image: Margot van der Starre, Vice-President of the Executive Board: “The acquisition of the Solar Farm Bunnik represents a major step forward for us. The park makes a substantial contribution to our sustainable energy supply and to our ambition to become CO₂-neutral by 2030. What’s remarkable is that there will be times during the day when we can meet our entire electricity demand using only our own renewable sources.”
Credit: Dick Boetekees, Utrecht University
Utrecht University has taken a significant step in its sustainability strategy by acquiring full ownership of the Solar Farm Bunnik. With this move, Utrecht University becomes the first university in the Netherlands to purchase and operate a solar park in its entirety: a milestone not only at the national level, but internationally as well. While institutions such as Kenyatta University in Kenya and several large universities in the United States and Australia have taken similar steps, this initiative is truly unique within the Netherlands.
The solar park is expected to generate over 16 gigawatt hours (GWh) of renewable electricity annually - equivalent to the yearly electricity consumption of approximately 5,000 households. Combined with the 7,500 solar panels already installed on university buildings, Utrecht University will be producing more than 30% of its total electricity demand in-house. Thanks to a dedicated power cable, the electricity generated will be delivered directly to the Utrecht Science Park for local use.
Challenges in realisation
Construction of the solar park began early September 2025. The installation of the power cable, which will transport the electricity directly to the Utrecht Science Park, is also in full progress. This requires close cooperation with landowners and the municipality of Bunnik, which supports the project for its positive contribution to regional sustainability.
A strategic acquisition
Initially, Utrecht University owned 50% of the solar park, with the other half belonging to Energy Cooperative Bunnik (ECB). However, when it became financially unfeasible for the cooperative to independently complete the project, the university and ECB reached a mutual agreement for Utrecht University to take over the full operation of the park. The university will manage and operate the facility for the next thirty years.
Margot van der Starre, Vice-President of the Executive Board, highlights the importance of this milestone: “The acquisition of the Solar Farm Bunnik represents a major step forward for us. The park makes a substantial contribution to our sustainable energy supply and to our ambition to become CO₂-neutral by 2030. What’s remarkable is that there will be times during the day when we can meet our entire electricity demand using only our own renewable sources.”
An investment in the future
Despite national budget cuts in higher education, Utrecht University has made a conscious decision to invest in sustainable energy infrastructure. “Even in the face of budget constraints, we continue to invest in the things we believe in: initiatives that will help us save in the long run,” says Van der Starre.
By operating its own solar park, the university reduces its dependence on fossil fuels, fluctuating energy prices, and external energy suppliers. Moreover, by supplying electricity directly to the Science Park, the project helps ease pressure on the regional electricity grid — a crucial benefit amid growing grid congestion.
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