‘Wind pulling farmers through bad times’: Large Dutch community-owned wind farm set for launch

The 320MW Zeewolde Zeewolde (320MW) OnshoreFlevoland, Netherlands, Europe Click to see full details wind farm – a community-owned repowering project in Flevoland, north-central Netherlands – has been fully operational since late July.

Sieburgh Sjoerdsma, director of the project, said Zeewolde’s community-ownership model is in contrast to the traditional model of wind farms being owned by energy companies or financial institutions.

He said: “You can be upset about the possible arrival of a wind farm. You can also see it as an opportunity, take the initiative and ensure that burdens are turned into benefits. And that’s what happened here. 

“Everyone in the area has started working together to become a very large producer of renewable energy.”

The wind farm’s revenue is due to complement local farmers’ income from harvesting potatoes, onions, sugar beets and wheat, Sjoerdsma noted.

One farmer, Regina de Groot, said: “It used to be enough to only grow crops. The windmills are now pulling families through bad times.”

Zeewolde’s 83 Vestas turbines are due to replace 220 older Vestas machines, which are due to be decommissioned by the end of 2026.

The 83 new turbines – V136-4.3MW (20 units), V126-3.8MW (33 units), V117-4.3MW (21 units) and V110-2.2MW (nine units) – are expected to produce three times as much electricity as the older models they are replacing. 

Construction of the new wind farm had started in October 2019.

Zeewolde sells power to Swedish utility Vattenfall under a 15-year deal.