Community Energy in the Netherlands

By supporting local energy cooperatives in the Netherlands, you can participate in and benefit from clean, affordable power for all.

Community Energy Is Here. Join Us.

In the Netherlands, the citizen-owned renewable-energy movement has been steadily growing, with 623 cooperatives and 97,000 members as of 2020. To keep community energy in the Netherlands thriving, we need more people to join the ongoing work and start new cooperatives, too.

Join an energy community. Invest in one. Or build your own.

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Stories of Community Energy

Bringing Sun to the Roofs of Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s vibrant community-energy scene is home to two of the largest and most successful community-energy cooperatives in the Netherlands — Ecostroom and Zuiderlicht. Together, they have big plans to turn the empty roofs of the city (including many commercial roofs) into a community-solar powerhouse.

Residents living near an Ecostroom project can help by investing. Also, anyone is welcome to join Zuiderlicht, and all Amsterdam residents can buy community energy from Amsterdam Energie.

By 2030, Amsterdam aims to generate 80 percent of household power from renewable energy. Let's make this city a solar powerhouse, together.

Waterland’s Future

Thirty years ago, a small group of energy pioneers in the Waterland region north of Amsterdam started Coöperatie Windenergie Waterland, by raising enough money to build three small wind turbines. The project was a success, and in 2011, its 500 members expanded its scope with two larger turbines.

Funding from Coöperatie Windenergie Waterland also helped kick-start various community-solar endeavors in Waterland, and there are now more than 10 existing projects, with more planned this year. The cooperative Zon op Waterland alone has completed seven solar projects, all since 2016, with two more currently being planned.

By 2050, Waterland hopes to generate 100 percent of household and business energy from local and renewable sources—and their citizen-owned wind and solar expansion is going to get them there.

Get Involved

Together, we can restore power to the people and bring the benefits of clean energy home.

Join an Energy Community

Community energy has been established in the Netherlands for a long time, and it is growing steadily with over 600 known energy cooperatives as of 2021. However, there’s still a need to expand community energy and help reduce Dutch emissions.

Find a Local Energy Community near You

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Invest in Community Energy

Becoming a member of an energy community is a great way to invest your money in a citizen-led power future. If you can’t join a cooperative, you can still financially support the movement in the Netherlands.

Find Out How