The ENVE Commission of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) gathered in Arnhem for a dedicated study visit on energy, hosted by Ans Mol, regional minister of Gelderland and ECR member. Held in the framework of the Arnhem Electricity Week, the visit brought together local and regional policymakers, innovators and industry leaders to explore practical solutions for a reliable energy system.  

Ans Mol welcomed the delegation underlining the importance of regional leadership in delivering Europe’s energy ambitions. “It is at the local level where the impacts of the energy crisis are felt the hardest. Local authorities are left to deal with the consequences, as we have seen with the recent ongoing global crisis”. 

“We must ensure that innovation translates into secure supply, affordable energy and tangible benefits for our citizens.”, she added. The study visit coincided also with the European New Power Summit, where key challenges such as grid resilience, battery innovation, digitalisation and regulatory coordination were addressed. "Strengthening security of supply in a volatile geopolitical context, keeping energy affordable for households and businesses, and supporting innovation and technological neutrality rather than prescriptive regulations are the ingredients that are necessary to tackle the current energy-related issues", stated Ms Mol. 

A highlight of the study visit was the Connectr Innovation Lab, a leading example of how regional ecosystems can accelerate the energy transition. By linking industry, research and public authorities, the initiative enables rapid testing and scaling of new technologies in real-life environments, boosting competitiveness and job creation. As Ans Mol epmhasised, “our success depends on scaling up innovation quickly while keeping our economies strong—this is how regions can truly drive Europe’s energy transition”, she concluded.