Photo source : Solarcentury (Solar For Cameron's neighbours)
Article by : Ben Wills (Pv-Hi-tech.org)

UK-headquartered system integrator Solarcentury is to build what is expected to be the largest PV power plant to date in the Netherlands.

The company is building the 6MWp project on Ameland Island, in the north of the country, for the local municipality, Amerlander Energy Cooperative and supplier, Eneco.

Solar Park Ameland will be built on the island’s airfield, and energy will be fed into the local grid for use by local residents.

Solarcentury said the project would eventually supply power to 1,500 homes on the island, reducing their reliance on fossil fuel-based power from the mainland.

The company will be responsible for the design and construction of the system, as well as the maintenance and monitoring of the project after its completion.

Michiel van Beek, director of Solar Park Ameland said: “The basis for Solar Park Ameland is a unique collaboration between three different, but complementary, parties… all in it with the goal to build a solar farm for the locals and contributing to the island’s sustainability ambitions.

“The ambitions to integrate this project into the landscape are high. Therefore we are pleased with the outcome of the European tender process. With Solarcentury we have an experienced international party, with a solid financial position and a local team with strong engineering and project management capability.”

Dennis de Jong, director of Solarcentury in the Benelux said: “We are pleased to have won this project as part of a European tender process; it demonstrates the confidence in Solarcentury and our commercial-scale project experience. Ameland Solar Park furthers our ambition to offer customers around the world solar energy with maximum yield at low risk. It’s encouraging to see Dutch people looking to solar as a way to reduce carbon emissions.”

Construction of the Ameland solar park starts this month and the project is scheduled to be connected to the local grid in early 2016.

Reference : Saxley solar farm timelapse | Solarcentury
By Solarcentury