Geldfit and Eneco are proud to announce the launch on 1 September of the pilot for a learning solution called ‘Geldfit - You can make a difference’. This online learning module trains employees in identifying customers who have money problems and offering long-term solutions. This brings suitable assistance closer, and helps to limit debt, or even avoid it entirely. The elearning module, which was developed in partnership with L&D Talents, will be made available to all Geldfit partners in early-2024.

Making a social and financial difference
This module is urgently needed, Hiske Zandvliet (Companies Adviser at Geldfit) knows. “Even now, customers are not getting the right help or being referred to long-term assistance when they need it. Counsellors highlight that sometimes they have no idea what to do.” Misunderstanding about what Geldfit does and employees’ own assumptions also sometimes interfere with obtaining the proper help. “And society’s huge debt problems mean that the module is even more important. This is an issue that faces every organisation with paying customers.”

Customers with money problems are now often handed over to other organisations. Sometimes, their energy is shut off needlessly. “This is where we can make a real difference together, both socially and financially,” explains Hiske. “If we can learn to work together better, recognise the signs early on and immediately offer useful and long-term help, we can help customers to overcome their debts and stay part of the process. This is not just about what is right for the customer and the organisation, it also helps to minimise the cost of debt of society overall.”

Interactive learning
Eneco’s employees and partners can start taking the interactive online module on 1 September. The module consists of a series of videos, audio fragments, knowledge quizzes and open questions. Employees and partners learn about matters such as the social impact, how Geldfit points people in the direction of the right help, what interventions are available for help and how to make a difference for the customer. “But the module also includes practical tools for recognising signs of money problems, and useful templates for talking to customers, which help to achieve the desired learning outcome,” explains L&D Expert Denise Goor.

This makes the module more than simply a process of knowledge transfer. “Customers receive better help, and it creates quality assurance between partners.” The result is a hit, she has seen. “Before, money problems were confusing to many of our people. This module makes offering help very concrete all of a sudden. It not only provides tips and hints, it also helps to initiate a dialogue about money problems.”

Fighting prejudices and taboos
Prejudices about money problems are also often a factor, whether or not they are conscious, Hanneke van der Woud (Partner Manager at Eneco) has noticed. That is why the module not only provides practical tools, but also raises awareness about money problems. “This module makes employees think for themselves: how do you regard money? It is not an arrears of ‘just one bill’ or ‘just 600 euros’. Employees will discover that they can make a real difference, right there on the telephone, for people with money problems.” With its social aspects, this module is venturing into new territory for Eneco. “But we expect that it will have a huge impact.”

This awareness extends beyond the workplace, explains Esmeralda de Jong (Companies Adviser at Geldfit): “The module helps employees to see that this help is not just for customers, but also for themselves or for the people around them. So we tell them to keep an eye out for friends, neighbours and family with money problems.” This is an important social message, she highlights. “Money problems affect all of society. If we all appreciate this more, we can help to overcome the taboo. We can also prevent money problems from growing into major financial difficulties.”

Structurally working to overcome money problems
The module is urgently needed, Hiske has noticed. “Customer service and credit management departments in particular will benefit from this interactive module about money problems. They are the ones who are in direct contact with customers.” More and more companies are seeking out Geldfit. Rapid staff turnover in customer service departments is forcing companies to constantly train new people. They are looking for structural foundations for handling customers with money problems. “They literally ask us to help them to keep the topic alive. This interactive module will definitely help with that.”

*Foto by Hans en Lidy Fotografie.nl

The construction of Weert Wind Farm took a year to complete. Energy cooperative WeertEnergie and energy company Eneco opted for a cooperative approach in the development of the wind farm. Not only were stakeholders in the immediate vicinity closely involved in the development of the plans, the starting point was also that the local community would benefit. On top of that, as many local and regional companies as possible were involved in the construction.

Gries Hej Windfonds community fund
In connection with the cooperative approach, the Gries Hej Windfonds community fund was established. It is expected that the wind farm will make some € 30,000.- per year available from the generated energy. These resources can be used to finance socially-conscious projects in the vicinity of the wind farm up to a distance of 3 kilometres from the middle wind turbine. A Foundation Board consisting of representatives from the different villages has been appointed to coordinate this and together decide which projects will receive a contribution from the fund. 

Eneco is pleased with the completion of the wind farm and the way in which collaboration was organised. Eneco Solar and Wind director Cees de Haan: “Global warming must be kept below 1.5 °C if we want to pass on a habitable planet to future generations. This is why Eneco is striving to be climate neutral as early as 2035 and investing in the production of more solar and wind power. We aim to do this in collaboration with others, taking into account everyone’s interests and the interest of society. In the case of Weert Wind Farm, this has all come together wonderfully.”

