Prof. Machiel Mulder has been appointed member of the board of the International Association for Energy Economics. IAEE is the global association of professionals in the field of energy economics. This includes academics as well as business people and government representatives. Mulder's honourable appointment is closely related to his position of chair of the major international conference that will be held in Groningen in June 2018.

‘This temporary position greatly contributes to the visibility of Groningen energy research’, says Mulder. ‘The IAEE is a major global network in my field. As a board member I will be able to increase awareness of all the good things we are doing here in Groningen as well as in the whole Benelux. In addition, it will make it easier for me to attract experts to Groningen.’

Worldwide reputation

Mulder's appointment, as well as the fact that Groningen has been invited to host the 41st International IAEE Conference, will enable the University of Groningen and its Faculty of Economics and Business to establish a worldwide reputation. ‘IAEE wasfounded in the 1970s. The association has organized conferences on all continents, including various European countries, but never in the Benelux. This is about to change in 2018, when Groningen will join a list of host cities that also includes Singapore, Rio de Janeiro and Montreal, to name but a few.’

Influence on policy

IAEE is a non-profit organization that aims to increase and disseminate scientific in the field of energy economics, and to promote teaching in this field. Mulder: ‘The board has about fifteen members, most of whom are appointed for one year. My new role includes keeping the board informed of how the organization of the Groningen conference is progressing, but it also allows me, for example, to give advice on how to set up regional conferences and to help decide on the strategy with regard to IAEE publications. In late March I will attend a conference organized by a South American association of energy economists, which will be combined with a board meeting, and in June I'm going to the international conference in Singapore. After that I will focus fully on the 2018 edition in Groningen.’

More information

• Contact: Machiel Mulder
• The Centre for Energy Economics Research (CEER)
• IAEE website: http://www.iaee.org/
• Website 41st edition of the IAEE international Conference in 2018
• Prof. Machiel Mulder: ‘Subsidies for wind and solar power have no positive effect on the environment, and are bad for the electricity market’ (page is no longer available)