BURA (formerly known as marco.broekman) has worked on the Energy Transition study for the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (AMA). With different maps, the potential energy production has been analysed for solar, wind, geothermal and biomass in the landscape and the urban fabric.  Next to that, future perspectives have been developed which explore different governance models like “Grand together with Posad and ECN. The study explores in what way it is possible to meet the energy demand in the AMA in 2040 through using renewable energy. This exploration shows the spatial effects of this energy transition in this dynamic, growing and highly urbanized region. Design”, “Maximaal Decentraal” and “Energy follows space”.

The energy transition will need to determine the agenda of other themes like urbanization, mobility, living quality, landscape and economic development. This can only happen if we make a radical choice for another way of planning in the AMA. In analogy with the term Transit Oriented Development (TOD), in which transport lines and nodes are steered by urban development, a new guiding principle will rise: Energy Oriented Development (EOD). With EOD the planning of new housing, office areas, renovation of housing areas and investments in energy infrastructure will be strongly linked. Next to that Posad and BURA (formerly known as marco.broekman) developed a method to analyze and improve the patchwork of ‘energy milieus’ the region consists of. The region has been divided in 23 ‘energy milieus’ with their own spatial characteristic and demand and supply for energy. With this method a more customized approach can be made.

In the end we concluded that the demand and diversity of energy together with the pressure on available space, makes it unrealistic to generate 100% renewable energy within the territory of the AMA in 2040. Due to the space required and the associated measures for both generation, saving, storage and transport of energy, the transition is a major spatial task for the AMA. The core tasks for the AMA from an energy transition perspective are in the field of accelerating and increasing energy savings, the integration of potential for energy generation and the adaptation and renewal of the energy infrastructure. These tasks make the scale of the region relevant. Big chances lie in an integrated approach whereby energy is connected to tasks such as urbanization, accessibility, economic development and landscape improvement. The conclusions from this study give important issues for both energy and spatial planning policies in the future of the AMA, and will lead to the start of a regional energy strategy.