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‘Local ownership is key to large-scale generation’
Local ownership must be at the heart of large-scale projects to generate sustainable energy. When developing and implementing new projects, such as the construction of solar fields and the installation of wind turbines, residents, organisations and businesses jointly decide for their neighbourhood or village how they will meet their own local energy needs. In this way, they ensure local security of supply at affordable energy prices and relieve the burden on the national energy grid.
This is part of the speech given by EA board member Ferd Schelleman during the hearing of the Alphen municipal council on 24 June on the subject of large-scale renewable energy generation. The municipal council will soon have to decide where in the municipality, and under what conditions, wind turbines and solar fields can be built in the future. Click here to read the full response from Energiek Alphen aan den Rijn.
Energiek Alphen was one of nearly twenty organisations and residents who presented their views on a proposal by the municipality regarding conditions and preferred locations during the hearing. Ferd Schelleman spoke on behalf of the board. He indicated that local production of sustainable energy has significant advantages over the initiatives of large energy suppliers and project developers. “It is sustainable. Citizens and businesses decide. Even residents with limited financial means can participate, and the profits remain with the participants and the municipality. Nuisance to residents and nature must be minimised and compensated for as much as possible,” said Schelleman.
“By forming local energy communities, we can take control of our own energy together. To achieve this, it is essential that the local authority, in collaboration with the provincial authority if necessary, creates the conditions within which local ownership can actually be realised,” Schelleman explained to the council members.
Energiek Alphen previously stated that new projects for large energy installations should aim for at least 50 per cent local ownership (and that this should be laid down in a contract).
Updates
On 3 July, the municipal council discussed the conditions for large-scale generation and preferred locations for wind turbines in the Spatial and Economic Domain Council Committee. Click here for all documents (including public consultation responses) and/or to review the hearing.
During the municipal council meeting on 17 July, the majority of the council did not approve the conditions proposed by the municipal executive for solar and wind energy and preferred areas for wind turbines. Click here to review the debate and the vote.
