Sandra Bellekom

Sandra Bellekom is a Lecturer-researcher at Hanze University of Applied Sciences, working within the Entrance – Center of Expertise Energy. Her work focuses on system integration in the energy transition, with particular expertise in renewable energy systems, solar power optimization, and smart grid technology. She contributes significantly to research projects related to sustainable energy solutions and environmental systems analysis.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Delft University of Technology (1993-1998)
• Master's degree in Energy and Environmental Sciences, cum laude, from University of Groningen (2002-2005)
• Basic Teaching Qualification (BKO) from University of Groningen (2010-2011)
• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering (ir), cum laude, from Delft University of Technology (1989-1993)

Sandra Bellekom's research interests span the critical areas of energy transition and sustainable systems. Her work emphasizes practical applications of renewable energy technologies, particularly focusing on system integration challenges. She investigates how solar energy systems perform under real-world conditions, examining factors like panel contamination and cleaning effectiveness. Her research also extends to hydrogen energy systems, smart grid integration, and the economic optimization of renewable energy solutions. Through her work, she addresses key challenges in making the energy transition technically feasible and economically viable, with a strong focus on data-driven analysis and system modeling.

Her recent publications (2019-2025) demonstrate a clear trend toward applied research in solar energy optimization and hydrogen systems. The research shows increasing focus on practical field studies examining how real-world factors like bird droppings, dust, and other contaminants affect solar panel performance. There's also a notable shift toward system-level analysis, particularly in hydrogen energy configuration and the integration of multiple renewable sources. Her work consistently bridges technical analysis with practical implementation considerations, making it highly relevant for industry applications.

Sandra actively participates in multiple research projects including 'Effect of pollution and cleaning of solar parks,' 'Hydrogen Works,' and studies on sensible heat storage systems. Her collaborative approach is evident in her numerous co-authored publications across various energy domains. While specific mentoring relationships aren't detailed in the available information, her background includes supervising master's students during previous academic positions.

Her research laboratory and team work primarily through the Entrance – Center of Expertise Energy, focusing on practical field studies and system modeling. Current projects involve monitoring solar parks across the Netherlands, developing hydrogen configuration tools, and optimizing energy storage solutions for buildings. The team employs a combination of field measurements, data analysis, and system modeling to address real-world energy challenges.