil and into Twaron, a synthetic fibre. This fibre decisive factor for investment partners. other companies, with green power. gas platforms that have become obsolete is five times as strong as steel, but many The RIG is an attractive incentive; we Since last year, the chemical company will also have a new function: they can times lighter. This “super yarn” can be Power plant have an excellent infrastructure and the has also been using biosteam, or heat, be used for hydrogen plants. Mr Faaij found in car tyres, bulletproof vests, government is cooperative.’ which is released during the firing of the considers it a beautiful vision of the ropes and high-voltage cables, but also Eneco power plant. By installing a steam future, although the route towards that in the famous bathtub construction that BACTERIA AS FUEL pipe, AkzoNobel uses less gas. goal is complicated. The industry must has graced the Amsterdam Stedelijk Worldwide, there is a growing awareness Groningen will play a leading role in the rebuild factories, which requires huge Museum since 2012. ‘Twaron is sustain- that we must move away from fossil energy transition, predicts André Faaij, investments and strategic thinking. able because of its durability. In addition, energy, obtained from petroleum, natu- 48, Professor of Energy Systems Analysis According to Faaij, it is recommendable products containing Twaron are lighter ral gas and coal. These raw materials at the University of Groningen. The to opt for various forms of renewable and therefore more energy-efficient’, says ‘Circular are close to exhaustion. Moreover, they province has great renewable energy energy. That means both biomass, solar Edward Green (46) branch director in are responsible for CO2 emissions and potential on land, ánd on the North Sea. and wind energy, as well as CO2 storage Delfzijl. ‘In the case of long conveyors, raw materials thus to pollution and climate change. The latter will develop, according to and the use of a hydrogen infrastructure. weight is 40 percent lower and energy Companies are looking for renewable Faaij, into a powerhouse in the years to consumption 15 percent lower thanks to such as biomass raw materials such as biomass. Critics come. ‘Large wind farms are emerging, COMMUNITY BATTERY ‘The green Twaron.’ Teijin Aramid is investigating wonder if there is enough green waste which yield significantly more wind According to the professor, Groningen the possibility of producing Twaron with will become available. The Amsterdam-based scale-up energy. Also, the North Sea will play a can also play a pioneering role in making revolution natural raw materials. From 2019 on, Photanol proves that it can make an role in CO storage. The government has housing construction more sustainable. cheaper than 2 the group will cooperate to this end with alternative to fossil raw materials with announced that the Netherlands should ‘Because of the frequent earthquakes, begins here’ the Groningen-based start-up BioBTX, coal, oil and gas’ pure bacteria, solar energy and CO . go ahead with that. Putting greenhouse provoked by gas drillings, the province is 2 Changing the nature of chemistry. That a chemical technology company. ‘It’s about the cyano-bacteria’, says gases from the polluting industry into facing a major recovery operation. Tens is the objective of the province of Gro- director Véronique de Bruijn (49). ‘Like the ground is necessary to achieve the of thousands of houses are in need of ningen: by 2030, the manufacturing GOOD EARNINGS MODEL industry must have made a substantial plants, these blue algae practise photo- objectives of Paris − 49 percent less CO2 renovation. It is wise to make whole switch to raw materials. In that year, the The mission to green chemistry still has synthesis: they convert CO2 into sugars emissions than in 1990.’ districts sustainable and to experiment emissions of carbon dioxide (CO ) many challenges. Frequently, natural raw using sunlight. The trick is that we with innovation.’ 2 materials are more expensive than fossil modify the bacteria, so that they make WHAT HYDROGEN CAN DO For example, an energy pilot with 5G should have been reduced by 56 percent raw materials; this leads to an unequal other chemically useful products, such And then there is the promise of hydro- Internet could get a follow-up. In North compared to 1990. This is significantly more than the 49 percent reduction that playing field. For example, ChemCom as organic acids, which form a raw gen. This gas could also be a solution for Groningen there is plenty of testing the Climate Agreement requires. ‘It is Industries has been making high-quality material for bio-plastics and shampoos. the storage problem, if we were to have with fifth generation mobile internet. a firm ambition’, agrees Patrick Brouns glue for the sustainable wood processing The bacteria can also be used to produce large surpluses of wind and solar energy Households that generate their own (46) Groningen’s political CDA delegate industry for years − customers make ethanol, an alternative to petrol’, states in the future. Sustainably generated energy mostly do not consume all of it. for Economic Affairs and Innovation. ‘But kitchen cabinets, for example, from parts Ms de Bruijn. ‘Cars can drive on it, but electricity can easily be converted into The surplus goes to a community bat- Groningen has all the right cards to take of waste wood. For the production of that is far from being profitable.’ hydrogen, and can just as easily be tery. By fitting sensors to the pipes, the the lead. The province has huge quanti- ChemCom adhesive based on methanol, Artificial photosynthesis was conceived converted into green electricity. Plans net use of the each house is monitored. ties of agricultural residual waste that is Managing Director Roeland Kiewiet in 2008 by microbiologists from the have been made to transform wind There is no lack of green innovators in available as biomass. In addition, we are (55) would love to switch to bio-metha- University of Amsterdam. Ten years later energy obtained from the North Sea Groningen. Take the start-up EAZ busy promoting the construction of new nol. But that is one and a half times as Photanol is ready to test the process on into hydrogen and transport it to land Wind. In 2015 four mechanical engi- offshore wind farms.’ According to expensive and therefore ‘not interesting a large scale in a pilot plant at Chemport through existing lines. Hydrogen is not neering graduates thought up a wind Brouns, the energy transition in Gronin- gen will mainly be a manufacturing enough for customers’. Even so, Kiewiet Industry Campus. The company will only suitable for storage, it is also a fuel turbine that would generate less resist- transition. The manufacturing industry is optimistic: ‘In the future, the produc- cooperate with chemical group AkzoNobel for transportation; besides, it can heat ance and that would fit better in the Test factory of Avantium will produce CO2 neutrally by 2050. tion of bio-methanol will increase and, and so Photanol moved with an army houses and is a raw material. The north landscape. Apparently, they have suc- In the subsequent phase, the unique as a result, become cheaper.’ Since 2012, of cyanobacteria to Delfzijl. After the has taken the first steps towards a ‘hy- ceeded: the smaller mills with a green situation arises that the chemical park ChemCom has opted for green products. demo plant, a commercial factory will drogen economy’. For example, energy mast and larch wood wings are quite will even absorb CO2. ‘This is possible
In 2015, together with a Swiss partner, follow in 2022, good for 100 employees. company Nuon/Vattenfall is researching popular. Over a three-year period, EAZ because green CO2 − carbon released it made investments in a plant for a In the upcoming years, Ms de Bruijn how it can run one of its units of the Wind has installed almost two hundred by burning biomass − is reused for sustainable fertilizer. The company will put her focus on the marketing of Magnum power plant on hydrogen and windmills. Especially farmers embrace the production of new raw materials. applies two criteria: there should be a circular raw material, which ‘becomes thus develop it into a superbattery of the friendly-looking wind turbine. Every The company BioMCN can, for example, good earnings model and the raw mate- cheaper than the fossil variant’. renewable energy. At the chemical park year the mill produces enough to provide use this method for the production of rials must be available in Delfzijl. Like in Delfzijl, AkzoNobel and the Gasunie an average farm with much-needed biofuel. More beautiful companies will follow. As a result, employment will glycerine. ‘We used that, together with NORTH SEA AS POWERHOUSE have started the construction of an power, or, when risen up in the vicinity increase substantially.’ And that is badly an Austrian partner, to develop a tech- Not only the greening of the chemical Electrolyser. This also allows clean ener- of a village, ten households. The Twente needed, he thinks. ‘Turning off the gas nology for a bio-based solvent.’ industry is getting under way. In the gy to be converted into hydrogen. The and Groningen-based start-up is now tap means that 12,500 people will lose The construction of the plant will start province the sustainability of the energy construction of a pipeline network has doing business in Zeeland, South their job. It has been calculated that by this year. Meanwhile, ChemCom is supply is gradually taking shape as well. started for the surrounding companies. Holland and Limburg. In this way greening the chemical sector, we will looking for Italian partners to invest in a Both developments often even go hand Groningen is benefiting from its gas Groningen is also gradually greening create 15,000 jobs. That means, on Chemport, Delfzijl factory for yet other bio-based products in hand. In Delfzijl, the power station of ZIJLSTRA RONALD BROUNS: PATRICK PHOTO infrastructure. After 2030, when the gas the rest of the country. [EE] balance, 2,500 additional jobs.’
