Vattenfall is to build its first floating solar farm in the Netherlands, it has announced.
The utility will start the build of a 1.2 MW facility in Gendringen this month, and says that floating photovoltaics (PV) is a good option for developers in areas where land for construction is scarce.
The Gendringen PV farm will be built on a pond created by the extraction of sand and gravel by Netterden, Vattenfall’s partner in the project. The solar farm will meet half of Netterden’s annual power demand.
Netterden will finance the build while Vattenfall is the main contractor. “At Vattenfall, our mission is to make fossil-free living possible within one generation,” said Ivo Iprenburg, Business Development Manager Real Estate at Vattenfall. “Our shared ambition for a sustainable future has brought us together in this project.
“I believe it is special that Netterden’s decision to launch this project is driven by their vision regarding socially responsible enterprise. Renewable energy is a natural part of this.”
The solar farm is due to start operating in May 2020.
