Florijn de Graaf is an engineer at Spectral, a sustainable energy startup based in Amsterdam. Florijn’s work involves experimenting with ways to transition from the centralised and carbon-based energy system that we currently have, to a renewable and decentralised system.

Part of this transition will involve developing smart micro-grids, in which communities produce, store and share energy amongst themselves, with minimal need to tap into the main grid.

It’s a really interesting concept that has the potential to make communities more resilient, while also reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

We also talk about Florijn’s experience helping to build an eco-village in the Dutch countryside, and his plans to take that concept further by designing a sustainable, self-sufficient neighbourhood that can produce almost all its own food, water, heat and power.

And, we discuss nuclear power, and whether its benefits outweigh its possible dangers.

Florijn has recently published a report, looking at four micro-grid case studies. You can read it here.

You can find Florijn on Twitter @FlorijnDeGraaf.

SHOW NOTES

02:08 French engineer Jean-Marc Jancovici lectures about the relationship between physics and economics (English subtitles). Jancovici gives a similar lecture in English is here.

05:21 Florijn’s path toward working in sustainable energy

06:36 Earthships

07:44 The Aardehuizen is the eco-village Florijn helped to build. It combines traditional architecture and design with modern technology. Here is his blog post about the project.

14:42 Criticisms of the Aardehuizen; what principles can be used in denser living situations? The difference between top-down and bottom-up approaches.

16:50 What are micro-grids? How can we transition away from coal, oil and gas? The decentralised nature of most renewable energy technologies… Wind and solar are inflexible, so we need to build a system that can keep supply and demand the same.

20:06 Nuclear power. What are the real risks? Whole Earth Discipline; Jancovici on nuclear.

25:22 Florijn’s conclusion that the risks of nuclear are much lower than the risks of climate change.

28:31 Florijn’s concept for a self-sufficient, closed-loop neighbourhood called SmartHoods. The project will focuss on technical aspects, such as solar power and aquaponics. But also social components of designing a functioning community.

33:59 The paradox of living simply and sustainably, while also using the internet and new technologies.

35:21 Increasing the resilience of neighbourhoods. An analogy with an organism: cells provide for themselves, but are also part of an organ. The organ is then also part of the organism…

38:08 What does Florijn wish more people understood about energy?… Only 18% of global energy use is currently electricity. And of that, it is only possible to derive perhaps one third from wind and solar. So in effect, we could currently only use renewables for around 6% of global energy use… How can we increase that number?

42:25 Teslas and solar panels will not save the world within five years. The transition will be multi-decade.

43:35 “Losing Earth” articles in the New York Times

45:15 Technology progresses much faster than legislators can keep up with.

46:26 “Collapse” subreddit