Behind the Scenes of Windplan Blauw

On behalf of IX, Tom is currently working for Windunie and Vattenfall on Windplan Blauw in Swifterbant, the Netherlands. He tells about our involvement on the subject of archaeology:

What distinguishes this project from most recent wind farm projects is that part of the turbines will be located in the Swifter Park. Archaeologists confirm that this is a remarkable location because of the 4000 years old remains of the ‘Swifterbant Culture’ that can be found right beneath ground level.

Because of the combination of the Park’s particularity and the fact that Windplan Blauw is to be a vast wind farm, there is no standard procedure that can be followed. Instead, a major collaboration has been setup between the project, the township, province, the Government Service for Cultural Heritage, knowledge centres and universities. These parties are preparing an ‘Archaeological Masterplan’ for the entire wind farm in which, from a scientific angle, the right research and investigation agenda is defined by IX Wind.

As specialists in wind farm development, we understand the environmental processes surrounding the various stakeholders and interests. But in fact, our overall expertise enables us to coordinate the process and to bridge the gap between extremely different worlds (in this case: wind farm developers and archaeologists). We are now responsible, together with our partners, for defining the Masterplan and its effect on environmental plans and permits.

By the end of June 2018 we shall have formed a widely supported Masterplan from which a research agenda will arise that has a meaningful contribution to the knowledge on the Swifterbant Culture.
Given all aspects and interests we are there consider, we are sure close this challenging hurdle for the investors and other stakeholders. With that, the realisation of the Windplan Blauw shall be a step closer to reality..