Solar park with direct connection to UMCG starts

On Wednesday, July 19, construction of the solar park with a direct cable connection to the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) began at Roodehaan in Groningen. Alderman for energy transition Philip Broeksma of the Municipality of Groningen and Pieter Fennema, Director of Finance of the UMCG, placed the first solar panel of the solar park.

Alderman Broeksma is proud of this development: 'In 2035 we want to be CO2 neutral. That means that all the energy we consume will be generated by sustainable sources. Solar energy plays an important role in this. I am therefore pleased that the UMCG, as one of the largest electricity consumers in Groningen, embraces our ambition and contributes to this goal.' As far as is known, the UMCG is the first healthcare institution in the Netherlands with direct purchase of sustainable energy from a solar park. 

Direct cable connection to UMCG

A special feature of the solar park, which is being built near the Roodehaan business park along the A7, is the direct cable connection to the UMCG. The three-and-a-half kilometer-long cable was realized this spring and connects the solar park directly to the UMCG business park. 'Thanks to the link with the solar park, we as UMCG are taking an enormous step when it comes to realizing our sustainability goals,' says financial director Pieter Fennema. The solar park will soon produce ten gigawatt hours per year, comparable to the annual electricity consumption of about four thousand households. This will meet about 30 percent of the UMCG's annual electricity needs.

Construction of solar park completed in fall 2023

The solar park for the benefit of the UMCG is expected to be completed in the fall of 2023. The total capacity of 12 megawatts will hardly burden the public power grid in Groningen, thanks to the direct power purchase from the UMCG. With this cooperation, a suitable local solution has been found for the grid congestion and connection of the solar park.

The solar park with a direct connection to the UMCG is made possible thanks to a collaboration between the UMCG, the municipality of Groningen, Sunprojects, Triade and Energiefonds Groningen.