Just before the cabinet fell, climate minister Rob Jetten indicated to the House of Representatives via the so-called 'Zonnebrief' that he wanted to stop the construction of fields full of solar panels on agricultural land and in nature. This measure restricts the freedom of choice of agricultural entrepreneurs to determine the future of their farm even further.
In the letter, Jetten indicates that he wants to use the scarce space as efficiently as possible while preserving the quality of the physical living environment. To achieve this, the government follows the so-called 'Preference Order for Solar' when applying for a permit for new solar projects. Only when projects on roofs, facades and terrains and objects within built-up and rural areas offer insufficient possibilities, locations are used as a last resort. on agricultural and natural lands.
Rules with a very Dutch scope
The Netherlands would not be the Netherlands if no exceptions were possible, albeit under strict conditions. The cabinet and provinces are working together on rules with the very Dutch purport of 'no, unless'. To this end, a limited number of exceptions are formulated, of which the conditions 'temporary' and 'multifunctional use' are in any case part. These 'no, unless' conditions will be further elaborated in the coming months and should come into effect from 1 July 2024. The question is, however, how energetically this will be tackled with the elections in November and possibly a long formation ahead.
However, the question is whether this prohibition measure is not too late? In the Netherlands, solar panels are now installed on 2.170 hectares of the total 1,8 million hectares of agricultural land. More than enough space it seems to build more solar parks. Were it not for the fact that the financial picture for the construction of solar parks on agricultural land has already deteriorated considerably in recent times due to the sharply increased costs and decreasing subsidy. Where it used to be financially interesting as an agricultural entrepreneur to give your land to project developers to set up solar parks (and thus add value to your agricultural land), that is no longer such an interesting option.
Cloudy outlook
Of course, the roofs of large barns can be used to install solar panels. This saves money on the energy bill and makes use of space that otherwise lies unused, while the farmland remains completely agricultural. To make the outlook even more murky, the current power infrastructure is also unable to handle the enormous increase in the variable supply of wind and solar energy. The manager of our high-voltage grid TenneT and local distribution companies such as Liander and Enexis are already warning of possible power failures from 2030. There are already about 6.000 companies, mostly new sustainable energy projects, on the waiting list to be connected to our overcrowded power grid. which until recently was among the best and most reliable in the world.
It is possible that the soup will not be eaten as hot as it is now served. With the fall of the current cabinet, a new political reality will probably emerge after the elections. As a result, it may just be that a different wind will blow and this proposed measure will be taken off the table again.
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This is in response to it Boerenbusiness article:
[url = https: // www.boerenbusiness.nl/column/10905358/stop-with-solar-panels-on-agricultural]Stop with solar panels on agricultural land?[/url]
if solar panels yield about 7500 euros per ha without the risk of weather or regulations, then you are not going to worry about arable crops or cows
Crazy = crazy = fed up? Abolish and dispose of!
With Putin's escapades, this has been the best investment for many individuals. Problem : grid operators and energy producers with gigantic reserves have sat on their hands for too long and are now lagging behind . Regional energy storage or regional H2 production for recirculation E production ! Sounds simple but requires timely decisions!
if solar panels yield about 7500 euros per ha without the risk of weather or regulations, then you are not going to worry about arable crops or cows