Global sustainable energy from HoSt Group in Enschede

“Enschede has always taken good care of me,” Iris reflects on the past years and on her decision to move from Zeeland to Twente as a student. It was the mentality and the environment that attracted her. “I enjoy living here. People are very approachable and they genuinely care about each other. I really like that. And the forest-rich surroundings are beautiful.” Iris studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Twente. “Even back then, sustainability was an important theme for me. It was one of the reasons I chose to work at HoSt fifteen years ago,” she explains.

Growth

As a commissioning manager, she is still fully committed to sustainability every single day. She leads colleagues that build and commission installations in the Netherlands and abroad. “I want to keep contributing to a green future, where we are no longer dependent on fossil resources. On top of that, I really feel valued here. At HoSt, we truly work together. That’s something I really appreciate.”

Over the years, she has seen the company grow tremendously. When Iris joined HoSt, around forty people worked there. Today, there are 600 employees worldwide. “We started building more and more installations.” Their customers now include large organisations such as water authorities, major industrial companies, municipalities and agricultural businesses. “We are a global player in sustainable energy technology. And we continue to innovate, constantly developing new technologies. To remain a leading force in the energy transition, you have to stay at the forefront of technology. That keeps you sharp. We keep growing, and there is still so much to discover. We’ve now reached a size that requires a different way of working. Things are going so well that standing still is not an option. Together, we are working towards a shared goal: saving 25 million tonnes of CO₂ by 2032."

Plans

“In addition to having offices in seven countries, most of our construction projects are in Europe and the United States. But demand from other parts of the world is growing rapidly. Recently, our team in Brazil commissioned our first proprietary plant. We are also expanding the number of our own installations, where we produce gas ourselves. This makes it increasingly important to professionally train both new colleagues and our customers in our technologies. That’s why we have started developing our own HoSt Group Academy.

Together with the service teams, my colleagues are the eyes and ears in the field. This means we make a major contribution to innovation and to further improving our technologies. It is my responsibility to bring that knowledge back into the organisation.”

She continues: “On a personal level, it is very important to me to support my colleagues as well as possible as a manager. And to take good care of them, just as people have always taken good care of me. In that way, I can give something back to the company and to my colleagues.”

Iris believes her company excels at innovation. “We supply many different types of customers and new markets. That constantly places new demands on our installations and our people. The same goes for our flexible service teams, because we maintain the installations we deliver ourselves. That means we are always looking for new people. It’s great when that works out. When I drive along the A35 and see our installations at companies like Grolsch and Twence, I genuinely feel proud.”

About Bright Renewables

Bright Renewables is an innovative company working with renewable energy, specialising in the design and construction of systems that clean and upgrade biogas so it can be used effectively. This clean gas can then be injected into the regular gas grid, compressed or liquefied for transport. As a knowledge-driven company, Bright Renewables offers various solutions such as biogas upgrading, CO₂ recovery and liquefaction, and e-methanol. Based in Twente and operating worldwide, Bright Renewables is a market leader with extensive expertise in sustainable technologies. The company continues to innovate and works every day towards a cleaner and more sustainable future.