Essent ‘associated partner’ of Energy Delta Institute

Essent has joined the Energy Delta Institute (EDI) as an associated partner. This will give a strong boost to The Netherlands’ position as one of the most knowledgeable countries in the sphere of (natural) gas.

EDI and Essent will work closely together to gather and pass on knowledge relating to energy, in particular gas. Essent will be able to take advantage of the educational programmes offered by EDI and, sometimes with the involvement of universities allied to EDI, will help in the development of new, very highly principled training courses. Essent will also have access to EDI’s comprehensive (knowledge) network, consisting of EDI’s partners and (inter)national organizations and knowledge institutes.

As an associated partner, Essent will have a seat on EDI’s programming committee and on the Advisory Boards of the various training courses organized by EDI. Additionally, via EDI Essent can disseminate its own knowledge and will form part of EDI’s international knowledge network. Associated partners also help to decide the content of the various training courses and are given a discount if they supply candidates for EDI’s programmes. EDI coordinates research and organizes training courses focusing on the economic, legal, geopolitical and management aspects of the gas value chain. This involves collaborating with various academic and business partners, such as Clingendael International Energy Programme, Delft University of Technology, TNO, Gubkin State University for Oil & Gas,
MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations), Yale, Stanford, Oxford IES, L’Institut Français du Petrol.

Michiel Boersma (CEO Essent) says: ‘As The Netherlands' largest energy company, we are pleased to be entering into this international knowledge network, allowing our employees to share their experiences with other colleagues from the sector and to keep abreast of the most recent market developments. At the same time it helps to emphasize our presence in Dutch society.’

For EDI the collaboration with Essent is an important step for the future of its existence. According to EDI’s President George Verberg, this new type of partnership represents a further extension of EDI’s international knowledge network and offers EDI extra ways of placing its programmes in the energy market.

EDI has already been part of another partnership agreement, that of strategic partners. These are N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie, GasTerra B.V., OAO Gazprom, Shell, RWE and the University of Groningen.

About Energy Delta Institute
EDI is a cooperative association between N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie, GasTerra B.V., the Russian OAO Gazprom and the University of Groningen, with the addition of Shell and RWE. EDI’s most important aim is to make a contribution to educating present and future energy managers. With this aim in mind, EDI coordinates research projects and organizes training courses involving all kinds of economic, management and geopolitical aspects of the gas value chain. Since its foundation in 2002 EDI has to date trained more than 900 candidates from home and abroad, originating from 35 countries throughout the world. This year it is five years ago since EDI was founded. On 16 and 17 October 2007, a great deal of thought was given to this anniversary.

About Essent
As The Netherlands’ largest energy company, Essent is very active in the gas sector. The company supplies gas to consumers and companies, has a number of gas-fired power stations (Claus Power Station, Moerdijk and Swentibold), has a large capacity for storing gas (Epe, Germany), participates and invests in LNG terminals (Gate and Eemshaven) and with its trading branch Essent Trading is very active on the international gas markets.
With an annual turnover of 7.4 billion euros in 2007, Essent is the largest energy company in The Netherlands; the company supplies electricity, gas and heating to domestic and business customers. Essent is active throughout the entire energy chain: from the production of energy up to and including supply to end users. The corporation views The Netherlands as its home market, but has also built up a considerable market position in Germany and is doing so increasingly in Belgium too. The group’s environmental branch processes waste into energy and residual currents. Approximately 10,000 people work at Essent.

Published: 29 April 2008