Climate Action

There is no doubt that the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are changing our living environment. Climate change is in our hands. We need to both work on limiting it as much as we can (mitigation), but we will also have to learn to adapt to new circumstances. TU Delft will harness its innovative powers to support the world-wide transition to non-fossil resources, and adaptation of the living environment to the consequences of global warming.

The problem is complex and urgent – but we have no other choice than to be optimistic and use all of our capacity to face the challenge, through our education programs and our research.

For more information, see:

In the Climate Action research programme, we start from four themes we consider to be paramount for future Climate Action:

The TU Delft vision on Climate Action is deeply founded in preceding decades of university wide climate action research. The goal of the Climate action research programme is to build on current strengths and identify the areas where there is a need to strengthen our capacities to keep up our (inter)national reputation as climate action university.

Climate Action News

21 February 2022

TU Delft and HyET Solar strengthen their partnership – in lightweight, flexible and ubiquitous thin-film solar foil

TU Delft and HyET Solar strengthen their partnership – in lightweight, flexible and ubiquitous thin-film solar foil

Solar foil represents the future. It can be applied in countless and unique ways – all the way from integrating it into traditional roof tiles through to creating new large-scale solar parks that reduce the price of our electricity. By signing a new four-year research contract, TU Delft and HyET Solar have sped up the introduction of the next generation of solar foil, bringing this vision of the future a significant step closer.

04 February 2022

TU Delft’s new programme of MOOCs aims to speed up the energy transition

TU Delft’s new programme of MOOCs aims to speed up the energy transition

On 8 February 2022, TU Delft launches a programme of four new massive open online courses on Intelligent and Integrated Energy Systems.

02 February 2022

TU Delft campus climate neutral by 2030

TU Delft campus climate neutral by 2030

By 2030, TU Delft aims to be operating in a completely sustainable manner. All activities on and from the campus will then be carbon neutral, circular, climate adaptive and contributing to the quality of life for its users and for nature. Together with all staff, students and partners of the university, sustainability coordinator Andy van den Dobbelsteen is working hard to realize this ambition. Everyone can follow the progress on a new website.

14 January 2022

TU Delft anniversary dedicated to energy transition

TU Delft anniversary dedicated to energy transition

On Friday 14 January, TU Delft celebrated its 180th Dies Natalis, or birthday. The university has chosen ‘speeding up the energy transition’ as theme for the anniversary celebrations, which will continue over 180 days after Friday’s official Dies Natalis ceremony.

11 January 2022

The Earthshot Prize

The Earthshot Prize

The search for the winners of The Earthshot Prize 2022 has begun and TU Delft is proud to be an official Nominator. Launched in 2020 and with the first incredible winners announced in October 2021, The Earthshot Prize is one of the most prestigious global environment prize in history, aiming to find new solutions to the world’s biggest environmental problems.


Climate Action News

16 February 2024

Green steel programme receives final approval, marking its official start

Green steel programme receives final approval, marking its official start

On 12 February, the Growing with Green Steel programme received official approval for a grant of more than 100 million euros from the National Growth Fund. Around 22 million euros of the total sum is destined for TU Delft. The programme aims to develop scientific knowledge and technology for sustainable steel production.

12 February 2024

Robust reactor design to simplify biomolecule production

Robust reactor design to simplify biomolecule production

TU Delft and Delft Advanced Biorenewables (DAB) are engaged in a long term development of a low cost and robust integrated bioreactor especially for the production of biofuel precursors as well as chemical and other building blocks that have a common ‘oily’ behaviour of immiscibility with aqueous phases such a fermentation broth. Research of Rita da Costa Basto focused on the important elements of the integrated production process of hydrocarbons by the fermentative route such as coalescence and phase separation. She has defended her PhD thesis on this topic Thursday 11 January 2024 in Delft.

08 February 2024

How social science can make the energy transition more fair

How social science can make the energy transition more fair

‘People living near an airborne wind energy test site in Germany experience noise, ecological and safety impacts from the airborne wind energy system similar to those from the nearest regular wind farm. The airborne system did score better on visual impacts.’ These are the main conclusions from a pioneering study into the social impacts of airborne wind energy conducted by Helena Schmidt, a PhD candidate at TU Delft in collaboration with Medical School Hamburg.

01 February 2024

Minimising contrails through altitude diversions of aircraft

Minimising contrails through altitude diversions of aircraft

On 30 January 2024, PhD candidate Esther Roosenbrand’s study on contrails and air traffic management was featured in an article from the New Scientist, presenting a simple yet effective operational solution to reduce the climate impact of aviation.

30 January 2024

Art Science Festival | CityClimate meets CreativeCoding

Art Science Festival | CityClimate meets CreativeCoding

Last year, Juliana Goncalves and Carissa Champlin collaborated with City Science Lab at HafenCity University to co-curate the CityClimate meets Creative Coding festival in Hamburg. The aim of the festival was to bring science, the arts, data and planning support tools together to explore new approaches for addressing the climate crisis. I am delighted to share that the Festival was a big success!