We would prefer to have solar panels on rooftops, above car parks or along roads. However, even if we were to cover every suitable rooftop in Apeldoorn with solar panels, this would still not generate enough renewable electricity. That is why solar farms are also needed. The council and residents are working closely together on this.
The council’s ambition is to become energy-neutral. This means that, by 2050, we aim to generate as much energy within the council’s boundaries as we consume. In this way, we are contributing to a more sustainable world. To achieve this, Apeldoorn wants to promote sustainable solar energy, preferably on rooftops, above car parks or along roads. However, even if we cover all suitable rooftops in Apeldoorn with solar panels, this will still not generate enough sustainable electricity. This is true even if residents and businesses make every effort to save energy. That is why solar farms are needed. Below, you can read about Apeldoorn’s policy on solar energy. Would you like to know more about how you can generate solar energy yourself, or would you like to join a project? Then take a look at the Apeldoorn Energy website.
Solar parks generate a great deal of energy, but they also have a significant impact on the landscape, nature, agriculture and the people living nearby. The development of solar parks in the municipality of Apeldoorn must therefore be carried out with care. In January 2020, the Council adopted the assessment framework for solar parks confirmed. Several proponents of a new solar park subsequently came forward to the local council. A number of these projects have since been completed.
To ensure that solar parks do not spring up everywhere in the future, the council intends to build them in clusters from now on. This is also stated in the Environmental Vision 2040 which was adopted in February 2022. In the Environmental Vision, we have identified two potential sites for solar parks. These are areas near the villages of Beemte Broekland and Klarenbeek. In October 2023, the regulations governing the construction of solar parks in agricultural areas became stricter than those set out in the Environmental Vision.
In Beemte Broekland and Klarenbeek, we are looking beyond the arrival of solar parks. There are, in fact, other developments taking place, such as housing, business parks, agriculture and nature. That is why we are working with area visions, which bring all these different developments together. In the Beemte Broekland area planning process, residents and the local council are working closely together.
We want to generate as much solar energy as possible on rooftops, above car parks or along roads. But how are we going to achieve that in the coming years? Especially at a time like this, when the electricity grid is already at full capacity, meaning that new businesses or other social developments cannot simply be connected to the grid? We answer those questions in the Solar Strategy (PDF, 6.2 MB) This solar strategy focuses primarily on the potential for solar energy in the built environment.
Incidentally, this strategy does not cover solar farms in the areas covered by the municipal environmental vision. For those areas, we are following a separate process; see above.
If you have any questions about specific solar parks or wish to register a new initiative, please contact the Solar Energy Task Force
Email: zon@ovij.nl
