Dutch energy company Eneco will start the construction of its largest solar farm to date underneath the five wind turbines of wind farm Kabeljauwbeek, which also belongs to Eneco.
The farm, with some 88,000 solar panels, will generate around 44,500 MWh of green electricity per year. The construction of a solar farm at its fully-owned wind farm Kabeljauwbeek, on the southwest side of the village of Ossendrecht and sandwiched between the A4 motorway, the Scheldt-Rhine Canal and the Belgian border, is unique for Eneco. By combining the two techniques, optimal use of the land and of energy production is made.
“With the construction of a solar farm underneath a wind farm, we can make better use of the available space and the existing connection to the power grid,” says Erwin Leeuwis, Eneco’s director of asset development and -realisation. “So with this development, we are helping to avoid more grid congestion while being able to supply green power at more times. Moreover, this is a new step in the good cooperation we have built in recent years with the Woensdrecht municipality and other stakeholders in the area.”
“The development of the solar farm is in line with Woensdrecht municipality’s ambition to be energy-neutral. This solar farm will contribute to local power generation,” said Woensdrecht municipality alderman Thierry de Heer. “From the end of this year, at the first power delivery, it will support the realisation of the energy-neutral goals and make a valuable contribution to the Regional Energy Strategy (RES) in our region.”
Construction of the solar farm will begin in March. The first solar panels will be installed in June. By the end of this year, the solar farm should then be able to supply the first power and shortly after that it will be fully operational. The enclosed location largely hides the farm from view in a natural manner. To further hide the solar farm from view, vegetation will be planted on the northern and western sides to allow for a natural connection between natural areas on the west side and the south side of the farm. Source: Eneco
