Green energy company not unique

Last month, Alderwoman Marijke Vos (GroenLinks) announced that the municipality wants to create a power company to promote solar and wind energy. The idea sounded rather rash and opposition party VVD called it ‘megalomaniac’. However, Amsterdam is hardly unique in nurturing the idea of a green energy company, NRC Handelsblad reports this weekend.

Veenendaal is developing a district heating system, Culemborg and the island of Texel have created green power companies and a consortium will announce the creation of an power co-op in Noord-Holland next Monday.

A number of spokespersons told NRC Handelsblad that they are reluctant to create their own power companies, but that they feel they that they have to because the large energy companies would be unresponsive to the green ambitions of local governments. For example, Vos said that these companies do what they are good at: build large coal or or gas-fired power stations. “Small-scale projects such as installing solar panels on rooftops is not part of their expertise.”

André Jurjus of VME, a lobby group representing mainly foreign-owned power companies, told NRC Handelsblad that local governments may be over-ambitious. “Politicians want to proceed faster than what power companies consider possible or logical.”

But Felix van Gemen, who is involved in the Noord-Holland initiative, said that many local initiatives may be quite able to compete with traditional power companies. Because they are co-ops, they may be able to produce at lower prices. “We don’t have to yield a return of 15% or more, like the profit-driven energy companies. For us, 5 to 10% is good enough. Our main interest is in having more sustainable energy.”

Source: NRC Handelsblad / Marcel aan de Brugh. Photo: FaceMePLS