The global energy transition presents significant challenges for large consumers, particularly business owners on business parks. These challenges often exceed the capabilities of individual businesses, necessitating collective approaches such as Smart Energy Hubs (SEHs) that enable resource, cost, and expertise sharing. However, many SEH collaborations encounter difficulties in initiating or sustaining a network. This research project aims to identify barriers to collaboration and explore the mindset of actors involved in SEHs, seeking to understand their perceptions of risks and motivations to participate. Through a comprehensive literature review, interviews with current SEH initiatives, and engagement with relevant experts, this research project provides valuable insights into the barriers and opportunities within SEH collaborations. It becomes evident that the formation phase of SEHs is particularly complex, requiring the involvement of diverse actors and roles. Business owners often have a negative mindset, emphasising risks rather than recognising the potential benefits of collaboration. The value proposition of SEHs is not always apparent to them, leading to a lack of enthusiasm for engagement. Furthermore, valuable learnings from existing SEHs are often not effectively shared, limiting the collective knowledge of the community and hindering progress. To address these challenges, the Smart Energy Hub GPS guide is introduced. It aims to counteract the negative mindset of business owners by visually demonstrating the value of SEHs. It fosters learning through a knowledge-sharing infrastructure. The GPS guide effectively communicates the urgency of collaboration, emphasises the advantages of collective efforts in addressing energy challenges, and provides guidance for taking the initial steps in setting up SEH collaborations. By clarifying expectations and presenting the value proposition of SEHs, the GPS guide strives to enhance the willingness of business owners to actively participate in SEH initiatives. This research project highlights the fundamental issues encountered during the formation stage of SEHs, hindering effective collaboration. It addresses the need for visual tools and knowledge-sharing networks to shift the mindset of business owners and foster effective and successful SEH collaborations. The proposed strategy for implementing the GPS guide offers a clear pathway to enhance collaboration, bridging the gap between energy challenges and effective collaborative solutions. Ultimately, this research underscores the significance of collaboration in driving the transition to a cleaner and more resilient energy future.

The imperative to address climate change has led to a critical need for transformation within the Dutch energy system. Recent efforts have focused on decentralisation and innovative technologies to steer towards a fossil-free future. Hydrogen energy emerges as a pivotal contender with potential benefits at all societal levels. This study delves into the emergence of small-scale hydrogen networks (SHNs), localised systems serving specific regions or communities. Amidst the prominence of large-scale projects, these smaller endeavours play a pivotal, yet often overlooked, role in realizing the energy transition. However, understanding these sociotechnical systems remains challenging due to the early stages of the hydrogen transition and limited research on small-scale integration. Utilizing a qualitative interpretive research approach, this thesis uncovers contextual factors influencing SHN formation. Following a problem-focused design science research strategy, the study outlines the three pillars of SHNs - technology, actors, and institutional landscape - with a focus on the Goeree-Overflakkee case. Insights into barriers and enablers for SHN formation are pivotal. The value chain, categorised into upstream (production), midstream (storage and transportation), and downstream (usage), is explored. Furthermoe, actor analysis is employed to identify, categorise, and analyse roles and interrelations. Williamson's four-layer model is applied to examine the institutional landscape. Results highlight significant barriers, including regulatory gaps, negative business cases, and limited capacities. Complex actor interactions, financial constraints, and expertise shortages further impede progress. Enablers such as an innovative organisational culture, synergy creation, and vital local government support emerge as critical facilitators. The study emphasises the significance of incremental steps, adaptive management, and flexible legal frameworks in integrating SHNs. Through a lens of technology, actors, and institutional context, this research provides valuable insights into SHN enablers and barriers in the Dutch context.

While technological development, people began to pay extensive attention to climate issues and reduce the impact of human life on the planet through actions. House-hold energy as one of the main energy consumption is considered as an important direction to improve energy problems. Greenchoice as a green energy provider is willing to contribute to sustainable development through its efforts to help all people make their green choices. Involve the younger household starters from 20-30 as a new target group and expanding their market is their next step of development. This research project aims to find factors that can influence the decision-making related to household energy of the target group and translated these factors into opportunities for Greenchoice to attract these people. Desk research is done to explore the trends in the development of household energy. Besides, how do other researchers analyse the attractive factors for people to choose household energy-related products or services is explored to support this research project in building the structures. The target group research is built based on the personas of current customers and a previous project on understanding the meaning of sustainable household energy for the target group and their lifestyle. To further measure the priority of the factors mentioned in these two data, quantitative research is built. More potential factors are selected and the lifestyle of the target group is mapped by 3 personas. To apply these factors to suitable products or services to attract the target group, a workshop based on a decision-making process is designed to discover the need of the target group and their desired solutions. For each group of participants their needs, possible solving process and reasons related to their lifestyles are collected. Finally, data from workshops is summarized as design opportunities for Greenchocie to attract younger household starters by providing products and services to satisfy their needs. These opportunities and the strategy for Greenchoice to achieve its vision through products and services are visualized by a roadmap with three steps (horizons). In the end, the limitation of this research and related recommendations are presented to support with future development of the result.