Power and water solutions bring New Origin’s photonics fab in Enschede within reach
Dutch photonic chip foundry New Origin has cleared what it describes as the biggest obstacles for its planned fab at Kennispark in Enschede. Feasible solutions are now in place for both power and water supply, although the agreements still need to be worked out and finalised.
The fab is set to take photonic chip technology developed in the Twente region from the lab into industrial production, according to a machine-translated Dutch press release from New Origin. The company describes the facility as a missing link between research, chip design and large-scale manufacturing.
Grid congestion and water scarcity are holding back new industrial projects across the Netherlands, and New Origin has been no exception. Over the past months, the company has worked with the municipality of Enschede, the Province of Overijssel, the regional water authority Vechtstromen, grid operator Enexis, the University of Twente and other partners to secure supply for the fab.
“Over the past months, we have worked closely together here in the region and made significant progress. For both power and water, there are now concrete potential solutions on the table. This progress gives us confidence that New Origin can be realised in Enschede,” says Twan Korthorst, CEO of New Origin.
For power, the parties have developed what the press release calls a smart grid solution, with input from Enexis and the grid operator. A more detailed technical plan will follow. For water, Aqua Twente will supply process water from the Twentekanaal for regular operations. Vechtstromen has also said it is prepared, under certain conditions, to provide treated wastewater as an additional source.
“The issues around power and water are complex. And yet we are going to do it. In this region, parties show courage and find solutions together. Agreements still need to be worked out and formalised, but I have every confidence that we will get this done,” says Barry Overink, alderman for economic affairs in Enschede.
The Province of Overijssel is co-investing in the fab, citing the strategic importance of photonic chip production for the Netherlands and Europe.
“Photonic chips are going to play a key role in telecom, AI infrastructure, healthcare and security. We want to have that technology in our own hands, in the Netherlands and in Europe,” says Erwin Hoogland, provincial executive of Overijssel.
The press release does not disclose the size of the investment, the province’s stake, the fab’s planned capacity or a timeline for construction and production.
