Four Dutch Firms in Renewable Energy Pact

Dutch chemical producers AkzoNobel and DSM have entered a long-term partnership with compatriot electronics group Phillips and internet giant Google to jointly source power from renewable energy projects for part of their operations in the Netherlands. Formed two years ago, the consortium’s recently signed first supply agreement is to buy electricity from wind energy company Windpark Krammer, which was established by two citizens’ cooperatives counting 4,000 members in the Dutch province of Zeeland and the island of Goeree-Overflakkee.

The agreement is believed to be the first time a group of multinational firms in the Netherlands has teamed up with local citizens to create what is effectively a consumer-to-business energy partnership. The companies said the goal is to make a significant contribution toward delivering on the Dutch renewable energy target of 14% by 2020, agreed in 2013. Altogether, they will source 350,000,000 kWh a year when the wind energy park is up and running in 2019.

AkzoNobel, director, Knut Schwalenburg said the arrangement offers a “welcome opportunity” to further increase its renewable energy use and “continue finding new ways to do more with less” while at the same time showing that “innovation does not stop at product development.” Noting that the wind energy supplier is especially pleased that it can deliver directly to end users, Tijmen Keesmaat, managing director of Windpark Krammer, called the collaboration is “energy transition on a completely new level.”