Amsterdam to set up own energy firm

Monday 25 May 2009

Amsterdam city council is planning to set up its own green energy company and will use some of the €800m it will get from selling shares in power firm Nuon to pay for it, the Volkskrant reports on Monday.

The plan includes the building of wind parks, possibly along the northern stretch of the A10 motorway and in the harbour area, and placing 10 million square meters of solar panels on roofs, the paper says.

By 2025, some 30% of the city's energy needs must come from sustainable sources, the paper says. At the moment, green energy accounts for just 6%.

A confidential report by environmental consultancy Ecofys says it will only be possible to reach the target if Amsterdam gets 'actively involved' in boosting sustainable power development, the paper says.

Housing corporations

Amsterdam council executive Marijke Vos told the paper housing corporations are willing to make 10 million square meters of roof space available for solar panels. 'We are talking to them about participating in the energy company,' she said.

Office blocks in the Zuidas business area could also be used to place small wind turbines, she said.

Ecofys claims that if the council invests €81m in the project, it will be able to attract €458m from the private sector.

Nuon, the second biggest energy firm in the Netherlands, is owned by local government and is being taken over by Swedish firm Vattenfall.

© DutchNews.nl

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