The Energy Cooperative Noordseveld – giving back to the community

20 December 2022 - Published by Deirdre Buist

The Municipality of Noordenveld, one of the Dutch Stronghouse partners in the northern Netherlands, is building on the area’s existing sense of cohesion to develop even stronger, energetic communities. Together with the Energiecoöperatie Noordseveld, a citizen-based energy collaboration, the Municipality is developing the Energieke Buurten programme – a neighbourhood approach to pooling renewable energy sources. Following a year of excessive profits, the energy cooperative is showing its real strength and the right spirit by giving back to the people in the community that are most in need.

The Energiecoöperatie Noordseveld is using a share of their extra earnings to help fight energy poverty. High energy prices and the many hours of sunshine have resulted in an excess profit of 130,000 euros. The cooperative is donating almost half of this to a fund set up to help the most vulnerable citizens struggling with their energy bills this winter.

Spreading some more sunshine

Noordseveld is the owner of the Halo in Langelo, in the province of Drenthe which supplies energy to more than four hundred households. Due to the escalating power prices, financial gains have been inordinately high too. The cooperative’s participants are spreading some more sunshine by also opting to invest in more solar panels, a business case on energy storage and a 10% price reduction on electricity for its members.

That’s true community spirit – and a recommendable pathway to a fully inclusive energy transition!

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