RSM researchers win groundbreaking € 4.28M energy transition project

At the start of 2025, Yashar Ghiassi-Farrokhfal, associate professor in the department of Technology and Operations Management (TOM) at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) and academic director for Smart Energy and Sustainability at the Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics (ECDA), and his TOM colleague, assistant professor Sameer Mehta, a leading expert in data markets, will perform an essential role at RSM in the pioneering energy transition project: Market Organisation of the Dutch Energy System in 2050 (MODES), led by TU Delft. Funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) with a € 4.28M grant, of which, RSM’s share is € 333K, this prestigious project aims to reimagine the Dutch energy market for a sustainable future. Dr Ghiassi-Farrokhfal and Dr Mehta will lead Work Package 7 (WP7) of this groundbreaking project, to devise a robust, future-proof energy market in 2050 and to set a global benchmark for energy transitions.

RSM's role and the WP7 focus

Starting on 1 January 2025 and supported throughout this transformative project by a PhD student, Dr Ghiassi-Farrokhfal and his TOM colleague, Dr Sameer Mehta, will evaluate upcoming changes in the Dutch energy markets to devise solutions that can accommodate a high renewable energy intake from the North Sea. The team will also work to enhance market flexibility and sector integration.

In close cooperation with Dutch energy grid operator Stedin, a key responsibility for this team surrounds Work Package 7: designing the data layer within this ecosystem. Data is pivotal in energy market transitions, and Dr Ghiassi-Farrokhfal, Dr Mehta and their team seek to answer the critical questions:

How can current trends in data collection, storage and sharing meet the rising demands of energy digitalisation? Moreover, is this data being used correctly in terms of fairness, privacy, security, values and regulatory aspects; and
How can data availability and usage be improved to meet these objectives?

Transforming energy systems

The MODES project tackles crucial questions about the organisation of the Dutch energy market to support and sustain the energy transition. Additionally, it explores how the market will function post-transition. An interdisciplinary team – comprising stakeholders from government, industry, consumers, network companies and energy cooperatives – will collaborate to develop comprehensive solutions.

Collectively, the goal is to understand potential future market designs and conditions, which are intended to guide the creation of a CO2-neutral energy system by 2050. This endeavour includes redefining the balance between market forces and government regulations, integrating the roles of citizens within the energy system, and harmonising local and global energy markets.

Leadership and collaboration

In its entirety, this project is led by Prof. Laurens de Vries from TU Delft and it includes several well-known knowledge institutes and patrons. In addition to RSM and TU Delft, other participating universities include TU-Eindhoven, Tilburg, Twente and Utrecht, with patrons such as Stedin, Gemente Amsterdam, Vattenfall, RVO and Tennet.

More information

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) is one of Europe’s top-ranked business schools. RSM provides ground-breaking research and education furthering excellence in all aspects of management and is based in the international port city of Rotterdam – a vital nexus of business, logistics and trade. RSM’s primary focus is on developing business leaders with international careers who can become a force for positive change by carrying their innovative mindset into a sustainable future. Our first-class range of bachelor, master, MBA, PhD and executive programmes encourage them to become critical, creative, caring and collaborative thinkers and doers. www.rsm.nl

For more information about RSM or this release, please contact Erika Harriford-McLaren, communications manager for RSM, on +31 10 408 2877 or by email at harriford@rsm.nl.