Doing business in Flevoland - Read the story of Almeerse Wind
Entrepreneurs find space in Flevoland to realise their ambitions.They have a hands-on mentality, tackling is in the Flevoland people's blood.Guts to do things differently from others.Daring to experiment, to be idiosyncratic and innovative.
Citizens deciding what to do with profits - Of the energy generated happens?
At Almeerse Wind, this is quite normal. For instance, there are plans to temper the price of home energy use or start new energy projects. A story from residents about entrepreneurship with guts!
On the former bottom of the Zuiderzee, the wind is always blowing. The windmills turn non stop. So do those of Almeerse Wind. The two wind turbines on wind farm Pampus Wind supply about 4,500 Almeerse households with electricity. What is also unique about this local citizens' cooperative? 'Everyone can become a member and have a say in policy and profit allocation,' says chairman John van Diepen.
Our wind, our power
'Whether you are rich or poor, have a big mouth or a small one: every member has one equal voice. Our wind. Our windmills. Our power.' Almeerse Wind now has 500 members. The profits go, not, as is usual, to the private or commercial shareholder of the wind farm. No, it flows back into society through the members' meeting.
John does have a great idea. He would like to help families who are now in trouble because of sky-high energy prices. How? By buying a solar farm, for example, and making it exclusively accessible to households with energy poverty. 'No cheaper power than that from solar and wind. These households will then have power for 0.15 cents per kilowatt-hour for 20 years,' the chairman explains. But it is up to the members' meeting to weigh the ideas of all members.
Local initiative
John (58) is a structural engineer by birth and a Flevolander at heart. Born and raised on a former farm in Kraggenburg (Northeast Polder). Inherited social involvement from his father. Left for Almere at 23, in search of adventure. He got involved in a local renewable energy initiative in 2013 and was at the cradle of Almeerse Wind. 'Nobody can do without gas and electricity, but more than ever it is clear how dependent we are.'
Push back
The local energy cooperative itself also received a push to pay for the two wind turbines: from the Energie Expertise Centrum Flevoland (EEF). Almeerse Wind eventually raised the required amount through crowdfunding. Much to the delight of John van Diepen. 'Flevoland is a leader in green energy and if it is up to us, we will take another step forward. Become your own energy supplier and help decide what happens to our wind!'
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