Sem Oxenaar is an expert on demand-side energy policy and leads RAP’s work on industrial heat and district heating in Europe. Leveraging his excellent knowledge of EU and national policy he has authored several studies on regulation for clean district heat and industrial electrification.
Before joining RAP in 2022, he worked for REScoop.eu — the European federation of citizen energy cooperatives — leading their work on building decarbonisation. As part of this role Oxenaar advocated on behalf of energy communities and cooperatives in Europe with the EU institutions and was part of the Steering Committee of the Coalition for Energy Savings.
Earlier, Sem Oxenaar worked for DRIFT, a research and advisory institute at Erasmus University Rotterdam that focuses on sustainability transitions. There he advised mainly public-sector clients on climate and energy policy questions, did research on topics such as prosumerism and fossil fuel phase-outs, and taught courses to students and professionals on the energy transition.
Oxenaar holds a Master of Science in integrated natural resource management from Humboldt University of Berlin and a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and sciences, with a concentration on environmental economics and policy, from Amsterdam University College in the Netherlands.
In addition to his native Dutch, he speaks fluent English, German and French. Sem is based in Brussels, Belgium.
How Sem Oxenaar is Energizing Change
Making Europe’s homes ‘Hygge’: Danish lessons on district heating
Denmark is a European frontrunner in heating decarbonisation. The country’s district heating systems serve the majority of… Read More +
Electrification: A crucial step towards industrial decarbonisation
Europe is at a crossroads in its quest to meet ambitious climate goals. Industrial emissions, which contribute… Read More +
What are you working on that is most crucial to RAP’s mission and why is it crucial?
Finding ways to decarbonise our buildings while at the same time keeping heat affordable. A third of all energy use in Europe is for space and water heating. To meet our climate targets we need to decarbonise this by 2040. That is only 15(!) years to renovate millions of buildings and replace existing gas and oil based heating systems with heat pumps and clean district heating. A very tough challenge, but crucial in solving the climate crisis and making sure everyone can keep their home warm in winter and cool in summer.
What is something that makes you feel hopeful about the future?
The Solar PV boom, the adoption of the IRA and the Fitfor55 package, the growth of energy cooperatives and prosumers, the strong policy action taken in response to the energy crisis following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It all shows that collectively we are capable of putting in place the social, policy, and technical innovations that we need to make the energy transition work.
When I was 5, I was pretty sure I'd be a chef when I grew up.