Local cooperation as an engine for energy transition
Realizing a sustainable energy project together with the local community, how does that work in practice? We explain our approach and why technical and social solutions go hand in hand.
A group of about fifty enthusiasts gathers with coffee and cake at the construction site of Citizen Wind Farm A2 Lage Rooijen. The wind is strong and mountain boots protect them from the wet sand on the site. ‘Finally a place where it’s nice that it’s windy,’ jokes one visitor. Three wind turbines are being built in Bommelerwaard, right next to the A2 motorway. Area cooperative Bommelerwaar is showing cooperative members, bondholders and local residents around.
Getting this wind farm built is not a given. Several challenges are involved. The three wind turbines have a combined capacity of 15 MW, but grid congestion limits supply to 10 MW. ‘Until the grid is strengthened we won’t be running at full power in high winds. That is a waste. Together with companies in the area we are investigating solutions such as energy hubs where energy is exchanged locally, combining generation and consumption. Besides technical and legal knowledge, this requires a lot of creativity. We like that,’ says director Annelies Wesselink of GreenTrust Consultancy, a full scope consultancy for sustainable energy projects and involved in the Citizen Wind Farm from the first idea.
From technology to social innovation GreenTrust guides energy cooperatives and other partners in all phases of energy projects, from feasibility, permits and financing to construction and management.’ ‘The energy transition requires more than technology,’ states co-director Lieuwe Dragt. ‘The challenge lies in social innovation. How do we ensure that as many people as possible feel heard and can actively participate? How do we build bridges between climate goals, nature interests and energy facilities?’ GreenTrust works together with more than twenty energy cooperatives in the Netherlands, bringing renewable energy closer to society and vice versa. ‘It’s about more than yield. Think community spirit, social acceptance and a fair distribution between the burdens and lusts.’
Citizen wind farm A2 Lage Rooijen: working together for local energy and nature conservation
A great example of this approach is the aforementioned Citizen Wind Farm A2 Lage Rooijen in Bommelerwaard. This project originated from an intensive collaboration between GreenTrust and Coöperatie Bommelerwaar. The wind farm is of and for the local area: from the beginning, Coöperatie Bommelerwaar is co-owner, which means that the local community benefits directly from the revenues and has a say. Extra special about this project is that Coöperatie Bommelerwaar will receive help in financing from Coöperatie Deltawind of Goeree-Overflakkee, with whom GreenTrust in 2016 built Windpark Krammer, the largest civilian wind farm in the Netherlands. Together they form the holding company Eiland voor Eiland and own 50 percent of the wind farm. Cooperatives are stepping in to help other cooperatives move forward.
To shape the project locally, GreenTrust and Coöperatie Bommelerwaar set up a sounding board group. People from the surrounding area contributed ideas on themes such as nature-inclusive design, construction logistics and the creation of added value for the local community. In 2023, the permit for the wind farm became irrevocable, and construction has since started. In addition to generating electricity, the project invests in nature conservation and development. For example, herb-rich grassland has been sown and more than 1,600 sq. m. of scrubland has been created to protect small marten animals such as the polecat and ermine. These plans were developed in cooperation with local nature organizations and the sounding board group.
Cooperation between cooperatives and experts: the key to a successful energy transition
“I have known GreenTrust for ten years,” says Gijs van Hout, director of the Citizen Wind Farm, “Their focus on cooperation with local cooperatives is the way to realize energy projects in this day and age. GreenTrust believes in an energy transition supported by society and guides cooperatives in the development of energy projects. Its strength lies in the combination of local knowledge and the local network of cooperatives and GreenTrust’s project experience and multidisciplinary team.
