Twente ranks amongst the world’s leaders in the field of photonics, where research, talent and industry converge. The New Origin factory fills an important gap in this regard: technology developed in the region can be scaled up here to enable the industrial production of silicon nitride (SiN) photonic chips. This is in line with the ambition – on which PhotonDelta and the National Growth Fund, amongst others, are working – to build an internationally competitive photonic chip industry in the Netherlands, with a complete value chain from design to large-scale production.
Solutions for electricity and water
Network congestion and water scarcity are holding back new developments across the Netherlands, including for New Origin. Over the past few months, New Origin has been working with the Municipality of Enschede, the Province of Overijssel, the Vechtstromen Water Board, Enexis, the University of Twente and other partners to find solutions. A plan for a smart grid solution has now been drawn up for the energy supply, and this is currently being developed in further technical detail. Aqua Twente supplies process water from the Twente Canal, and the Vechtstromen Water Board is prepared, subject to certain conditions, to make treated wastewater available as an additional source.
Strategic importance
The Province of Overijssel is co-investing in the factory, as chip production in Twente is of strategic importance to the Netherlands and Europe. Photonic chips are expected to play a key role in sectors including telecoms, AI infrastructure, quantum technology, healthcare and secure communications. Agreements still need to be finalised and set out in writing, but according to the parties involved, the biggest hurdles have virtually been overcome.
