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What was it like to carry out a project in the nuclear domain?
This assignment was a significant challenge for us. Although Dialogic frequently undertakes projects in the areas of knowledge & innovation and climate & energy, we had no prior experience in the nuclear domain. This is the case for the majority of research agencies in the Netherlands.
Nuclear energy is expected to play a role in the future energy system's sustainability. Driven by our ambition to contribute to well-founded policies and considering our extensive experience in knowledge & innovation and climate & energy, we decided to take on this assignment.
We did not carry out this assignment alone. To ensure substantive expertise and quality within the project team and thoroughly validate the insights gained, we collaborated with experts from the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) and the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN).
What was your assignment?
In 2023, the Multiannual Mission-Driven Innovation Programme (MMIP) Nuclear Energy was launched to realise the renewed ambitions in the field of nuclear energy in the Netherlands and organise the necessary knowledge infrastructure. This programme focuses on eight themes:
- Radiation protection
Our task consisted of two parts: (1) mapping the current needs for knowledge development and innovation within the Dutch nuclear domain and (2) creating thematic roadmaps. Based on these insights, the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth aims to develop targeted knowledge and innovation programmes for the aforementioned themes.
What did you do for this?
Based on vision documents and 42 interviews involving 57 stakeholders, we gained valuable insights into the knowledge and innovation challenges within the nuclear domain. These insights were organised according to the eight themes and further refined, explained, and validated during four working sessions with field stakeholders. Subsequently, during a fifth, overarching working session with 19 experts, the concrete steps needed to realise the ambitions in the field of nuclear energy were established.
What is your impression of the responses from the field?
Although the nuclear sector in the Netherlands is relatively small, it is characterised by a high level of expertise and knowledgeable players. We are impressed by the strong engagement within the field. While some parties may still be searching for the specific direction of the Netherlands in terms of nuclear energy and their potential role, almost all invitees were willing to participate in our research. This willingness was also evident from many parties across various regions attending multiple (physical) work sessions.
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