Last week, the last of three solar installations on public buildings was installed in Sleen. These installations were donated to the community by Sunvest as part of the solar project Haarstdiek.
Utrecht, Sunvest, 22 July 2024. Fotocredits: Femmie Zeewuster
The solar panels were installed, among others, on the former 1938 town hall in Sleen. In consultation with Monumentenzorg, the municipality and the board of the multifunctional centre de Brink, a black flat roof construction was chosen. This is not visible from the ground, preserving the integrity of the monumental building. A total of 49 panels have been installed on the building.
Local community enables energy transition
Geert Westerink, chairman of the board of MFC de Brink says: ‘We are happy to have solar panels on the MFC. Our first energy bill is yet to come but with 49 panels I expect a nice saving on our energy costs. We spent five years trying to come to an agreement with the municipality. In all that time, the contact with Sunvest was very smooth, they are accessible and thoughtful.’
Property developer Sunvest always involves the local community in its projects. Bob Schulte, director of Sunvest, ‘We would like local residents to benefit from the solar park. Besides the donation of panels for the football club, the tennis club and the MFC de Brink, local residents were given priority to participate financially in the park. 226 residents have taken advantage of this and receive an attractive annual return on their investment.’
Haarstdiek solar park
The solar panels on the MFC de Brink are the latest component of Haarstdiek solar park. A total of three solar installations were donated to public buildings: the football club, the tennis club and the MFC de Brink in Sleen.
The Haarstdiek solar park is located next to Sleen on over 11 hectares of land and is combined with a small fruit orchard for the neighbourhood. Between the village and the panels, a two-metre-high vegetated embankment has been constructed so that the park is out of sight. The transformer house at the edge of the park is disguised as a wooden shed.
The project has a capacity of 11.4 MWp. Almost 26,000 solar panels will generate 11 million kWh annually, enough to power 4,000 households
The Haarstdiek nature-friendly solar park consists of:
– Almost 26,000 solar panels
– Three donated solar installations for public buildings
– A community fund (amounting to 254,000 euros)
– A two-metre high viewing wall
– A transformer house disguised as a wooden shed
– An orchard with old varieties surrounded by a thicket hedge
– Planting attractive to partridges and pheasants
