Pandriks Bake Off and Verduursaam Echt Meppel sign for operation of first sustainable energy project in Meppel

The first sustainable energy project of the cooperative ‘Verduursaam Echt Meppel (VEM)’ and bakery Pandriks Bake Off in Meppel is a fact. With the signing of the letter of intent there is an agreement to place 2,000 solar panels on the roof of Pandriks’ bakery and offices. A good step towards a sustainable and healthy working and living environment in Meppel.

Pandriks Bake Off, founded in 2012, values sustainability highly. ‘It is our ambition to become the world’s most sustainable bakery. We strongly believe in preserving our planet for future generations and we should act accordingly. The bottom line is that the current generation must strive to balance social justice, economic progress and ecological concerns, or Pandriks’ 3 Ps: People, Planet and Prosperity. We believe that with a main focus on ecological goals, which have as a condition that it is good for people, this will ultimately result in prosperity. For the world and for Pandriks as a company’ said Peter van den Berg, CEO Pandriks Group.

Van den Berg: ‘Within our organization, we have set up a Sustainability Project Team. They take care of the follow-up and implementation of all our sustainability initiatives. This cooperation with VEM for the installation of solar panels is one of them.’

The VEM cooperative focuses primarily on individual issues relating to energy savings, greening and possible generation for own use. VEM also initiates projects in areas such as the generation of sustainable electricity, the mutual exchange of energy flows and energy storage.

With the signing of the letter of intent between VEM and Pandriks, the development of the generation of solar energy on company roofs will be started, with the proceeds of these systems being delivered directly to large users. A separate BV will be set up for this development. Members of VEM are invited to participate in financing the development and realization of projects. Also, through crowdfunding, residents will be offered the opportunity to participate in projects.

The first system to be developed will be on the roof of Pandriks’ bakery and offices. Together with the municipality, province and grid operators, VEM is working on the development of more solar roofs that can directly supply energy to large users in industrial park North.