Training for the Heat Transition is a collaborative project by HZ University of Applied Sciences and Scalda, supported by businesses in Zeeland and financially backed by the Just Transition Fund and the Zeeuwse Publieke Belangen Foundation.
The aim of the project is to educate over 200 students annually about the heat transition. This initiative provides a significant boost to the technical education programs at Scalda and HZ. Students are trained in nine transition techniques: residual heat usage, electrically generated steam, heat monitoring systems, heat pumps, aquathermy, solar thermal energy, cooling systems, heat storage, and PVT (photovoltaic thermal). The educational modules combine real-life examples from Zeeland businesses, hands-on training setups, theoretical foundations, and assessment materials.
The project partners meet regularly. On Thursday, December 12, the second networking event took place at Yara International’s training center in Sluiskil, one of the participating companies.
System Balance
The group received an update on the project, further strengthening the connection between education and businesses in Zeeland. Yara shared insights about its activities and the challenges it faces in the heat and energy transition.
One key takeaway was that making a single part of an industrial process more sustainable often impacts the system balance and other processes within the industrial system. Necessary adjustments must be implemented during scheduled maintenance shutdowns. For example, Yara’s ammonia plants are temporarily shut down every six years for such maintenance. Therefore, it is crucial to have clarity well in advance about the possibilities for implementing sustainability measures.