PV
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PV
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Zonnepanelen uit de ruimte - Solar panels on Earth out of space© all photographs Google Earth except where indicated SPECIAL Lombok, Utrecht (Netherlands)
Project data Although the governmental market support for photovoltaics in the Netherlands has dropped to a vehemently criticized "all-time-low", while the rest of Europe is advancing fast with progressive support for all "solar" based sustainable technologies, we still encounter lots of small private PV-projects scattered among the country. They could be considered as "relics" of a golden mini-age in which the Netherlands temporarily took the lead with the incorporation of solar-PV in the urban environment through active market support regimes (see, e.g., the superb "Nieuwland" project in Amersfoort on a separate page). That lead was enhanced by thousands of civilians that took up the "Kyoto challenge" and that, supported by a very attractive (but in the end uncontrollable and badly-designed) financial incentive subsidy scheme for buying solar panels, started their own "mini-PV plants". Lots of people, some estimates mentioning 30.000 households, have bought small systems of 4 to 6, sometimes more (and in some areas up to systems of 30) PV-modules and have started their private "solar age" on their own (or rented) house or appartment. Lombok, an old district lying west of the centre of Utrecht, has always had a rather social climate and people there have done a community effort to get as much solar panels per house as possible for those interested to participate in the joint effort. Because the people in this area generally belong to households with not too much to spend, the average system size is approximately 4-6 modules, although one can find also slightly bigger systems. This webpage shows a few examples of the result of the cooperative efforts of this old neighbourhood in Utrecht. An example to be followed everywhere in the world, with financial backing of local and, in particular, national governments that are looking for ways to reduce greenhouse emissions, to create a sustainable market for solar energy based companies, and to bring the people in society in contact with one of the most fascinating and dark green energy technologies presently available on this planet. It should be noted that feed-in regimes with good prices for all kWh fed into the net has appeared to be the superior way to take the market off, such has been shown in Germany and the countries that follow its superb and well-designed Erneurbare Energien Gesetz law. People with solar panels on their roof do not get rich from solar power, but a financial incentive is the difference between doing nothing at all and whining about the exploding costs of the yearly energy bill on the one hand, and highly motivated civilians producing part of their own electricity consumption on the other. By bringing civilians into contact with photovoltaic technology, it has been shown, people start to become very critical of their own energy consumption as well. A net-coupled Ferraris meter spinning backwards is one of the biggest incentives to reduce wasteful electricity consumption habits in the household! Hence, besides the financial benefits, because of the adjusted "energy behaviour" of people generating part of their own green electricity, greenhouse emissions are reduced even further, accumulating positive effects. It is also a very big incentive for people to become involved in the highly needed support for the energy transition that starts to take off in the Western world, and, hopefully, all around the globe as well. It will be the better for all mankind, and everyone can start with a small system, even if it starts with one module only. If one "gets the taste", one is inclined to buy more of these shiny blue (or black) modules. Good for the economy, good for increase in quality labour in the solar industry, good for reducing greenhouse effects, good for reducing extremely problematic NOx emissions from power plants in populated countries, good for civic morale... Need I say more? Project data Project
duration: Februari 1, 2001 until December 31, 2001 In the
pictures, south is always at the bottom of the photographs (unless
otherwise indicated).
Website of the community center of Lombok (Dutch): Solar energy in Lombok (Dutch): http://www.lombox.nl/zonnepanelen/index.html Back to main Google Earth photopage (PV-projects) |
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©
2006 Peter J. Segaar/Polder PV subsite, Leiden (NL) dit is een particuliere website; u kunt aan deze site geen rechten ontlenen this is a private website; liability for correctness or use of information on this site cannot be accepted |
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