Opening
Jacqueline Cramer, the Dutch Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment opened the project on 7 May 2009. Jacqueline Cramer spoke highly of the project since it is very unique in several ways.
A collaboration of private owners
A very unique aspect for example is the fact that the existing twelve wind turbines were owned by twelve private owners. Grontmij initiated a collaboration between them and advised them on the planning development. The scattered existing wind turbines were removed and replaced by four new modern calmly turning turbines in one park. The total height of the turbines are 120 meters including the blades making them the highest of the Province of Friesland.
Another unique aspect is the participation of the local community in the wind park project. Part of the revenue of this wind park will go directly to funds that finance social activities of the local community.
Sustainable wind energy
The new wind turbines will produce clean and sustainable energy for 8.000 households, about ten times as much as before. The higher production means a win-win situation for the environment, landscape as well as the local economy!
Independent consultant wind energy
Jaap Wisse, consultant Wind Energy at Grontmij in the Netherlands, guided the twelve wind turbine owners in their role as project developer. Grontmij’s added value lies in her position as an independent consultant. This allowed her to support the owners in gaining public support with the Province, municipality and the local community for their plan. Grontmij took care of the studies into the effects of the plan. She also gave support in getting the permits and contributed to the new zoning plan required for the project.
Jaap Wisse comments: “This was the first wind project that I guided for private initiative takers. In the mean time many more similar development plans for wind parks have been initiated. We are also advising several wind park developers in different locations in the Netherlands. For example Grontmij has also successfully guided the spatial planning process of another wind park in the same municipality called Beabuorren (10.4 MW).”
Broad and extensive expertise
In total twelve Grontmij advisors were involved in the project of the Wind Park A7. Grontmij contributed in the areas of landscape, ecology, archaeology, spatial planning and private law. With help of specific software (WindPro) we were capable in forecasting energy production, calculate shadow casts and noise emissions and to make photo visualisations for wind projects. For several specialist subjects we cooperated with external agencies.
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Windpark A7, Grontmij in the Netherlands