Key Project Numbers

Project Status

Providing Noordoostpolder with 95 MWp Renewable Energy

The Challenge

In 2019, the municipality of Noordoostpolder adopted a policy to enable solar parks in the municipality under specific conditions. One such location was a strip of land alongside the dykes of the IJsselmeer where wind turbines had previously been sited.

By fixing a single straight building line and an east-west direction of installation, an elongated energy landscape of approximately 200 metres wide parallel to the dyke was envisaged. In total, AMPYR Solar Europe is constructing four separate solar parks along the dyke, which will be connected in such a way as to allow operation as a single solar park.

AMPYR Solar Europe's approach

In 2020, AMPYR Solar Europe signed contracts with various landowners on the Noordermeerdijk, a 7.5km dyke on the IJsselmeer, with the intent to use the land for solar park construction. Part of the land had been contracted by a fellow developer.

In contrast to the usual situation in which grid connection is provided by the grid operator, here, AMPYR Solar Europe is responsible for the design and realisation of the grid connection between the four solar parks by means of a 33 kV route to a transformer station from which a 110 kV connection will be made to TenneT's high-voltage substation 'Westermeerdijk'.

The development of the solar park was characterized by a long development period in which intensive coordination was required with various landowners, a fellow developer who was realizing intermediate solar parks, and the owner of the existing wind farm between which the solar parks are located. The realisation of the 33 kV route required the establishment of rights with more than 30 landowners and tenants. During construction, careful consideration had to be given to the existing underground cable connection connecting the wind turbines, since parts of the solar park are built on top of this cable connection.

Results

Along the Noordermeerdijk, AMPYR Solar Europe has created an energy landscape that integrates seamlessly with existing wind energy infrastructure. Through close coordination with other solar energy developers, we achieved a sleek, elongated design that not only maximizes energy generation but also minimizes the impact on the surrounding environment. This collaboration exemplifies the potential for creating integrated energy landscapes that efficiently harness renewable resources.

We expect the 95 MWp solar plant to be operational by the second quarter of 2025.