Ameland aims to become fossil-free as soon as possible. This is an ambition being worked on every day. Skilled professionals form an essential link in this process. That is why Ameland welcomed over one hundred first-year students from Firda on August 20 and 21 for an inspiring Energy Tour visiting sustainable energy projects on the island.
The Energy Tour is part of the European NESSIE project, in which Ameland collaborates with Firda, Learning Hub Friesland, and international partners, among others, to prepare a sufficient number of well-trained professionals for the energy transition. By introducing students to practical experience at an early stage, a connection is established between education and the challenges facing the island.
Learning in practice
During the two-day event, students from the Construction and Infrastructure Technology and Engineering Technician - Smart Energy Technician programs were introduced to various sustainable energy projects on Ameland. Among other things, they visited locations where work is being done on energy storage, sustainable mobility, and innovative heating systems. Anyone who looked closely saw one thing above all: everything is interconnected.
And that is often where the sticking point lies. The energy transition requires professionals who look beyond their own discipline. An installer who understands what a structural engineer does. A builder who takes technical aspects into account. Ameland contractor Pieter Mosterman explained how this worked in practice during the construction of the new KNRM rescue station.
By early 2026, other students from Firda had already created a technical maintenance plan for the building as part of their studies, taking the various disciplines into account.
NESSIE connects education and practice
Within NESSIE, four North Sea islands – Ameland, Belle-Île, Borkum, and Samsø – collaborate on one shared challenge: ensuring a sufficient number of skilled professionals to make the energy transition possible.
For Ameland, this means that education, the business community, and the municipality are working together. Students are introduced to current practical examples on the island, while educational programs are being renewed in collaboration with Ameland installers to better align with the skills needed in the future.
To this end, Firda developed, in close collaboration with Ameland installation companies, the Energy Management & Energy Storage and Integrated Construction courses, among others, in which students learn how sustainable energy systems function and how different disciplines work together successfully.
With the help of NESSIE, Ameland installers are gaining knowledge regarding the installation of energy management systems (EMS). Residents of Ameland can have an EMS installed at a discount. A win-win-win situation.
Working together for a fossil-free Ameland
The Energy Tour made the Ameland approach clear: the energy transition revolves around technology and innovation, but above all around people and collaboration.