Chairman of WeertEnergie Kees de Korver: “We believe that investing in locally generated renewable energy now is important for our future. We do not want to do this on our own, but in consultation with and with the involvement of the local community. We are very proud that this wind farm allows us to contribute significantly to achieving the sustainability objective of the municipality of Weert."

Mayor of the municipality of Weert Raymond Vlecken: “The municipality of Weert is striving to become more sustainable and contribute to the energy transition. The current energy crisis underlines the importance of these topics. But this can only be achieved with the support of our residents and by properly integrating sustainable energy sources into our landscape. Together with Eneco and WeertEnergie we have been able to accomplish this by closely involving residents in the immediate vicinity in the development of the wind farm and with the establishment of the Gries Hej Wind fund, through which money flows back to the surrounding area every year.”

Weert Wind Farm
WeertEnergie and Eneco are working together on the development of Weert Wind Farm based on the shared conviction that we wish to realise sustainable energy in consultation with and with the involvement of the local community. 

Rising energy prices mean that more than half a million households in the Netherlands are now experiencing energy poverty. In addition, a growing number of middle-income households have also been experiencing financial problems since the rise in energy prices. This is leading to an increasing number of customer inquiries to the energy suppliers. And more and more people are calling 0800-8115, Geldfit's telephone number. This was the reason for the initiators to develop an online platform where people can quickly find clear information about how they can deal with the increased energy prices.  

Frederieke Kokol (Geldfit) explains: ''Two thirds of the people who came into contact with Geldfit in recent months had questions about the high energy prices. At geldfit.nl/energie we can answer their questions in an accessible way, and they immediately see what help is available in their situation.”

Help with rising energy costs
The online platform helps visitors to get a grip on rising energy costs. They receive advice appropriate to their situation. This varies from tips on what you can do yourself to save energy, to actual help. For example, people in a growing number of municipalities can get in touch with an energy coach in their area, or make payment arrangements with the energy supplier.

At geldfit.nl/energie they can also see clearly who is entitled to an energy allowance from the municipality. The rules vary according to the municipality in terms of where someone can apply for an energy allowance and what the conditions are. The 'VoorzieningenWijzer' [Facilities Guide] provides a clear overview of information on the energy allowance per municipality and shows people the way in finding and applying for the allowance.

It is also possible to get help via Geldfit with getting your finances in order, from local volunteers to debt counselling in the municipality. At Geldfit.nl/energie, people can see which help they are eligible for.

First pilot projects
During a 6-month period Microsoft (consumer), Eneco, (supplier & consumer) CertiQ (GO Issuing Body), and FlexiDAO (software solution provider), successfully demonstrated through two pilot projects the technical and regulatory feasibility of issuing, transferring and claiming (hourly) Granular Certificates (GCs) in sync with the existing system for Guarantees of Origin (GOs). These projects represent a first real-life implementation in Europe, in line with the new EnergyTag standard that will be released in April 2022. The pilots included Eneco’s Princess Amalia wind farm, one of Microsoft’s datacenters in the Netherlands, and Eneco’s district heating network in Ypenburg. It also demonstrated the use of GCs as effective instruments for the development of a methodology for carbon accounting that is more reflective of the physical reality of the power grid and the increase in renewable energy production.

There is a growing demand for carbon-free energy at all times of the day. A certification program, based on Guarantees of Origin (GOs), has been in place in the Netherlands since 2001 to certify the production of renewable electricity. However, the program measures such production on a monthly basis, issuing GOs that are valid for one year. Corporate energy consumers are free to use GOs to cover their power consumption during any period within that year and claim to be “100% renewable” in their annual disclosure, but this does not take into account that electricity is also consumed during times when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining. The additional transparency provided by hourly certification gives private customers and companies more accurate insight into the sustainability of their electricity consumption. It allows them to make better-informed choices regarding which electricity they want to use, and companies can make their sustainability ambitions even more explicit. of electricity would enable market participants to better contribute to the decarbonisation of the grid by accessing hourly carbon-free energy products.

