On the border between the Netherlands and Germany, in the municipality of Westerwolde, we developed Solar Park Bellingwolde. A large-scale solar park where renewable energy, infrastructure and collaboration come together.
The idea for this solar park came from landowner Kor Werkman. He saw an opportunity to generate renewable energy on his land and wanted to contribute to a more sustainable Groningen. Together, we developed that idea further. Today, the solar park supplies renewable energy to the grid. A project where we work with local partners to build a future-proof energy system.
Contributing to Groningen’s energy goals
With Solar Park Bellingwolde, we contribute to Groningen’s energy targets: generating at least 5.7 TWh of renewable energy in the province by 2030. Reaching that target takes large energy projects.
With an installed capacity of around 74 MWp, Solar Park Bellingwolde supplies renewable energy for thousands of households. That makes it a concrete step towards Groningen’s energy goals.
More than a solar park
The park is now running at full capacity. Together with grid operators and suppliers, we manage energy flows intelligently and make the best possible use of the energy generated.
When designing this solar park, we looked beyond energy generation alone. We already took battery storage into account. So we are not just building a solar park. We are building an energy system where generation, storage and smart energy use come together.
Building green energy together
You do not develop energy projects alone. The initiative for this solar park came from the landowner himself. Developing together: that is the goal. With the landowner, but also with the local community, the municipality and local partners. By working together, we create projects that fit the area and are ready for the future.
The municipality of Westerwolde wants the project to give something back to the local area. That is why we work together with energy cooperative Lethe Stroomt. And that goes beyond simply sharing ideas. Part of Solar Park Bellingwolde is now owned by the cooperative. This means that part of the solar park’s revenue flows back into the local community and local initiatives.
That does not happen often. Local energy cooperatives regularly contribute ideas. Sharing in the benefits? That is less common. In this way, we are not only building renewable energy, but also a long-term partnership with the surrounding area. The value created by the park is not only visible in green energy, but also in the local community.
Together, we consider the design of the landscape, biodiversity, soil quality and how the project fits into its surroundings. An energy project is never separate from the area it is built in. It becomes part of the landscape for decades to come.
No cable route? We get it done
The biggest challenge in this project was not the solar park itself. It was the infrastructure behind it. Before the project started, grid connection capacity had already been reserved with Enexis. But the cable connection could not be installed by the grid operator. So we took it on ourselves.
Together with our partners, we built a 12.3-kilometre cable route between Bellingwolde and Winschoten. In total, 110.7 kilometres of cable went into the ground. This makes sure that the energy generated can actually be fed into the grid. We had never realised a cable route on this scale before. And that is exactly the kind of challenge we like to take on at Novar. If one route does not work, we find another. We get it done.
And getting it done is not always smooth sailing. The original route turned out not to be feasible, so together with landowners and the municipality, we developed a new route. That meant redesigning, coordinating, discussing and acting all over again.
2,000 solar panels a day
After bank financing was secured in 2025, we started building the solar park and installing the infrastructure. From that moment on, everything came together. EPC parties, cable builders, grid operators and contractors were all working on the same site at the same time. The schedule was tight. Even so, the project kept moving.
At peak moments, we installed almost 2,000 solar panels a day. By the end of 2025, the final panels were in place and the solar park supplied renewable energy to the grid for the first time. It was a period of quick decisions, solving challenges and pushing forward.
The fruits of the solar park
From the start, we paid close attention to the landscape design of the area. Even before construction began, we started planting hedges, shrubs and a fruit orchard around the site. Today, fruit is growing on the trees. Wait a little longer, and we will literally be able to reap the fruits of it.
We consciously create space for biodiversity. Existing landscape structures are also preserved. Sightlines, the substation and the layout of the site were designed so the solar park fits into its surroundings.
Room for the future
Solar Park Bellingwolde shows how energy projects are changing. It is no longer just about standalone solar parks. We are building complete energy systems where generation, infrastructure, storage and smart energy use come together.
By thinking ahead and taking responsibility for the whole system, we make renewable energy projects possible in places where that is not a given. And that is exactly where we make the difference.
