Many agricultural companies have to deal with this: more and more parties that run away with part of the margin. Both at the front and at the back of the company. Pig farmer Johnny Hogenkamp invested in solar panels to recover his margin loss.
Hogenkamp: "If we don't do anything about it ourselves, nothing will change." Initially, the pig farmer invested in about 1.900 solar panels, in order to be completely energy neutral as a company and to save electricity costs. But that soon became 6.370 solar panels, in order to collect as much subsidy as possible and to provide the entire village with green electricity. "By being self-sufficient, we are now saving a few tons per year," says Hogenkamp.
Subsidy tap of 5 billion
To make such a large investment in solar panels profitable, Hogenkamp made use of a subsidy for entrepreneurs: the Stimulation of Sustainable Energy Transition (Stimulering Sustainable Energy Transition).SDE++† In November 2020, the government will once again temporarily open a subsidy tap of 5 billion euros for entrepreneurs who want to install at least 50 solar panels.
With this subsidy, the entrepreneur receives a maximum of 15 cents per kWh of solar energy generated from the government for 8,0 years. This generated energy is consumed by the company itself, so that it no longer has to buy electricity. All green energy generated that is not consumed by the company is sold to the energy company and is returned to the grid.
In this way, a farmer with solar panels earns three times money. See for example this calculation example.
Calculate revenue
Would you like to know more about the benefits of solar panels in your stable or shed? Easily calculate what you can earn from solar panels on your roof, via this free Online calculator.
* watch here the whole interview with Johnny Hogenkamp.