Prove the viability of granular electricity certification
All the GCs created on FlexiDAO’s platform were pegged to the official GOs issued by CertiQ as underlying assets, resulting in a 0% mismatch between the two certification layers. In this way, the pilot validated FlexiDAO’s software solution and GC methodology as an accurate ledger of complex hourly energy market data, compatible with official GOs. The GCs were then transferred and matched to the consumer’s hourly load profile and finally redeemed on behalf of the consumer. The entire process was carried out consistently with EnergyTag´s guidelines, as well as the regulatory framework for GOs (including European and Dutch national legislation and standards).

Please see infographic for more data regarding the second pilot with Microsoft.

Where to from here?
FlexiDAO intends to continue the active collaboration with AIB (Association of Issuing Bodies), EnergyTag and Issuing Bodies in order to become an approved GC Platform - a software service operated by a third party which accesses the underlying EAC (Energy Attribute Certificate) registry to provide services such as enabling a system of GCs. This will allow more market participants to easily obtain GCs like it was successfully demonstrated with CertiQ, Eneco and Microsoft during this project.

Eneco wants to become climate neutral by 2035. For electricity this means that 100% of electricity supplied to all its customers is carbon free. Eneco will continue working on developing a more transparent certification system. GCs will help Eneco in the future to provide more insight for private and business customers into the hours they use green electricity and when it’s necessary to use other options, such as electricity from a battery for example.

CertiQ sees the GCs as a further improvement to the existing GOs scheme in Europe, and will contribute to its ongoing development.

Eneco and Sunvigo
Sunvigo has a novel customer proposition that Eneco wants to support and help develop. It makes the energy transition more accessible and helps consumers to become more sustainable even faster. This investment fits well with the continuing development of Eneco’s ventures portfolio. We also see synergy opportunities with LichtBlick, as well as with ventures portfolio company Installion.

Affordable solar energy 
Together with co-founders Bastian Bauwens and Vigen Nikogosian, Michael Peters set up Sunvigo in 2020, to provide customers with easy access to affordable solar power. The decision to put a PV-system on your roof is for many complex and costly. Bauwens, Nikogosian and Peters onboarded early investors and dozens of customers, all signing up for a Sunvigo PV system on their roof and a power contract with Sunvigo. In the first year after its foundation, the customer base of Sunvigo increased more than tenfold. Eneco is investing into Sunvigo together with renewables investor Sparta Capital and DKB bank.

Please read the full press release from Sunvigo here

Eneco’s Senior Investment Manager Robert Blom comments: 
“Investing in the Rockstart Energy Fund will give Eneco early access to the 50 startups in Rockstart’s Energy Accelerator Program and create opportunities for Eneco to form potential partnerships and investigate possibilities for further investments.” 

Rockstart co-founder and Interim Managing Partner Don Ritzen adds:
“We are pleased to welcome Eneco as our partner in the Energy Fund. Besides being one of the most sustainability-focused energy companies in the Netherlands, Eneco also has extensive experience investing in startups and an impressive track record. We believe that having Eneco as the Energy Fund’s newest partner will add substantial value to our startups and to Rockstart.”

Rockstart helps to launch purpose-driven companies on the road to success in three domains: AgriFood, Energy and Emerging Technologies. Rockstart offers an accelerator programme with a proven track record to empower startups early in their existence. It also provides further backing as an investor in subsequent rounds of fundraising, up to Series B funding.

About Eneco
Eneco invests in startups and scaleups that help to promote the energy transition in Eneco’s principal markets. Startups are a key source of innovation in moving the energy transition forwards. By investing in them, Eneco stays up-to-date on the latest developments and innovations. Following an earlier series of successful investments, in 2021 Eneco has started to build a new portfolio. Recent investments include EnergyWorx, which specialises in cloud-based data management solutions for energy companies, and the German commercial installation platform Installion.

About Rockstart
Rockstart is a global accelerator VC that empowers purpose-driven companies in three domains: AgriFood, Energy and Emerging Technologies. Through Rockstart, the startups gain access to capital, markets, communities and expertise, thanks to the introductions to investors, mentors, partners and Rockstart’s extensive network. 

Since it was first founded, Rockstart has invested in more than 250 startups. Its alumni currently represent a total value of almost 1 billion dollar. Rockstart is made up of an international team of 35+ professionals, all focusing on helping purpose-driven companies to grow and on making the world a better place. Rockstart has fostered important success stories such as Wercker, Bouw7, iClinic and (in 2021) 3D Hubs and Brincr. The firm has offices in Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Bogotá (Colombia).

* The name describes the genesis of the project: to give the demolished and for decades stored steel skeleton of a youth hostel designed by Frank van Klingeren on the Ockenburgh estate a new purpose.

