ABP, SSE Renewables and Naturalis team up to work on marine biodiversity

Wind energy is the energy source of the future; it is clean, affordable, and sustainable. That is why the Dutch government wants much more wind energy in the Netherlands, especially in the North Sea. ABP wholeheartedly supports this desire and is the initiator of 'Noordzeker', a coalition aimed at realizing a large wind farm in the North Sea. "With Noordzeker, we have the ambition to develop a large wind farm in the North Sea. With this we can ensure not only a good pension but also affordable and clean energy for our participants and the Netherlands," said Harmen van Wijnen, ABP Board Chairman. "That is why Noordzeker and Naturalis Biodiversity Center are joining forces to work on biodiversity because we want wind energy that is good for people and planet."

Maaike van de Kamp-Romijn, deputy general director of Naturalis: "All life depends on each other. To maintain that balance, Naturalis studies biodiversity. Much is still unknown about life in and above the sea. We also see that biodiversity in the Netherlands is not doing well. We see in Noordzeker a partnership that takes biodiversity seriously. We look forward to working together in wind farm IJmuiden Ver."

For Noordzeker, cooperation with Naturalis is of great importance. In the tender criteria for the IJmuiden Ver wind area, the Dutch government sets high requirements for sustainability and ecology in addition to financial criteria. Noordzeker will offer a market-based price that is in the interests of ABP's 3.1 million pension  participants. Together, Noordzeker and Naturalis want to make maximum efforts to protect biodiversity and ecology. In the coming months, this cooperation will be shaped further.