Bavelse Berg

Bavelse Berg is the largest solar park on a landfill site in the Netherlands: 37 MWp and around 94,000 bifacial modules on an artificial hill on the edge of Breda that is still, in part, an operating landfill and biogas plant.

The technical constraint that governed the whole site is a membrane: the body of the landfill is sealed by a separation liner crossed by gas extraction pipes, valves, water drains and cables. None of it could be pierced or damaged. Almost every component of the support structure was therefore purpose-designed — a rail system that lets modules be assembled and slid into place, anchored at single points, adapting to the irregular slopes of the hill, with the panels raised between one and two and a half metres above the ground.

The semi-transparent bifacial modules let through enough light for grass to grow under the rows: the site still supports sheep grazing and natural habitat. The park went into operation in March 2021 and was officially opened on 16 September of the same year.