The characteristic Uniper energy plant situated at the De Constant Rebeque square has been producing electricity for The Hague and the surrounding region for decades and recaptures the residual heat from this process. This renewable heat is used by Eneco for the supply of heat to some 38,000 households in The Hague and the surrounding region. This new contract guarantees the continued supply of heat during the step-by-step improvement of the sustainability of the heat network in The Hague.

The facility at the De Constant Rebeque square will be able to operate as an energy hub where proven and new technologies are brought together. Examples include the heat provided by the WarmteLinQ heat distribution network and geothermal energy. This could also stimulate the potential growth of the demand for heat in The Hague and the surrounding region.

Carbon neutral
At an earlier stage, Uniper and Eneco separately already announced their intention to be operating on a carbon-neutral basis by 2035. This ambition is another factor that brings the parties together. A clear commitment to work together on improving the sustainability of the heat supply has been formalised in a Letter of Intent. To achieve this, both organisations are exploring the possibilities for the use of more sustainable means of production, including hydrogen, green gas and geothermal energy.

Supply of heat guaranteed
Apart from the step-by-step addition of more sustainable sources, for the time being the Uniper plant will continue to be important for the security of supply. This is because, given the current state of technology, connecting and disconnecting sustainable sources usually takes a long time. During peak moments when demand is high, for example between 7 and 9 am, it is often necessary to increase the heat supply at short notice. This type of peak moments can be dealt with due to the flexibility of the installations in Uniper’s plant in The Hague and the company’s expertise in the area of energy dispatch.

The long-term collaboration the companies have now entered into not only stimulates the availability of electricity and heat in The Hague, but also provides a basis to further improve sustainability. This way, we are working on improving the sustainability of the heat supply in The Hague and the surrounding region while also providing the security of a warm home.

On photo from left to right: Sebastien Walth and Pieter van Stratum of Uniper and Paul Hendrix of Eneco

The Ypenburg district situated on the boundary between The Hague and Nootdorp was constructed in the period 1997 - 2000 and has a natural gas-based heat network. At the time, this was an energy-efficient solution that saved a lot of carbon emissions compared with having a central heating boiler in each separate house. Since then, options have become available that make it possible to create a fully carbon-neutral energy supply.

Based on the partnership agreement, the two municipalities, Eneco and the residents concerned will proceed to investigate together which type of sustainable heat source will be a viable option for Ypenburg’s heat network. When this source has been identified, work will start to make it available and link it to the heat network.

Frank Lentz, chair HWY: “This partnership crosses the boundaries between the city and the region as a whole and brings the stakeholders together. This results in consolidation, a wider perspective and surprisingly good solutions.”

Liesbeth van Tongeren, Councillor in charge of Sustainability, Environment and Energy Transition in the municipality of The Hague: “This partnership clearly shows that making the switch to a sustainable heat supply can take place in consultation with the residents of a district. We are investigating the best match between the existing infrastructure and the new opportunities and techniques that have developed. Moving towards an energy-neutral heat supply together, that is what we strive for!”

Frank van Kuppeveld, Councillor in charge of Energy Transition in the municipality of Pijnacker-Nootdorp: “Increasing the sustainability of Eneco’s heat network is a very good and necessary step for the municipality of Pijnacker-Nootdorp. Our aim is that the ‘De Venen’ will be one of the first gas-free districts. This will be achieved in consultation with the residents and at costs that will be equal to or lower than the current charges. By working together we can make good progress.”

Manja Thiry, Director Heat at Eneco: “It is fantastic that the local residents’ initiative HWY is interested in switching to a carbon-neutral heat network. Just like the municipalities of The Hague and Pijnacker-Nootdorp, we are happy to contribute to this transition. Together we will succeed even faster in making the heat supply more sustainable.”

At present, the final touches are being made to the turbines to ensure that they will be in perfect working order in September when the official opening of both wind farms will take place. Wind farm Egchelse Heide and wind farm De Kookepan, citizen energy cooperatives Peel Energie | om and Leudal Energie | om, and Eneco are working together closely, in order to see to it that the generated energy actually remains in the region.

Local power
The power that will be generated by both wind farms will be supplied to Eneco, who will then supply it to the local energy cooperatives Peel Energie | om and Leudal Energie | om. Both cooperatives are part of the same energy collective, om | nieuwe energie, which ensures that the power generated by the Egchelse Heide and De Kookepan wind farms can be supplied to households in the region.

Non profit
Customers of Peel Energie | om and Leudal Energie | om can rest assured that any profit from the production of wind energy will flow back to the community. It will be used to finance other sustainability projects in the region and to lower the energy rates paid by the customers.

