a.s.r. purchases Pesse solar panel farm from GroenLeven

a.s.r. has purchased the newly realised solar panel farm in Pesse from GroenLeven. The solar park in Drenthe with over 60,000 panels has a capacity of 32.6 megawatts and meets the electricity needs of approximately 11,500 households. After the recent acquisition of three wind farms, a.s.r. wants to make another positive contribution to the energy transition and the preservation of a sustainable living environment with the acquisition of its first solar panel farm.

The solar panel farm is located on 31.2 hectares and was developed in cooperation with local parties. Farmers have made land available, including 17.3 hectares of land on a long lease from the ASR Dutch Farmland Fund, the agricultural fund of a.s.r. real estate.

In the design of the solar panel farm, a number of measures have been taken to promote nature values. For example, sufficient distance between the panels has been taken into account and two pools with ecological banks will be created. In addition, suitable planting will be placed around the solar panel farm to partly hide the panels from view and to contribute to biodiversity. This investment contributes to the target set by a.s.r. to have invested €4.5 billion in impact investments by the end of 2024.

Dick Gort, CEO of a.s.r. real estate: ‘a.s.r. wants to contribute to the energy transition in order to combat climate change. Purchasing energy parks makes a contribution to this. I am proud that, following the purchase of wind farm Jaap Rodenburg, wind farm Nieuwe Hemweg and part of wind farm Princess Ariane, we are now buying our first solar panel farm. This will increase our share in sustainable energy projects and enable us to further reduce CO₂ emissions in a.s.r.’s investment and insurance portfolio in the coming years’.

The solar panel farm is fully operational and Eneco will buy the power.