Projects per year
Personal profile
Quote
“Sustainability assessments should be fact-based, value-driven and change-oriented.”
Research profile
Arjan Kirkels is an Assistant Professor in the department Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). His areas of expertise include technology assessment and sustainability assessments, in particular for the energy transition and the circular economy. Arjan’s research deals with assessment and implementation of sustainable technologies and is at the intersection of industrial ecology, feasibility studies and innovation sciences. He typically follows a multi-disciplinary approach, often combining multiple methods.
Arjan has a particular interest in critical sustainability assessments. On the one hand, these build on measuring and scoring ‘hard’ criteria related to sustainability (e.g. people, planet and profit dimensions); and on the other hand they deal with subjectivity (e.g. stakeholder preferences and conflicting views or framing). On top of this, these assessments have to deal with large uncertainties, which requires a robust approach. Besides deepening scientific insight in this field, Arjan supports an action-based approach – as sustainability and innovation can only be achieved by making real changes.
Academic background
Arjan Kirkels studied Technology and Society at TU/e, graduating in 2000 on a thesis on municipal waste incineration. From 1995-2008, he worked as senior lecturer at TU/e for the center Technology for Sustainable Development (TDO). From 2008 he continued this position within the TIS group. In 2016 he obtained his PhD for his thesis on developments and trajectories of biomass gasification, and he was appointed as assistant professor. Arjan has been involved in setting up and teaching of more than 15 courses, wrote several readers, supervised many student projects on a variety of topics (thesis and multidisciplinary projects), and participated in networks on sustainability in education.
Student work includes projects on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA), feasibility studies, business models, discourse analysis and design based approaches on a variety of sustainable technologies – including energy from biomass, new energy carriers, solar PV and energy in the built environment. Arjan also publishes regularly in key international journals, including Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews and Energy for Sustainable Development.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Network
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NEON: New Energy Outlook for the Netherlands
Alkemade, F., Loomans, N., El Feiaz, A., van Druten, E., Rosero Abad, S., Maharjan, P., Alkema, L., Khaleghparast, S., Verbong, G. P. J., Bekkers, R. N. A., Kirkels, A. F., Shekhar, S., Leferink, T. & Klok, W.
1/11/20 → 31/10/24
Project: Research direct
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cVPP: Community-based Virtual Power Plant
Wieczorek, A. J., Wieczorek, A. J., van Summeren, L. F. M., Van den Berghe, L. H. G. J., Groenewoudt, A. C., Verbong, G. P. J., Papachristos, G., Kirkels, A. F. & Alkemade, F.
20/09/17 → 30/06/22
Project: Research direct
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Historical Roots of the Dutch Sustainability Challenge
Lintsen, H. W., Veraart, F. C. A. & Kirkels, A. F.
1/02/12 → 31/12/16
Project: Research direct
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KSI - Transition of Dutch Society
Lambert, A. J. D., Lintsen, H. W., Lintsen, H. W., Veraart, F. C. A., van Hooff, W. H. P. M., Kirkels, A. F. & Schippers, J. L.
1/05/09 → 1/09/10
Project: Research direct
Research output
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Ready for the road? A Socio-technical Investigation of Fire Safety Improvement Options for Lithium-ion Traction Batteries
Kirkels, A. F., Bleker, J. & Romijn, H., 2 May 2022, In: Energies. 15, 22 p., 3323.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
Research vs design: in engineering and social sciences
Kirkels, A., 3 Feb 2022Research output: Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products › Academic
Open Access -
Systems thinking & socio-technical systems: an analytical lens to perceive the world
Kirkels, A. F., 2 Feb 2022Research output: Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products › Academic
Open Access -
Concept mapping
Kirkels, A. F., 16 Dec 2021Research output: Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products › Professional
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Design principles for sustainability assessments in the sustainable business model innovation process
Bhatnagar, R., Keskin, D., Kirkels, A., Romme, S. & Huijben, B., Jun 2021, New business models in a decade of action: sustainable, evidence-based, impactful : 6th International Conference on New Business Models : full conference proceedings : 9-11 June 2021, Halmstad University, Sweden. Halila, F. & Hoveskog, M. (eds.). Halmstad: Halmstad University Press, p. 560-561 2 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic
Open AccessFile12 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
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Best Teacher Award 1st year Bachelor Sustainable Innovation on course Industrial Ecology (2012-13, 2017-18)
Kirkels, Arjan F. (Recipient), 2019
Prize: TU/e › Other › Scientific
Activities
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Assessing and implementing carbon neutral fuels
Arjan F. Kirkels (Speaker)
28 Feb 2022Activity: Talk or presentation types › Plenary talk › Scientific
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Towards the energy transition. From a techno-economic towards a transition perspective.
Arjan F. Kirkels (Speaker)
26 Nov 2021Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk › Scientific
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Constructive sustainability assessment for socio-technical system exploration
Arjan F. Kirkels (Speaker)
18 Jun 2021Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk › Scientific
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Inspiration session - online teaching
Arjan F. Kirkels (Speaker)
26 Jan 2021Activity: Talk or presentation types › Contributed talk › Professional
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Inspiration session - online courses
Arjan F. Kirkels (Speaker)
11 Jun 2020Activity: Talk or presentation types › Contributed talk › Professional
Courses
Press / Media
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Student teams present the City of 1.5 degrees
1/04/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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In de kou door stijgende energieprijzen
20/10/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Duizenden Eindhovense studenten weer in de collegezaal
30/04/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Je eigen circulariteit meten
Alice Consolaro, Henny A. Romijn & Arjan F. Kirkels
12/01/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Impacts
Thesis
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Analyse en optimalisatie energiehuishouding bij AVR-AVIRA afvalverbranding te Duiven
Author: Kirkels, A. F., 31 Aug 2000Supervisor: Verbong, G. P. J. (Supervisor 1)
Student thesis: Master
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