Energy contracts
It is already possible for residents of the Peel en Maas region and the Leudal region to enter into a local wind power energy contract with Peel Energie | om and Leudal Energie | om. From that moment, they can be sure that the power that will be supplied to them will be green and, as of September, that this green power will be generated by both wind farms.

Biothermal energy
The new plant uses waste wood resulting from the maintenance of parks, public gardens and forests in the region. This includes branches that are part of the green waste that cannot be used for other useful purposes. Naturally, the sustainability requirements for biomass used in the new plant are very strict.

Second phase
The plant is now on stream and generates 30 MWth of heat. This completes the first phase. The implementation of the second phase has also started, which will result in the supply of an additional 30 MWth of heat to the district heating grid from the end of 2020. Ultimately, the plant will ensure that 40% of the district heating in Utrecht and Nieuwegein will be sustainable, as CO₂ emissions will be reduced by a total of 80,000 tons on a yearly basis.

Eneco is planning to connect even more sustainable sources to the district heating grid over the coming years, including heat supplied by the sewage water treatment installation RWZI De Stichtse Rijnlanden.

Photo above: Frans van de Noort, COO Eneco (left) and mayor of Utrecht Jan van Zanen

Levi van de Ven, director at Eneco Installatiebedrijven: “Our aim is to support as many customers as possible in making the transition to sustainable energy consumption, for example by installing energy saving products at their homes. The cooperation with Roamler Tech allows us to help our customers in an efficient, innovative and customer-friendly manner.”

STP is a partnership between SADC, the municipality Haarlemmermeer and Schiphol Real Estate. The 865 acre site is located directly adjacent to Hoofddorp railway station. The three parties have high ambitions in the areas of innovation and sustainability. Factors taken into account in the design include the production and use of renewable energy, reuse of resources and sustainable use of water. A specific starting point is that all new buildings on the site should meet the requirements of the BREEAM Excellent classification, the second-highest ranking for sustainable construction. Collaboration partners are involved where possible.

Dick van der Harst, project director STP: "In order to achieve this ambition, we wanted a partner with extensive knowledge and experience in the area of improving the sustainability of business premises. Our aim is to stimulate companies that will set up an office at this location to include smart and sustainable energy solutions in their development plans. These companies often lack specific knowledge in this area. Eneco is sustainability oriented and possesses all the necessary expertise on topics such as renewable energy, sustainable heating, smart energy management and electric transportation."

In its capacity as energy partner, Eneco will advise newcomers to the business park on comprehensive solutions for sustainable or energy neutral business operations.

Hans Peters, Chief Customer Officer at Eneco: “I am very pleased with this collaboration that allows us to contribute significantly to the ambition to make Schiphol Trade Park a circular hotspot. This is also in line with our ambition to help everyone in the Netherlands to make the transition to a sustainable, smart and clean energy supply.”

Albioma is listed on the Paris stock exchange and has a strong position on the solar energy market in the French overseas territories. The acquisition of Eneco France is an important step for the company on the domestic French market.

Marc Bienemann, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover Benelux: “In addition to offering our customers the Jaguar Land Rover experience with our electric models, we also wish to assist them with the installation of a premium charging facility at home and/or at their workplace. Sustainability also plays an important role in this. In Eneco we have found a partner that shares these values.”

Bram Poeth, managing director of Eneco eMobility: “This partnership will make driving the electric and hybrid cars of these iconic British brands even more attractive and sustainable. I am very proud of this."

Photo: Marc Bienemann (rechts) and Bram Poeth.

New partners help Eneco to further bring down the cost level. This not only relates to lower prices for services provided, but also to more efficient maintenance planning. For the coming years the costs related to replacement of the main components are minimised by optimising the use of the most expensive component, which is the crane vessel. This makes it possible to combine the replacement of a number of main components, such as gearboxes, generators and/or rotor blades, in a single maintenance operation. In addition, we have opted for a flexible planning mechanism, which gives MPI Contractors room to optimise the use of their crane vessel in several projects. 

Driving force
The groundbreaking offer made by the consortium consisting of Eneco, Shell, DGE and Van Oord at the end of 2016 for the construction of the offshore wind farms Borssele 3 and 4, confirms that Eneco is one of the driving forces behind improving the cost efficiency of wind energy. Smarter asset management is an important ingredient to bring down the cost level of offshore wind energy even further. Donker concludes: "It is also crucial for the realisation of our strategy, which is to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy."