18 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 19 35 KM COASTLINE DESTINATION
Of the 400 km German-Dutch Wadden Coast, GRONINGEN FACTS & FIGURES 8.5 percent borders on the province of Groningen. The Wadden are a UNESCO World Heritage Site GREEN SOCKET Houses are still rather cheap, there is more than enough employment and 4 Groningen is one of the youngest cities in Europe. Th e province is home to THE EEMSHAVEN IS THE Fact & Figures unspoilt nature reserves such as Lauwersmeer National Park. Th e pride of LANDING SITE OF ENERGY Groningen is the 34 km World Heritage coastline, which also serves as the CABLES Groningen supplies the [AB] Netherlands’ green socket. country with Norwegian hydro-electric power, wind 3 energy from the off shore EEMSHAVEN windfarm Gemini, and in the near future, Danish wind 15% energy LAUWERSMEER OF DUTCH CHEMISTRY SURFACE AREA 3 IS SUPPLIED BY NATIONAL PARK DELFZIJL 2.960 KM² The perfect spot for unobstructed stargazing. The International 7,13% OF THE NETHERLANDS Dark Sky Association offi cially PLEDGE FOR 2020 designated the park as a Dark Sky 4 Park in 2016. On some days you WIND ENERGY IS A WIND TURBINES GOVERNMENT OBJECTIVE may even see the Northern Lights DELFZIJL wind energy in Megawatts 1 N33 2 35 Wind turbines planned, INHABITANTS 1 target capacity 120 MW 2 Delfzijl 582.944 5 Currently: 34 wind turbines Planned: 48 3,4% OF THE NETHERLANDS TOP-5 VILLAGES 6 3 Eemshaven The two tallest wind turbines 1 Niehove in the Netherlands The ‘most beautiful mound 4 each supply 4.5 MW of energy village in Grunnen’ 2 1 per year. 4.450 855,5 2 Bourtange GRONINGEN Currently 88 smaller wind Historic fortifi ed town turbines, 64 planned. 3 A.G.O. dorp 4 Gemini 1 MICHELIN STAR Factory village of 1915 Off shore wind farm, 5 85 kilometres off the coast Herberg Onder de Linden 4 Zoutkamp Picturesque fi shing village 1 of Groningen in the North Aduard Sea, 150 wind turbines, The Netherlands Groningen Since 1992 the only Michelin 5 Bad Nieuweschans total capacity 600 MW star awarded restaurant in Protected fortifi ed town Groningen on the German border TOP-6 FESTIVALS
1 Festival Hongerige Wolf NATURAL GAS-FREE IN 2050 YOUNG CITY NUMBER OF STUDENTS Art and theatre festival UP TO 2030, THE GOVERNMENT STILL HAS OBLIGATIONS TO Hongerige Wolf 1/3 SUPPLY DUTCH GAS TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES AGE DISTRIBUTION IN THE IN GRONINGEN BY LEVEL OF 2 Noorderzon Performing OF DUTCH ENERGY Groningen gas production since 1971 in billion Nm3 watt CITY OF GRONINGEN EDUCATION Arts Festival IS SUPPLIED BY
40.288 Performance art festival GRONINGEN 2 Groningen 12,7% 15,9% 24% VISITORS 39% fl ocked to Euro- 3 Op Roakeldais 75 sonic Noorderslag Dance and music festival in 2018. Since Warff um 1986, this is the 4 Eurosonic Noorderslag 202.810 80.591 European pop Pop music festival 50 festival, where Groningen INHABITANTS STUDENTS many talented 15,7% musicians have 5 Festival Art Carnivale made an Theatre and art festival Schildmeer appearance SOURCES: SURFACE AREA, RESIDENTS: CBS. 25 MICHELIN STAR: RTV NOORD, DAGBLAD VAN 24,7% 37% 6 ZomerJazzFietsTour HET NOORDEN. YOUNG CITY, NUMBER OF 16,7% Impro-jazz festival STUDENTS: GRONINGEN CITY MONITOR. LAUWERSMEER: DARK SKY PARK LAUWERS Various locations MEER. VISITORS EUROSONIC: ESNS. CHEMICAL 3 PRODUCTION: GRONINGEN SEAPORTS. 0-18 19-34 35-49 1/3 ENERGY, GREEN SOCKET: PROVINCIE 0 ■ ■ ■ ■ mbo ■ hbo ■ wo GRONINGEN, GEMINI WINDPARK. WIND 50-64 65+ TURBINES: RTV NOORD. PLEDGE 2020: RIJKS ■ ■ OVERHEID, NATURAL GAS FREE IN 2050: NAM 1971 ’75 ’80 ’85 ’90 ’95 2000 ’05 ’10 2017 INFOGRAPHIC: JANNIE VAN DE GOOR DE VAN JANNIE INFOGRAPHIC:
