My industrial secondment took place at CRESYM, a Brussels-based non-profit organisation promoting collaborative R&D and open-source energy system simulation tools. The secondment lasted three months and was supervised by Dipl.-Ing. Sébastien Lepy. Its purpose was to engage with industry and policy stakeholders and to better understand the practical and institutional context surrounding HVDC deployment in Europe.

I particularly enjoyed working with the team at CRESYM, who were very welcoming and came from diverse professional backgrounds, ranging from PhD researchers to individuals with extensive industrial experience. It was especially rewarding to meet colleagues in person during a work dinner in Paris, which created an informal setting to exchange ideas and perspectives.

At CRESYM, I engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including Inter-oPEns Associated Partner ELIA, T&D Europe, and representatives from the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC). I had the opportunity to present my research and discuss its relevance with industrial and intergovernmental actors. This experience provided valuable insights into policy discussions and stakeholder expectations.

It was particularly helpful to understand the different perspectives shaping HVDC deployment. These interactions allowed me to incorporate valuable inputs into my research on the governance of multi-vendor, multi-terminal HVDC systems. I observed how industry actors, governmental bodies, and TSOs each approach HVDC deployment in the North Seas region with distinct priorities and challenges. Identifying and integrating these differing viewpoints—and the tensions between them—was especially insightful for strengthening the analytical depth of my work.

The industrial secondment allowed me to develop stronger stakeholder engagement skills and gain insights into the policy and industry landscape. It helped me better position my research within real-world challenges and increased its practical relevance.

Additionally, this experience helped me reflect on my future career direction. It made me more aware of the opportunities within industry, beyond a purely academic path, and allowed me to better envision how I could contribute to applied research and real-world energy system developments.

Written by Donia Ayari.