WILLEMSTAD - On Monday, September 23, the mayor of Rotterdam, Mr. Ahmed Aboutaleb, together with a delegation from the Representation of the Netherlands in Willemstad (VNW) and the Plenipotentiary Minister of Curaçao, Mr. Anthony Begina, visited the Faculty of Technical Sciences of the University of Curaçao Moises da Costa Gomez (UoC). The visit focused on getting acquainted and knowledge exchange in the field of energy transition, mobility and "urbanismo social" and how the faculty can make a valuable contribution to this in the near future.
One of the topics discussed is the Digital Twin (= a digital copy) of Curaçao. The Digital Twin is used to support the improvement of mobility on the island, with the primary objective of improving passenger transport. This approach is part of a broader "Smart City approach", as is being developed in Curaçao (Smart Nation Curaçao).
Curaçao and TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Natural Science Research) signed an agreement at the end of last year to jointly commit themselves, to which the UoC has joined. Within the university, the Faculty of Technical Sciences will use TNO's Urban Strategy Tool on various projects through the Digital Twin Lab (also known as the Living Lab).
The university uses the Urban Strategy Tool, the interactive instrument for spatial planning, together with TNO to find solutions for the energy transition and complex challenge to tackle CO2 emissions, air quality, noise and traffic nuisance and to keep Curaçao livable. The energy transition, which should result in a sustainable energy system for Curaçao, requires innovations in both technical and social areas. A great deal of knowledge is needed about new technologies and human behavior to guarantee public support. This has created a unique opportunity for the faculty where knowledge is developed that is unique to the region and will consist of a team of professionals, lab and scientific staff and students from the university. In addition, there will be close cooperation with the field of data collection and exchange.