Joeri Kamp, managing director Smart Energy at Eneco Group: ‘Eneco Group aims to play a leading role in the progress towards the smart and sustainable energy home of the future. On the one hand by making our Toon thermostat platform the central 'heart' of this home and on the other hand by providing low-threshold and data-driven solutions, such as the smart-charging service developed by our subsidiary Jedlix. We believe that ONZO's expertise will be of great value in this area. Furthermore, we will focus on how we can strengthen ONZO's international position in line with our ambitions for the Toon platform.’

Steven Daniels, CEO of ONZO: ‘We have seen significant growth in customers using our technology as utilities around the globe look for new ways to differentiate from competitors, increase revenues and improve customer satisfaction. This transaction represents another significant milestone in ONZO’s journey to establish its platform as the world leader in energy data analytics. The team at ONZO are extremely excited about the investment made by Eneco and the opportunity to be associated with such a forward thinking and progressive company. This investment provides ONZO with a significant platform to further enhance our product set and to grow our International business presence.”

At the same time ONZO received further significant investment and ongoing support from their existing investors, West Coast Capital and Cipio Partners.ONZO and Eneco Group will not provide any financial details relating to this transaction.

According to Van Heesbeen the sustainability aspect appeals to many Tesla drivers. The more than 6,000 Tesla's in the Netherlands account for nearly half of the total number of fully electric cars in our country. With a combined peak capacity of around 60 MW, these cars have the potential to accelerate the integration of solar and wind power. Consequently, they also contribute to emission-free mobility. In the future, our service can also be used to prevent congestion on the low-voltage grid, should this become relevant.

#ichargesmart
Jedlix's smart charging app is named #ichargesmart and is available for both iOS and Android mobile phones.

Eneco and Mitsubishi Corporation each have a 50 percent share in the wind farm, which consists of 43 wind turbines and was put into operation in August 2015. Eneco Luchterduinen wind farm has a capacity of 129 MW and produces sufficient green power to meet the annual electricity needs of around 150,000 households.

Rob Zandbergen (1958) was appointed CEO of USG People N.V. on 1 July 2010 and has been active in the temporary employment sector since early 2002. In addition to his work at USG People, Rob is a member of the Supervisory Board of the Dutch Flower Group. He graduated from the Royal Netherlands Military Academy in Breda, where he specialised in administration and economics, after which he studied business economics at the University of Amsterdam. Rob has held various national and international executive and supervisory positions at publicly listed companies.

At the General Shareholder’s Meeting, Mirjam Sijmons was reappointed as member of the Supervisory Board. Mirjam is General Manager of ArbodNed since 1 February 2014.

As a result of these appointments, the Supervisory Board of Eneco Holding N.V. now consists of seven members: chairman Edo van den Assem, Mirjam Sijmons, Marike van Lier Lels, Henk Dijkgraaf, Klaas de Vries, Marco Keim and Rob Zandbergen.

All through the day, groups of visitors were shown around. After taking a look at the large piles of woodchips and storage silos, they were allowed to enter the plant where the control room, turbine building and boiler room were partially open to the public.

Eneco Bio Golden Raand is the largest and most efficient bio-energy power plant in the Benelux. In the plant, which is located in the port area of the municipality of Delfzijl, scrap wood and wood waste are converted to green electricity. The capacity of the plant is comparable with the electricity consumption of approximately 120,000 households. This requires no less than 50 truckloads of wood per day or approximately 300,000 tons of wood per year.

The plant offers direct employment for thirty people and is in line with Eneco’s strategy to enhance the sustainability of the energy supply. An increasingly larger share of the power that the energy company produces for its customers is generated by means of wind turbines and solar energy and biomass installations. The plant in Delfzijl is a significant step forward for Eneco.

Its capacity of 49.9 megawatt makes the new biomass plant in the Farmsum industrial zone in the municipality of Delfzijl the largest and most efficient biomass plant of the Benelux. Major customer AkzoNobel Industrial Chemicals will purchase half of the generated electricity. The plant uses recycled wood chips and offers employment to 30 people.

The construction of a large biomass power plant fits in well with Eneco's strategy to enhance the sustainability of the energy supply. An increasing part of the electricity that Eneco produces for its customers is generated by means of wind turbines, solar power installations and from biomass. The plant in Delfzijl is a major step forward for Eneco in this respect. Bio Golden Raand produces sustainable electricity for 120,000 households, which corresponds to the amount of energy generated by the Princess Amalia Wind Farm located at the North Sea.