20 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 21 If you get off at Groningen 2017 New Year’s Eve show. station, you will immediately DESTINATION And: ‘Groningen is not yet DESTINATION notice it: the many young rid of me.’ people in the streets. They are GRONINGEN GRONINGEN everywhere. On a rattling CREATIVE AND ENTREPRENEURAL bike on their way to college, And all those students, do behind a laptop in a hip City life they leave the city when they Learning coffee bar or browsing graduate? Certainly not. The around in one of the attrac- city has invested in program- tive shops. Figures support mes to tie the alumni with this dynamic image. In 2018, their degree certificates to the over a quarter of the more city, underlines alderman than 200,000 Groningers − Joost van Keulen (political or stadjers, as they say them- party VVD). This is how the selves − are between the ages DYNAMIC CITY Meet your Future programme of 20 and 29. According to was set up, which brings Statistics Netherlands, the student associations into average age of the population CHERISHES contact with the local business is 35.8. Groningen is one of community. The Hanze the youngest cities in Europe. University of Applied Scienes About 60 percent of the ITS PROGRESS also launched EnTranCe, an movements in Groningen energy pilot for university take place by bicycle, which The route to the heart of Groningen is graduates, students, entrepre- A BREEDING GROUND FOR A HEALTHY makes the city look very brimming with energy: along the striking neurs and policymakers. The energetic. The 2016 cycle Groninger Museum, through the eclectic programmes have contributed tour even showed that the to what Van Keulen calls a AND SUSTAINABLE WORLD Grote Markt and Ooster- Folkingestraat and leading to the lively ‘cultural paradigm shift’. By singel are in the top 10 of Vismarkt. The city proves that the metropolitan now, some 42 percent of Paint generating energy. Detecting Center Groningen). On the campus, pilot loca- the busiest cycle paths in the feeling can also be found in the far north. Groningen’s population diseases through DNA abnormalities. tions have been set up to test new sustainable country. between the ages of 15 and 75 products, medicine and treatments. ‘Sometimes is highly educated, compared At the rapidly growing hotspot professors and doctors ask for knowledge to be STUDYING AND GOING OUT to the national average of 30 per- Campus Groningen, many promising disseminated through start-ups,’ Brakenhoff The most important reason University of Groningen cent. ‘It is still easier for com- inventions are being worked on. explains. CC Diagnostics is a start-up of this for the presence of young panies to find talented staff in kind: this company, founded by a recently people is undoubtedly the Groningen than in the rest of Ambulance sirens regularly sound around the graduated physician, conducts research into University of Groningen, the Netherlands’ he says. university hospital (UMCG). They can be heard CAMPUS DNA abnormalities to diagnose cervical cancer at founded in 1614, and the clearly at the nearby Healthy Ageing Campus. GRONINGEN an early stage. With an investment in its pocket, Hanze University of Applied FAVOURABLE ECOSYSTEM ‘But one day, ambulances running back and forth this company can now bring this groundbreaking Sciences − now 220 years old. The city also attracts start-ups. will no longer be necessary,’ says Lisanne technology from the UMCG to the market. In total, they account for ‘We have an excellent eco- Brakenhoff, 30, communications & branding Joint efforts are supposed to make the northern 60,000 students, more than system for young businesses’, manager at Campus Groningen. Here, different 2012 Netherlands a blue zone: a region where people half of whom live in the city. Van Keulen proudly conti- ARCHITECTEN ARTNERS disciplines are working towards one goal: early START-UP PHASE, reach a healthy old age. The young population goes nues. ‘With the network diagnosis and, thus, prevention of health pro- CAMPUS IN hand in hand with a wide platform Founded in blems. ‘If the campus manages to live up to its THE MAKING NEW ENERGY range of cultural and enter- Groningen, the corporate promise, people will grow old in good health.’ The focus at the Zernike Campus is on new ener- tainment attractions, from sector supports the start-up 2018 gy and sustainability. An architectural landmark SHORT LINES renowned museums to the Noorderzon Festival community in the city. MATURITY, CAMPUS not to be missed is the Energy Academy Europe multi-day Noorderzon Although Groningen will be The Healthy Ageing Campus, together with the (EAE). It is the most sustainable educational Performing Arts Festival and the fifth city of the Nether- Zernike Campus, forms the Campus Groningen. OF NATIONAL building in the Netherlands. It generates more pubs without closing time. lands from January 2019, the It is the third most active campus in the country, IMPORTANCE energy than it consumes. The EAE is an initiative This is hardly surprising, city remains compact and after those of the technical knowledge centres in of the aforementioned universities, GasTerra, since Groningen lives, day easily accessible. People meet Enschede and Delft. However, Campus Groningen 198 (which focuses on green gas and hydrogen) and and night. Tellingly, the each other easily here and are is growing faster, according to research by Buck BUSINESSES Energy Valley (a coalition of the three northern well-known comedian Youp always inclined to help each Consultants, both in terms of business activity provinces). The initiative underlines Groningen’s van ’t Hek has recorded other.’ One glance at the street and employment. Over a period of three and a status as a pioneer in new energy, after peat and 45.692 nearly all of his shows in the confirms these words. In an half years, the number of companies that settled STUDENTS gas. For example, efforts are being made to deve- Groninger Stadsschouwburg almost brotherly fashion, there grew from 114 to 198. They can make use of lop a type of paint to generate electricity. This over the past 25 years. ‘A everyone rushes to a Friday the facilities and knowledge of the University of paint would be more widely applicable than solar lovely town’, he says in the afternoon social or some other Groningen, the Hanze University of Applied 19.444 panels. Brakenhoff: ‘At Campus Groningen we
programme booklet of his meeting in the city. [TB] UYTENHAAK P + RUDY PHOTO: 2018. INTERNATIONAL, CONSULTANTS BUCK SOURCE: Sciences, and the UMCG (the University Medical JOBS are pioneering for a healthy and green future.’ [MB]
22 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 23 GRONINGEN Sustainable energy DESTINATION
PHOTO: KEES VAN DE VEEN Academy Europe (EAE)isthemostsustainable educationalbuilding in theNetherlands. Theyare placed inalldirections, inanupright Thanks in part to this cheerful army of solar panels, the Energy army ofsolarpanels,the Energy to this cheerful Thanks inpart The angle ofinclinationthe roof isjustbelow 20degrees: and sometimesinclined pattern,over anarea of4,000 m the idealangle foroptimalcollection ofsolarenergy. CATCHING SUNBEAMS 2.
DESTINATION DESTINATION GRONINGEN GRONINGEN
Transition Cuisine MUSTARD WITH THE MEAL Real Groningen mustard is coarse and has a spicy taste. It is the perfect seasoning for a tasty Groningen mustard soup. Two chefs on how it’s best prepared.
