Stakeholders

Sustainable energy is generated locally and above ground. Some residents have genuine concerns about the potential impact of solar parks or battery parks on their living environment. As developers, we have a responsibility to take these concerns into account. We do this by involving residents in the process as soon as possible and carefully integrating the solar park or battery park into the landscape. As a result, the visibility and impact of our energy parks are minimal.

Both nationally and regionally, support for the energy transition is becoming increasingly important. Local energy cooperatives are well rooted in the community and are therefore indispensable for a successful transition. At LC Energy, we are happy to collaborate with these parties in terms of local knowledge, integration, and potentially the management or use of the parks. In doing so, we also contribute to enabling the energy cooperative to develop other sustainability initiatives.

Local and provincial governments increasingly have specific policies for the spatial integration of solar parks or battery storage. The locations and frameworks outlined in these policies form the basis for the development of solar parks and battery parks. We also consider the wishes and requirements of Water Boards and Safety Regions. We believe that through collaboration with governments, projects can be of higher quality.

For owners of suitable land, leasing land can provide long-term financial security. It is important for us to tailor our services to landowners and provide them with clear information about our approach.

Local nature and environmental organizations aim to increase the natural value of the surroundings. Solar parks and battery parks can contribute to this by careful landscape integration and design. This may include increasing biodiversity by providing bee and insect hotels, hedges with native vegetation, implementing herbal grassland between the panels, and allowing the soil to rest for an extended period.

In some locations, watercourses are present where the Water Board has a water-related task or where watercourses need to be managed. In these cases, we assess how we can contribute, for example, by constructing a nature-friendly bank.

Solar parks and battery parks are directly connected to the electricity grid. Cables are expensive, so the distance to a nearby substation should be as short as possible. The location, as well as the available capacity, of substations strongly determine where solar parks and battery parks are developed. Good consultation with grid operators is crucial for determining the scale of the project.

LC Energy is working on a number of 16C connections for our solar parks across the Netherlands. The grid connections typically range from 10 to 30 MW, up to a maximum of 20 kV. We aim for a constant flow of projects over time.
The infrastructure installation is outsourced through a public tendering process. We are seeking to engage with parties interested in participating in these tenders.
We will evaluate the bids received based on the following criteria:
• Price
• Delivery speed
• Knowledge, expertise, and experience
• Nitrogen emissions
• ESC conditions (Environmental, social, and corporate governance)

Generating sustainable electricity forms the economic engine of a solar energy project. This electricity is fed back into the electricity grid through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with an energy supplier at the current market value. Additionally, SDE+ (Stimulation of Sustainable Energy) is applied to ensure a floor price for sustainable electricity, which is necessary for a feasible project.

For the ultimate realization of a solar park or battery park, financing is necessary. The park is financed largely by a bank. To be able to apply for this financing, a financially feasible project is essential.

Of course, we ourselves are also stakeholders in the whole process. LC Energy possesses the knowledge, experience, and venture capital to develop and operate a sustainable energy project from start to finish. It takes a minimum of two years before a solar park can be realized, and at least three years before a battery park can be built. The development not only requires a lot of time but also upfront investments. In this process, we leverage our experience to gradually minimize risks and achieve a satisfactory outcome where all stakeholders feel good about it.