From pig farm to solar park
Over a year ago, two aldermen from the municipality of Haaksbergen broke ground, marking the official start of the Solar Park De Stegenhoek construction. Since last December, the solar park has been supplying sustainably generated electricity. On Thursday, May 30, the solar park was officially opened.
The solar panel field covers approximately nine hectares and provides solar power for 2,600 households in the municipality of Haaksbergen. Notably, the establishment of Solar Park De Stegenhoek enabled the landowner to transition from an intensive pig farm with three hundred sows to a small-scale, organic, closed-loop pig farm with twenty sows. Solar energy has become the “new crop” that helps ensure the continuity of their farming business.
Opening Ceremony
The solar park was officially opened together with approximately one hundred guests. Various speakers, including the landowners, shared how the development and construction of the solar park progressed. The guests were allowed to take a look inside the fences of the solar park in small groups. This was a unique opportunity as such a high-voltage power plant is rarely accessible to the public.
Noabertref
During the opening, the Noabertref was also unveiled. This spot, conceived at the request of and in consultation with local residents during the solar park’s development process, serves as a resting place for walkers and cyclists with a picnic table and, of course, a charging point for electric bikes. Information about the activities behind the fence and how a fund, financed by LC Energy and managed through the local energy cooperative, supports local projects can be obtained via QR codes on an information board. The Noabertref is located on the cycling route through Achterhoek and Twente, halfway between junction 09 in Hof van Twente and junction 15 in Berkelland.
Knowledge Session
Prior to the opening ceremony, landowners and their advisors from across the country were hosted. This group is considering developing a solar park or a large-scale battery on their own land. They received information about what such a process entails. Not only LC Energy but also the landowner of Solar Park De Stegenhoek and their advisor were happy to share their knowledge and experience. They discussed topics such as agricultural and tax law, processes with the municipality, local residents, and their own business operations. Experts were present to answer questions and provide tips, giving LC Energy landowners a clear picture of the possibilities.
Did you miss the meeting, and are you interested in getting more information? Contact Gijs van Heemstra at Gijs@lcenergy.nl.
