FrieslandCampina expands energy transition as more dairy farms opt for solar panels 

27 Aug 2018 --- The number of dairy farmers to receive solar panels through the FrieslandCampina Solar program has more than doubled compared to last year. The Dutch multinational dairy cooperative says that initially 344 additional dairy farms would participate which eventually became 462 bringing the total number of participants in the FrieslandCampina Solar program to 772 dairy farms. 

In total, 840,000 solar panels can now be installed providing half of the electricity requirements of FrieslandCampina’s production locations and offices in the Netherlands.

FrieslandCampina says it solar program encourages dairy farmers to install solar panels on their roofs. The first roofs have now been delivered by supplier GroenLeven and the aim is to have 50 completed by the end of this year. Following that, the plan is to accelerate to install solar panels on 20 roofs per week. For example, about 22,000 solar panels per week can then be installed on average. Production of the solar power is made possible in part by a subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.

In addition to the 772 dairy farms participating in the Solar program, in recent years more than 2,200 FrieslandCampina members have already installed solar panels on their own initiative. 

Recent research from students from the University of Amsterdam shows that the solar power that can be generated on the roofs of FrieslandCampina members can provide 12 percent of the total Dutch domestic electricity needs.