Contribution to energy transition
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Cothen Solarpark
On 9 March 2018 Sunvest submitted a request to the municipality for the construction of Cothen solar park in the municipality of Wijk bij Duurstede. Sunvest’s initiative is the first solar park in the municipality of Wijk bij Duurstede. In its response to the request in principle it states that the council of the municipality of Wijk bij Duurstede has decided to agree to the request in principle subject to certain conditions.
The solar park can make an important contribution to Wijk bij Duurstede’s climate neutral ambition of 2030. The municipality has expressed the wish to realise this ambition as much as possible in its own municipality. The plan anticipates a policy and assessment framework to be drawn up by the municipality. The municipality will take the practical experience gained from this project into account when drafting the policy and assessment framework.
In the meantime, the permit for the solar park has been issued and the municipality has used the experiences with this project to shape its policy. In May 2021 Sunvest completed the financing for Cothen solar park and in August 2021 construction began! The solar park is expected to be completed at the end of 2021 and to start supplying sustainably generated electricity to the grid in March 2022.
The landscape integration of Cothen solar park has now largely been realised. The green integration consists of trees and shrubs and was put in place as a first step, before the solar panels themselves are installed. In this way a buffer zone was created between the homes and the solar park, and the greenery can already grow this summer, so that the solar panels will soon be invisible. The construction itself, including the installation of the solar panels, will start in August 2021 and is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
The project is in the following phase:
We build nature inclusive solar parks
Information about this project
Landowner
- The plan area was first used agriculturally as a fruit orchard. The landowner would like to generate sustainable electricity and contribute to the energy transition.
- This location is a suitable spot for a nature inclusive solar park because the solar park is already well embedded in the landscape. Although the solar park will be built close to the residential area in Cothen, it is already well screened by an existing 4-metre high hedge.
Landscape and nature
- The plan area used to be a fruit orchard. To preserve the old character of the landscape, fruit trees will be planted on the north side of the solar park.
- The plan area used to be a fruit orchard. To preserve the old character of the landscape, fruit trees will be planted on the north side of the solar park.
- A wide green buffer zone of 1 hectare will be created between the solar park and the houses in Cothen. All trees and bushes planted will be indigenous (forest) plants. As a result, the solar park will not be visible to local residents, either in winter or summer.
Local community
- Sunvest and the local energy cooperative EigenWijkse EnergieCoöperatie (EWEC) are cooperating at Cothen solar park. EWEC's general meeting of members almost unanimously approved the collaboration.
- Residents of Cothen and the municipality of Wijk bij Duurstede will be able to purchase the electricity generated at the solar park from EWEC.
- Residents of Cothen and the municipality of Wijk bij Duurstede could invest in Cothen Solar park by means of Zon Obligaties. The subscription opened on 1 March 2021 and was a huge success!
Gerard Vernooij
landowner and owner of a fruit company in Cothen
”Sunvest understands both the agricultural world and the sustainable energy market. The designed solar park has added value both for me and for the neighbourhood.”
Information evening on 25 March 2019
Communication with local residents
Sunvest believes that local residents and the environment have an important role to play in the development of a nature inclusive solar park. In our experience this leads to a better solar park where the local area actually benefits and can participate in the energy transition.
Sunvest has held several meetings with people living in the immediate vicinity of the future solar park to gather their feedback on how the solar park can best be fitted into the environment. Based on the feedback from local residents several adjustments were made to the landscape design of the solar park.
In addition, Sunvest organised several information evenings for local residents and interested parties from the area. Sunvest used the information collected during the first walk-in evening and during the discussions with local residents to draw up a new version of the development plan that is more in line with the wishes and preferences expressed. This modified plan was presented by Sunvest at the second information evening on 25 March 2019
