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The global energy transition is reshaping patterns of resource demand, placing critical raw materials (CRMs) at the center of climate, industrial, and geopolitical strategies. Technologies essential to decarbonization, such as batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, and hydrogen systems, rely on materials including lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare-earth elements. The Netherlands and the EU face mounting challenges in securing reliable, affordable, and sustainable access to these resources. Despite the strategic direction set by the Critical Raw Materials Act, concerns remain regarding supply diversification, domestic production capacity, recycling bottlenecks, financing constraints, and long-term environmental impacts.

This Energy Forum brings together leading scholars, policymakers, industry representatives, and civil society experts to critically examine the environmental criticality and geopolitical dimensions of CRMs. Discussions will explore the tensions between accelerating renewable deployment and minimizing ecological degradation, the risks associated with concentrated global supply chains, and the opportunities for circular economy strategies and responsible sourcing. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, the event aims to assess Europe’s preparedness, identify policy gaps, and debate pathways toward a more resilient, just, and sustainable raw materials governance framework that can underpin a successful energy transition.

PROGRAM

A day full of inspiration, innovation, and energy!

Francesca Grazian | ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø (moderator)

Francesca Grazian is an Assistant Professor at the Electromechanics and Power Electronics group in the Electrical Engineering department of ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø since May 2024. Previously, she received her M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Delft University of Technology in 2018 and 2023, respectively. Her Ph.D. research focused on power electronics for wireless charging of electric vehicles. From 2023 to 2024, she gained experience in the railway industry as a Lead Electrical Engineer at Laser Precision Solutions, a start-up based in Amsterdam.

Her research focuses on innovative wireless power transfer systems, industrial electrification, and the environmental impact of power electronics. Her vision is to radically rethink industrial power electronics systems to actively reduce Europe's reliance on critical raw materials and minimize electrical and electronic waste.

Susanne van Berkum | TNO 

Susanne van Berkum holds a PhD in Chemistry and has built extensive expertise across the recycling sector, starting with plastics, expanding to end-of-life vehicles, and currently focusing on the recovery of critical raw materials (CRMs) from electronic waste.

Steven Lans | Back to Battery

Dr. Steven Lans is co-founder and CEO of Back to Battery, a Delft-based startup refining end-of-life EV battery black mass into battery-grade lithium, nickel-cobalt-manganese, and graphite through a zero-waste hydrometallurgical process. Closing the loop for battery materials, but also closing the reagent loop and as a result zero-waste and minimizing chemicals and energy consumption. He leads the company's mission to build Europe's critical raw materials supply chain for the battery industry.

Alejandro Gonzalez | SOMO

Alejandro González Cavazos is a senior researcher at SOMO specialising in critical minerals, corporate accountability and the social and environmental impacts of the energy transition. His work focuses on human rights and corporate accountability across global mineral and energy supply chains.

Lorenzo Ceccarelli | ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø

Lorenzo Ceccarelli is a Teacher in the Electrical Engineering Department. He focuses on running and developing education in the domains of sustainability, circularity, and energy transition, promoting an open-ended and multidisciplinary approach to solving great societal challenges.

Energy Forum is organized every half year and are open for anyone interested in the latest developments in societal energy issues. Energy Forum focusses on a specific aspect of the present energy and climate discussion. Different keynote speakers from academia and industry will present their views, solutions and outlooks on the topic. The motto of Energy Forum is to stimulate the audience to broaden their vision on energy and climate.

• Read more about the previous edition here: 6 February 2026
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