A striking feature of the good mustard soup is a home- Climate goals and societal demands call for a transition from traditional farming. Groningen landscape are the made broth. For a delicious But how should this step be taken with economic and ecological benefit? vast yellow fields, coloured by creamy soup, cream and The Regional Cooperative of Westerkwartier is looking for innovative ways the floweringbrassica nigra, egg yolks must be included. of reconciling agriculture and nature. or black mustard seed. It is A simple job, says Slenema: therefore hardly surprising ‘You beat the egg yolks and that Groningen has its own add them to the boiling soup, mustard: a coarse, spicy kind which you should quickly of condiment, made from that remove from the heat, to avoid very brassica nigra. And the scrambled eggs.’ HOME-GROWN HEALTH best way to enjoy it is mustard Although most recipes for soup, without too much mustard soup contain bacon, embellishment. Slenema doesn’t recommend Cows are grazing in the grassland, while agriculture-inclusive nature which allows stock farming. Nature and the environ- Paul de Vries, 46, prefers to it. ‘At most, you can heat up meadow birds are feasting on earth- the loss of biodiversity to be halted. ment would benefit from a different con- eat the soup on Sunday some bacon and use it as a worms. At first sight this is an idyllic sumption pattern. The nature of farming evenings, when he and his crispy garnish. But it is not Dutch scene. But in the Westerkwartier REGIONAL FOOD CHAIN must therefore change, says Bergsma. family are watching television, necessary, least of all those there is more than meets the eye, says Since 2016, the Regional Cooperative ‘This means that the livestock farmer with the bowls on their laps. smoked bacon bits from the director Hans Bergsma, 51, of the has been working on a circular food wants to be able to grow other protein- Although Mr de Vries may be supermarket. If you put them Regional Cooperative. In this social chain, where production, processing and rich foods, such as lentils or beans. director at the Marne Mustard in, your soup will have that organisation, farmers, nature managers, marketing take place in the region. ‘In Sometimes more land is needed for this Factory in Groningen City, factory-like smoky taste.’ public servants and people from the Groningen a lot of milk and potatoes are temporarily. This creates an opportunity for the recipe he can’t do And why particularly business community share knowledge produced, while the government and for Staatsbosbeheer (the Dutch Forestry without his wife. ‘In fact, she Groningen mustard? Why not and insights with each other. The aim society call for more diversity and sus- Commission), which may make that land has improved the recipe,’ he Zaanse, French or Limburg is to solve urgent issues in the Wester- tainability in their production.This must available. In return, the farmer gives the says proudly. The messy page mustard? ‘Our mustard is kwartier by means of innovative and also be economically feasible. Students meadow birds space for breeding, or wild of the recipe book reveals the spicier than Limburg mustard’, sustainable measures. ‘Farmers and have started to figure that out. The plants the chance to grow.’ The turn- following handwritten note: says director De Vries. He nature managers have always been op- farmers are now supplying various food pro- around in agriculture should also cover ‘Two pots of chicken stock’ should know, since he also posed to each other’, Bergsma explains. ducts to companies in the region. This is education. ‘New jobs will be created in instead of the chicken broth makes mustard the Limburg ‘In our cooperative, the focus is on what attractive for the farmer because of price the regional food chain, for example, to that was originally in the way. ‘Up north, we use herbs unites us and how we can achieve more and volume, while it is more sustainable make it CO2 neutral. That is why stu- recipe. De Vries: ‘She makes more than anywhere else’, says by joining forces. Together we look at than meat from Brazil. At the same time, dents from Hanze University of Applied the broth herself and reduces Slenema. Which herbs exactly how we can get business cases for nature the consumer will be happy to know that Sciences and other institutions carry out it to stock.’ go into the mustard remains and agriculture off the ground.’ As an his lunch is produced locally.’ research into optimal logistics, environ- a secret. At least there are example, Bergsma mentions projects to mentally friendly packaging and residual CREAM, EGG YOLKS, NO BACON enough herbs to prepare a litre make the production of food, landscape LENTILS AND BEANS slaughter waste. This waste can be turned Geerhard Slenema (67) the of soup with just three table- management and the local labour Society is calling for less meat to be eaten, into energy again. Through innovations retired star chef of restaurant spoons. This is delicious with market sustainable. In his own words, if only because of the enormous CO2 such as these, we hope to complete the Herberg Onder de Linden, a piece of coarse bread. Eet ILLUSTRATION: ANIEK BARTELS ANIEK ILLUSTRATION: he wants nature-inclusive agriculture and emissions associated with intensive live- circle.’ [NQ] MARKETING GRONINGEN PHOTO: also believes that the secret of a smakelijk! [StHdL]
26 | DESTINATION GRONINGEN DESTINATION GRONINGEN | 27