You've probably seen a solar farm from the motorway before, but one solar farm is not like another. Saskia takes a look at a small-scale solar farm owned by Vrijopnaam in Drenthe, built on an old rubbish tip. Just the way they like it: building solar parks in places where nothing else happens anyway, and then managing them in a smart, ecological way so that nature actually improves.
Ecological solar farm in Drenthe from Vrijopnaam
In partnership with Vrijopnaam
A small-scale solar park is located in Zeijen in Drenthe. At first glance, it may look like an ordinary solar park, but nothing could be further from the truth. This is because it is built on an old rubbish tip. This is a piece of (contaminated) land on which you are no longer allowed to grow anything, graze animals or build houses. A place with no destination you might think. But not for Vrijopnaam... During my tour, I quickly notice that every detail has been thought of here. The park was designed in collaboration with biologists and landscape architects. The panels are further apart than usual, creating space for plants, flowers and small animals. There is even a special flower mix sown in, perfectly suited to this area. The fences have been raised slightly so that rabbits, hares, mice and badgers can just pass under them. And it works: everywhere I see rabbit droppings, little digs by mice, frogs scurrying away and abandoned nests in bird protection nest boxes. Not only is energy being generated here, people are actually living here!
Vrijopnaam is a green energy supplier because they generate their power locally in the Netherlands, but they do more. They build solar parks on pieces of land that are difficult to find a use for, for example because the soil is polluted like in Drenthe. They then manage the solar park in a nature-inclusive way so that animals can live in the solar park.
More sustainable solar parks
Vrijopnaam is a green energy company that generates its power entirely by itself, in twelve small-scale solar parks across the Netherlands. Each park has its own story. In Etten-Leur, for example, there is an elongated solar park on the sound barrier along the A58 motorway - once the longest in the Netherlands - and in Maassluis there is a park on wasteland where sheep now graze between the panels. Vrijopnaam deliberately chooses sites that would otherwise remain unused, such as old landfills or noise barriers. That makes their parks not only smart, but also surprisingly beautiful.
What really is green energy?
The energy market in the Netherlands is still largely dependent on fossil fuels. Coal and gas together provide most of our electricity. That must and can be changed. And that is what the energy transition is all about: switching step by step to truly renewable sources such as solar and wind. But not all ‘green power’ is as green as it seems. Many energy suppliers buy grey power (from coal or gas) and ‘green’ it with so-called green certificates from abroad. This is known colloquially as sham power: on paper the power appears sustainable, but in reality little changes to the way it is generated. Vrijopnaam takes a different approach. They generate their own power in Dutch solar parks and supply it directly to their customers.
Local solar energy for all!
What further distinguishes Vrijopnaam is that not only do they supply truly green electricity and gas - they have been scoring a big 10 in The Green Power Ranking from Greenpeace - but also go a step further. They want to make solar energy accessible to everyone. Because far from every roof is suitable for solar panels. About half of all Dutch homes simply cannot accommodate one - think rented houses, flats or listed buildings. And yet most people do want to do something for a greener Netherlands. That is why Vrijopnaam came up with the Paneelopnaam concept: for 99 euros you buy a solar panel in one of their parks. The yield of that panel is deducted from your energy bill every year. And via the app, you can see exactly how much your panel is generating. This way, you benefit directly from your own solar power, without the need for anything on your roof.
Find out more about this green energy supplier.
More energy (saving) tips
- Also see: tips for taking shorter showers.
- Also see: simple tips to start saving on your gas bill today.
- Also see: learn passive cooking!
Sources: Greenpeace, HERE, Arjen Lubach (NPO). Photo credits: main image: thegreenlist.nl (left), Vrijopnaam (right), other: Vrijopnaam.
