Sustainable Ameland is a
joint venture between GasTerra,
the municipality of Ameland,
Eneco,
and
Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM).
They are working together on the island on demonstration projects relating to renewable energy. Ameland is serving as an important example to other governments or companies wishing to generate or use sustainable energy. The fact that this is a clearly defined area and a complete living and working community with an associated infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, means that the working area is clearly laid out, results are easy to measure and the proposition is more attractive.
Projects
Residents of the "Noorderlicht" apartment complex are heating their homes and cooking with a mixture of
natural gas and hydrogen. Adding hydrogen to gas means less damage to the environment and a reduced rate of consumption of gas supplies.
The main aim of the project is to collect data about the effects of hydrogen on gas pipelines and gas appliances. As modifications to the gas composition can affect the performance of gas appliances, residents' experiences are also included in the study.
The Sustainable Ameland project aims to place one hundred HEe boilers on sites in Ameland in order to test this boiler in practice.
Mini-CHP
Mini-CHP plants have been installed on two holiday parks, the heat given off is used to heat the swimming pools. Very high combined heat and power efficiency is realised through the application of a special flue gas cooler.
In 2010, a natural gas filling station opened up. Ameland has four buses which run on natural gas. More and more companies and individuals are also opting for cleaner,
quieter and cheaper natural gas.
In June 2009, the Ameland Knowledge and Information Centre opened in Nes. The new
centre responds to questions about nature, the landscape, the environment and
sustainability. The building is heated and cooled by means of an innovative heat pump.
Ameland Pier is illuminated with green lights. This unique colour, using less red,
ensures that birds are less distracted while migrating across the North Sea.