The city is richer by a unique solar park. A site in Schiebroek with 5,400 solar panels that can provide electricity for 1,000 households for a year. Half of it is financed through crowdfunding by residents, among others.
The information board at the solar park on Landscheiding/G.K. van Hogendorpweg was unveiled on Wednesday by Alderman Chantal Zeegers (Climate, Building, and Housing). Thus, the solar park is in operation.
Contemporary
What makes the solar park special? It is an initiative by entrepreneurs and property owners in the Schiebroek business area. They are partly owners. Moreover, they work together with energy supplier Greenchoice and the municipality.
It is also the first solar park that is half financed through crowdfunding by Rotterdammers, among others. Alderman Zeegers: Entrepreneurs, residents, and the municipality have created something together that is not only sustainable but also contemporary and Rotterdam. This is collaborating for the city of tomorrow.
Plans for the solar park
As early as 2015, the initiators stated that they wanted to make their business area energy-positive. That means: producing more green energy than they consume. The goal is to prepare the area for the future and actively reduce CO2 emissions.
A few years later, the idea arose to establish a solar park. The entrepreneurs and property owners founded the Energy Cooperative Schiebroek. They sought collaboration with energy supplier Greenchoice and the municipality, which embraced the plan. The development of the park was entrusted to the subsidiary KiesZon. The municipality granted the land in leasehold to the initiators.
Crowdfunding
At the end of June 2023, work began on the sand depot at Landscheiding/G.K. van Hogendorpweg. Residents of Schiebroek received an invitation to participate in the solar project and invest in green energy. In 3 weeks, the crowdfunding raised the desired 915,000 euros. The total project is financed by the entrepreneurs and property owners, Rotterdammers, Greenchoice, and KiesZon.
With the generated energy from the solar park, the entrepreneurs aim to operate a joint (fast) charging station for trucks and vans. They are also working on solar carports in the business area and installing solar panels on as many roofs as possible.