"Electrochemical processes are essential in the transition of our fossil fuel based economy to an economy that is based on renewable electricity."

Thijs de Groot is an innovation technologist at Nobian and an assistant professor at the University of Eindhoven. He leads Nobians R,D&I program on green hydrogen, aiming to realize significant cost reductions in water electrolysis by working together with (component) suppliers, peers and knowledge institutes in open innovation collaborations. He has been at the basis of the DJEWELS project, a planned 20 MW water electrolysis facility in Delfzijl, the MW test center (a 100+ kW pilot facility for electrolysis technologies), and the GW project, a design project aimed at reducing the costs of a GW facility in 2030.  

In his role as assistant professor he works on the intensification of electrochemical processes. Currently, he especially focuses on increasing the flexibility and current density in alkaline electrolysis and the development of anion exchange membrane water electrolysis. His research includes the optimization of the membrane electrode assembly, bubble behavior in electrolysis, mass and ion transport in electrolyzers and the comparison of porous diaphragms with membranes.  

Thijs de Groot studied Chemical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) where he obtained his master's degree cum laude in 2002. From 2003-2007 he performed PhD research at TU/e (Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis) and Leiden University (Leiden Institute of Chemistry). In 2007 he obtained his doctorate with his thesis 'Electrochemistry of immobilized hemes and heme proteins' under supervision of Prof. Marc Koper. In 2007 he started working at AkzoNobel, first in Research, Development & Innovation (Arnhem, The Netherlands) and since 2011 at the Competence Team Technology of the Industrial Chemicals division (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Now Nobian. In 2016 De Groot was appointed part-time Assistant Professor in electrochemical engineering at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, research group Sustainable Process Engineering.

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