Renewable energy: largest floating solar park in Europe to be built in the Netherlands

In the context of climate change, it’s become more relevant than ever that countries take the practical action needed in order to curb emissions and pursue a transition to greener energy.

The Netherlands has been good at pretending that it pursues a green policy, yet statistics show that it is last place in the European Union when it comes to deriving its energy needs from renewable sources. And given that a large part of the country is under sea level, urgent action is necessary for mitigating climate change, lest the country succumbs under the seas.

Large floating park in Zwolle

A developer named Groenleven has commenced building what might be the largest floating solar park in Europe, on a lake used for sand extraction. 72,000 solar panels will supply as much as energy as 7,000 households consume each year, according to NU.

The director of Groenleven, Ronald Pechtold, considers the location of the sand extraction lake as ideal for the building of the solar park, as it is an industrial area where not a lot of people go to.

He has not revealed the exact price tag of the project, yet it numbers in the tens of millions euros. Thankfully, the Dutch state is behind the project by providing subsidies for its construction, for a period spanning 15 years.

First tests in the solar park already conducted

The project will have an inclusive economic and social dynamic, as residents of the region will be able to chip in financially in the project. A large part of the project will also be held under local ownership.

The project has recently been tested for resistance. In the past, different floating solar parks have failed due to storms. However, due to the quality of the design and construction, the new solar park has proven to be resilient, going through Storm Ciara without a scratch.

There are other solar parks in the works in the Netherlands. A partnership of municipalities, together with companies and research institutes have set the goal for the development of 2 gigawatts of floating solar panels by the year 2023. If successful, these projects will produce as much energy as hundreds of thousands of households consume yearly.

What other renewable energy sources should the Netherlands pursue? Let us know in the comments.

Feature Image: piqsels