André Faaij

Professorship chairs

Energy System Analysis (Utrecht University and University of Groningen).

Research area

Key research interest include: biobased economy, renewable energy technologies, energy system and scenario analysis and modelling, sustainability assessments of energy systems, alternative transport fuels, decarbonisation of fossil fuels, capture and storage of CO2, hydrogen economy, waste treatment, material & energy efficiency, technological learning and innovation in energy systems, land use, agriculture, environmental system & impact analysis, socio-economic impact analysis, greenhouse gas balances & accounting, energy and research policies. Ongoing research covers energy system integration questions, modelling, transition processes towards low carbon energy systems and related innovation and policy questions.

With the energy transition progressing, impacts on the economy, resource use, society (e.g. structure of the economy, jobs, income effects) on space, the use of (natural) resources and the environment increase, both in a positive (synergies) and negative (conflicts and constraints) way. The ability to understand the full impact of energy system change and industrial transformation in an integrated fashion 'ex ante' has proven to be of vital importance for making informed decisions on all levels and avoiding major conflicts in society on the one hand and maximizing potential benefits of the energy transition on the other. My research interests and priorities contribute to TNO’s objectives by advancing the capabilities and use of state of the art system analyses methods and tools to inform the energy transition across the board.