On Thursday 25 June 2020, the official green light was given for the start of construction activities at the Ospeldijk wind farm in the municipality of Nederweert, province of Limburg. The wind farm is expected to be fully operational in the summer of 2021.
Windpark Ospeldijk is an initiative of the energy cooperative Zuidenwind and water company Waterleidingmaatschappij Limburg (WML).
Nordex Delta 4000
The wind farm comprises 4 wind turbines from Nordex. The German wind turbine manufacturer supplies 4 turbines from its Delta 4000 series. These relatively quiet turbines have a hub height of 135 m and a rotor diameter of 149 m. Combined they will be able to produce more than 45 million kWh of electricity annually.
WML owns 2 wind turbines which will enable it to provide half of its own energy consumption sustainably. The other 2 turbines are owned by Zuidenwind.
Citizen participation
Citizen cooperative Zuidenwind is working in close collaboration with NEWECOOP, the energy cooperative Nederweert. The members of the energy cooperatives, mostly residents of Nederweert and surroundings, have made construction financially possible by investing in the project. The project, from idea to start of construction, was established in only three years. The early involvement of citizens is viewed by the initiators to have played an important role in achieving this.
An environmental fund has been set up for 15 years from which sustainable projects can be funded once the wind farm is operational. One euro per kWh is deposited into the fund. Annually this could be around € 45,000.
Local entrepreneurs
The initiators indicate that they have engaged as many local entrepreneurs as possible for the construction of the wind farm. Part of the infrastructure (roads and crane hard stands) is being constructed by earthmoving company Kiggen from Ospel. The concrete for the foundations comes from the concrete plant of Kalle and Bakker in Nederweert. The tower parts arrive by barge and are unloaded on the quay at Kalle and Bakker.
Schedule
At the end of August, a start will be made on laying the park cables. The foundations and internal park roads will be built from September to October. The installation of the turbines is planned to start at the beginning of 2021.