Horticulturalist Uijtdewilligen installs high-tech Cat Solar solar panels
Investment supports both the environment and your wallet
sustainability
yield per m2 significantly higher
Uijtdewilligen commissioned a feasibility study, which showed that if he were to receive an SDE+ subsidy, it could turn into a positive exercise. He applied for the subsidy, which was awarded, and started looking for a supplier. Several manufacturers made a proposal, but Uijtdewilligen soon decided and opted for Pon Power's Cat Solar. He says: “On the one hand, it is all quite
technical and complicated, but if you put it to the ground, it is also quite simple: how do you achieve the highest return on your investment? The decisive factor was the larger size of the Cat Solar panel, its innovative structure and its higher efficiency. The price was competitive, while the yield per m2 is significantly higher than the competition.”
The time when sustainability cost money is now long gone. For example, an investment in solar energy is not only good for the environment, but also good for your own profit and loss account below the line. This combination of factors prompted horticultural entrepreneur Leo Uijtdewilligen from Nispen in Brabant to have solar panels installed on the roof of his warehouse. He wanted to do it right from the word go and therefore ended up at Cat Solar.
founded in 1965
Uijtdewilligen B.V. is one of those family businesses of which, fortunately, there are still many in the agricultural and horticultural world. The company was founded in 1965 by father Uijtdewilligen and taken over by his eldest son Leo in 1996. It is not yet known whether Leo’s two children, now secondary school students, will join the company, although he secretly hopes they will. Partly with a view to the future of those same children, he decided to make his company more sustainable.
FACTS &
FIGURES
Maarten de Rooij
Solar Product Manager, Pon Power
“Cat Solar means a longer lifespan, more energy yield, more efficiency”
return on investment
He says: “I regularly think about the world I want to leave them. So the more sustainable I work, the better, right? That is why I thought this was a good time to find out whether it would be useful to have solar panels installed on the roof of my warehouse. The combination of making my company more sustainable and the possible return on that investment really appealed to me.”
Innovative structure
Innovative structure? Higher return? How does it work? Maarten de Rooij, Solar Product Manager at Pon Power, explains: “Leo opted for our most high-tech product, the PVC 400 panel. It has a unique structure, with a special cell structure. On the one hand, this minimises the negative effects of shadow or contamination, on the other hand, it makes the panel very robust and durable so that in the long term, the yield deteriorates as little as possible, in contrast to many other panels. The result is a longer lifespan, more energy yield, more efficiency.”
Leo Uijtdewilligen
director and owner of Uijtdewilligen B.V.
“The combination of sustainability and return appealed to me”
good investment
Leo Uijtdewilligen adds: “The initial investment was slightly higher than a rival panel, but the yield was significantly higher. That’s a no-brainer, of course.” He ordered 242 panels, making maximum use of the available surface. After a smooth installation, the system was put into use in May 2020. Thanks to the sunny summer, Uijtdewilligen has already been able to generate a lot more energy (and return it to the electricity grid) than budgeted. He’s a happy man. Smiling: “It has been a very good investment so far, no doubt about it!”
sustainability
Horticulturalist Uijtdewilligen installs high-tech Cat Solar solar panels
Investment supports both the environment and your wallet
founded in 1965
Uijtdewilligen B.V. is one of those family businesses of which, fortunately, there are still many in the agricultural and horticultural world. The company was founded in 1965 by father Uijtdewilligen and taken over by his eldest son Leo in 1996. It is not yet known whether Leo’s two children, now secondary school students, will join the company, although he secretly hopes they will. Partly with a view to the future of those same children, he decided to make his company more sustainable.
“The combination of sustainability and return appealed to me”
director and owner of Uijtdewilligen B.V.
Leo Uijtdewilligen
ALS EEN ZONNETJE
Omdat de Cat-installatie nog altijd liep als een zonnetje en de service van Pon Power (toen nog Geveke) altijd goed was geweest, besloten vader en zoon dat ook in het nieuwe bedrijf een Cat moest komen.
yield per m2 significantly higher
Uijtdewilligen commissioned a feasibility study, which showed that if he were to receive an SDE+ subsidy, it could turn into a positive exercise. He applied for the subsidy, which was awarded, and started looking for a supplier. Several manufacturers made a proposal, but Uijtdewilligen soon decided and opted for Pon Power's Cat Solar. He says: “On the one hand, it is all quite technical and complicated, but if you put it to the ground, it is also quite simple: how do you achieve the highest return on your investment? The decisive factor was the larger size of the Cat Solar panel, its innovative structure and its higher efficiency. The price was competitive, while the yield per m2 is significantly higher than the competition.”
150.000 UUR
Mark van der Hulst hoort het tevreden glimlachend aan. Wat hem betreft is het einde van de levensduur van zijn motor nog lang niet in zicht. “Ik wil die installatie in bedrijf houden zolang hij rendabel is en blijft lopen. Maar 150.000 uur lijkt me voorlopig een mooi streven!”
The time when sustainability cost money is now long gone. For example, an investment in solar energy is not only good for the environment, but also good for your own profit and loss account below the line. This combination of factors prompted horticultural entrepreneur Leo Uijtdewilligen from Nispen in Brabant to have solar panels installed on the roof of his warehouse. He wanted to do it right from the word go and therefore ended up at Cat Solar.
FACTS & FIGURES
CLIENT
Uijtdewilligen B.V. in Nispen, grower of red bell peppers, pointed peppers and aubergines
SYSTEM
242 Cat Solar PVC 400 S panels of 400 Wp each
INVERTER
ABB, 100 kW
TOTA GENERATED POWER
96,8 kWp
Innovative structure? Higher return? How does it work? Maarten de Rooij, Solar Product Manager at Pon Power, explains: “Leo opted for our most high-tech product, the PVC 400 panel. It has a unique structure, with a special cell structure. On the one hand, this minimises the negative effects of shadow or contamination, on the other hand, it makes the panel very robust and durable so that in the long term, the yield deteriorates as little as possible, in contrast to many other panels. The result is a longer lifespan, more energy yield, more efficiency.”
Innovative structure
“Cat Solar means a longer lifespan, more energy yield, more efficiency”
Solar Product Manager, Pon Power
Maarten de Rooij
return on investment
He says: “I regularly think about the world I want to leave them. So the more sustainable I work, the better, right? That is why I thought this was a good time to find out whether it would be useful to have solar panels installed on the roof of my warehouse. The combination of making my company more sustainable and the possible return on that investment really appealed to me.”
good investment
Leo Uijtdewilligen adds: “The initial investment was slightly higher than a rival panel, but the yield was significantly higher. That’s a no-brainer, of course.” He ordered 242 panels, making maximum use of the available surface. After a smooth installation, the system was put into use in May 2020. Thanks to the sunny summer, Uijtdewilligen has already been able to generate a lot more energy (and return it to the electricity grid) than budgeted. He’s a happy man. Smiling: “It has been a very good investment so far, no doubt about it!”