Rabobank Project Finance has provided the required financing for a 20 MWp (MegaWatt Peak) Agri PV park on the A73 near Nijmegen with an expected KWh output equal to the annual consumption of more than 7700 households. The solar installation, which is expected to be operational in Q4 2023, is directly located alongside Twan Broekman’s Solar Park A73. Both are being developed as a so-called Agri-PV park. This means that crops with high shade tolerance can be grown under the solar panels.
Accelerating the energy transition
Koolen Industries aims to accelerate the energy transition, making sustainable energy available, accessible and affordable for everyone.
We do this by investing in cleantech companies, enabling their development, and most importantly, by delivering integrated energy solutions for clients looking for a full-service sustainable energy system.
With the Nijmegen solar park, we are taking a more active role in moving the energy transition forward by investing in an innovative solar solution ourselves.
'Together with our colleagues at Rabobank Project Finance, we’ve worked hard over the past few months to finance this project. We’re very pleased to share that this has been successful and that we can now get to work in full on the construction of the solar park' said Sjoerd Hendriksen, Corporate Development and M&A Manager at Koolen Industries.
Learning in practice
Investing our own resources in such a complex project gives us the unique advantage to maximize testing with hardware and energy management software.
´This project is a fantastic testing ground. We are learning in real-time how a large-scale, complex project can be handled intelligently and how we can successfully collaborate with a long list of key stakeholders. For example, we have to deal with Tennet's high-voltage power lines, a high-pressure gas pipeline from GasUnie, and a water pipeline from Vitens. We’re working in an archaeologically diverse area, combining PV with the cultivation of specific crops. We are playing in the Champions League of solar park development! There is also an enormous amount to learn here from a technical perspective. How do you realize as much generation as possible? How do you make efficient use of a joint network connection (cable pooling)? And how do you connect smart charging and energy storage so that energy can be delivered at the moment it is needed most?' says Rien Veldsink, Business Developer at Koolen Industries.
With good guidance
Due to the complexity of the plot and the challenging, changing market conditions, we’ve encountered a few speed bumps getting the Nijmegen solar park off the ground. Luckily, thanks in part to the excellent guidance from consulting firms Rebel and Encon, strong agreements have been reached between the various parties involved and we are now ready to begin realizing the project.
Delivering the Nijmegen solar park
With the park less than a year away from being operational, work has already begun! The solar panels will be manufactured before Christmas and the Agri-PV construction will begin towards the end of February 2023. During Q3 of 2023, the solar panels, inverters and transformer stations will be installed. We expect the park to be operational in Q4 2023. Follow along on LinkedIn or subscribe to our newsletter as we share updates and learnings from this exciting, solar energy innovation in the coming months.
Want more information on this project? Contact Koolen Industries Business Developer Rien Veldsink.