Citizens can generate much more renewable energy: Monitor

Significantly more renewable energy could be generated if the government, grid operators, and developers work together more, said the climate foundation HIER, who look at various initiatives by citizens to generate power together. Civilian projects with solar parks, solar roofs, and large-scale batteries generate power for half a million homes. “But it could have been a million,” said Gijs Termeer, director at HIER.

The Netherlands currently has 702 local energy cooperatives, but the growth has been stagnating in the last few years. However, the number of projects has quadrupled in the last 10 years.

In the last year, the energy cooperatives have realized 93 solar roofs, 18 solar parks, three large-scale batteries, and a wind farm. The local residents and entrepreneurs own the projects and decide how the income is divided in the area.

HIER said in the Local Energy Monitor, which was published on Tuesday, that hundreds of projects are planned or under construction. “But delays and continuously longer running times are a big concern,” said the foundation. This delay could also mean that a project is not financially viable, due to rising costs. “Which is a huge shame, of course,” said Termeer.

More and more people are joining a local energy cooperative, according to HIER. "There are now 50 cooperatives with more than 500 members, of which 19 initiatives even have more than a 1,000 members."

HIER stated that there are now also more cooperatives that develop into energy communities. “In which local entrepreneurs, residents, and governments ensure that a sufficient amount of affordable energy is available at the right moment.”