# Dutch wind farm blows away opposition as ‘new millers’ get a stake Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-08-29 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Dutch Wind Farm Opens to Local Investors, Overcoming Opposition Meta Description: In Zeewolde, Dutch residents are finding a positive way to own wind turbines, generating electricity for 300,000 households and tackling opposition through URL: https://financedigest.com/dutch-wind-farm-blows-away-opposition-as-new-millers-get-a-stakehtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-08-29t121910z1lynxmpei7s0f9rtroptp4netherlands-energy-climate-change-zeewolde-1736815345179-compressed.jpg) By Esther Verkaik ZEEWOLDE, Netherlands (Reuters) – Authorities in the Dutch city of Zeewolde have opened one of the country’s largest onshore wind farms after winning over residents often hostile to living next to turbines by allowing them to invest in the project. The 320 megawatt (MW) park, enough to generate electricity for 300,000 households, is unusual in that most farmers and residents of the small community, 50 kilometres (31 miles) east of Amsterdam, are shareholders. In the Netherlands, opposition to onshore [wind has been forceful as people have complained of noise problems and what they call “horizon pollution” – when wind turbines](https://www.financedigest.com/pge-signs-wind-turbine-supply-deal-for-baltica-2.html "PGE signs wind turbine supply deal for Baltica 2") are visible on the famously flat Dutch countryside. People sometimes are not happy with the wind turbines,” said Regina de Groot, who owns a nearby organic farming company and [invested in the project](https://www.financedigest.com/sse-to-invest-122-million-in-scottish-pumped-hydro-project.html "SSE to invest 2 million in Scottish pumped hydro project"). But if the wind turbines are owned by all of us and everyone can benefit from them, then I [think people](https://www.financedigest.com/55-of-people-who-regularly-play-sport-dont-think-being-verbally-abusive-to-another-player-makes-them-a-bad-sport.html "55% OF PEOPLE WHO REGULARLY PLAY SPORT DON’T THINK BEING VERBALLY ABUSIVE TO ANOTHER PLAYER MAKES THEM A BAD SPORT") will look at them in a more positive way. In Windpark Zeewolde BV, a group of residents known as “De Nieuwe Molenaars” (The New Millers) have become stakeholders and will get a [share of any profits](https://www.financedigest.com/ford-posts-lower-profit-issues-downbeat-outlook-shares-drop.html "Ford posts lower profit, issues downbeat outlook; shares drop") in proportion to the size of their holding. “Everybody was able to become a participant … and more than 90% of all the people in this [project area became shareholders” project general manager](https://www.financedigest.com/prince2-and-msp-training-the-rise-of-online-project-management-courses.html "Prince2 and MSP Training: The Rise of Online Project Management Courses") Sjoerd Sieburgh Sjoerdsma told Reuters. Allowing farmers and ordinary citizens to own stakes in wind power is an approach that has worked in Denmark, where around [half of the country’s energy](https://www.financedigest.com/european-governments-spend-half-a-trillion-euros-on-energy-crisis-report.html "European governments spend half a trillion euros on energy crisis – report") is from renewable sources, chiefly wind. The Netherlands has lagged most European countries in [green energy](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-tax-take-risks-blowing-green-energy-off-target.html "Britain’s tax take risks blowing green energy off target") with just 12% of consumption from renewable sources in 2021. However, it is catching up https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/dutch-build-out-north-sea-wind-farms-test-floating-solar-panels-2022-08-25 with many offshore wind projects under construction and onshore solar production also [rising despite](https://www.financedigest.com/suedzucker-quarterly-profits-surge-73-5-despite-cost-rise.html "Suedzucker quarterly profits surge 73.5% despite cost rise") minimal government support. (Reporting by Esther Verkaik; additional reporting by Jacob Gronhold-Pedersen in Copenhagen; writing by Toby Sterling; editing by Barbara Lewis) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---