Solar Magazine – BIPV Netherlands joins Holland Solar: ‘Together we are strong’
General director of Holland Solar Wijnand van Hooff and chairman of BIPV Netherlands Ruud Derks speaks of an ideal marriage between a powerful sector organization and a young club that stands for innovative, promising applications of solar energy.
Holland Solar was founded in 1983 as a representative of the Dutch solar energy sector. BIPV Netherlands is ‘the new kid on the block’. The organization was founded in 2018 and, according to Derks, stands for beautiful product developments in solar energy.
Wilder and sexier
‘Acquiring the energy transition requires collecting all surfaces of buildings for the generation of solar power,’ says Derks. ‘This requires more than the traditional solar panels that are now calculated in large quantities. The continuation of solar power systems in the building envelope – roofs, facades, glass, you name it – offers great opportunities. And I’m not just talking about achieving a larger volume of green electricity, but also about aesthetics and dual functions in terms of insulation and construction. That is what BIPV Netherlands stands for. We’re wilder and sexier than the next order; a young club that focuses on new technology and applications. with this we show how innovative the solar energy sector is. But we don’t have the electricity and the network that Holland Solar is all about.’
Crucial role
Holland Solar can look back on a history of almost 4 decades. However, the trade association has made the real professionalization move in the past 5 years. They understand a solid knowledge platform, profiled themselves as an advocate of quality and safety in the sector, and developed themselves as a confidential interlocutor of The Hague officials and politicians.
‘Of course that has everything to do with the growth of our sector and the crucial role that solar energy plays in the energy transition in our country,’ says Van Hooff. ‘In 2030, 200 terawatts of green electricity must be generated. This means that for the first 7 years, 80 terawatts of sustainable generation capacity must be realized per year. That is a huge task. This cannot be covered with additional offshore wind farms alone. A lot more solar power capacity must also be added. Without further solar energy systems on land, we will not go red. Sun at sea offers great opportunities, but is still in its infancy. And so solar power systems in the built environment will become crucial. Bipv will play a major role.’
Read the full article below in the December 2022 issue of Solar Magazine.