We have started construction of solar parks Buinerhorn and Drouwenerzon in the municipality of Borger-Odoorn in the Netherlands. Together with local developer Roelof Jan Wollerich we symbolically rammed the first pile.
Solar park Buinerhorn will be built between the N374 highway and the village of Nieuw-Buinen. Over 14,000 solar panels will be installed on the 5.6-hectare site, providing green energy to more than 2,500 households annually. The park will have an installed capacity of 7.86 megawatt peak (MWp).
The Drouwenerzon park will be realized on a 5-hectare site, south of Drouwenermond. Over 12,000 solar panels, with an installed capacity of 6.67 MWp, will be able to provide renewable energy to approximately 2,100 households annually.
Local initiative
The plans for both solar projects were initiated by local businessmen Roelof Jan and Jan Willem Wollerich of Mts. Wollerich, and developed as a sustainable branch of an arable farm. The projects will be further realized in cooperation with project developer Chint Solar. Construction is expected to be completed this summer, after which the parks will be connected to the grid. Both parks are owned by Blue Elephant Energy AG, the largest operator of solar parks in the Netherlands.
Natural integration
The solar parks take the sightlines from the nearby villages into account. A surrounding windbreak will mask the fence and the panels. The land under the panels will be sown with a mixture of grass enriched with flowers. The dense structure of the vegetation will provide nesting opportunities and shelter for birds. The vegetation will be managed in various ways, including sheep grazing.
Working together on an energized future
Roelof Jan Wollerich of Mts. Wollerich: “I am very pleased that we have started building both solar parks after a long period of careful preparation. In Chint Solar we have found a partner with its own network to realize the projects, despite the current grid congestion. It is an important addition to our company’s ongoing sustainability efforts. In addition, part of the revenues will be used to support local initiatives. The community centers in Nieuw-Buinen and Drouwenermond will each receive a cheque for EUR 5,000 when the projects have been completed, to be used on sustainable measures.”
Mark van Rij, Head of Business Netherlands at Chint Solar: “We are proud to have kicked-off the construction of solar parks Buinerhorn and Drouwenerzon together with Roelof Jan. We are working passionately on a future of sustainable energy in the Netherlands and by developing these solar parks we are taking another important step in the energy transition. In addition, these projects show that solar energy and the enhancement of nature can go hand in hand.”
