Dutch dairies’ solar panels can provide 12% of country’s energy

Initially 344 additional dairy farms indicated they would participate, however, the final number was 462. This brings the total number of participants in the FrieslandCampina Solar program to 772 dairy farms.

In total, 840,000 solar panels can now be installed, which will provide half of the electricity requirements of FrieslandCampina’s production locations and offices in the Netherlands.

In addition to the 772 dairy farms participating in the program, more than 2,200 FrieslandCampina members have already installed solar panels independently. Recent research from the University of Amsterdam shows the solar power that can be generated on the roofs of FrieslandCampina members’ facilities can provide 12% of the total Dutch domestic electricity needs.

More than 20,000 solar panels per week

The FrieslandCampina program encourages dairy farmers to install solar panels on their roofs. Panel supplier GroenLeven intends to complete the installation on 50 roofs by the end of 2018, and then install solar panels on 20 roofs per week.

The company said about 22,000 solar panels can be installed on average per week.

Production of the solar power is made possible in part by an SDE + subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.