Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport is demanding the complete demolition of a €90 million Belgian solar park, arguing that its glare poses a serious risk to air traffic safety.
In March, the airport was forced to close its main runway for two hours each sunny day due to reflections from the solar panels, which lie directly along the approach path and were blinding pilots during landing. Schiphol CEO Pieter van Oord warned the Dutch infrastructure minister that the glare could lead to daily runway closures between late August and early April, and lead to “accidents with potentially fatal consequences”.
The solar farm belongs to the Belgian group De Groene Energie Corridor (DGEC) and consists of 230,000 panels developed by Limburg-based Energy Solutions Group (ESG). Located in Haarlemmermeer near Schiphol, it covers the energy needs of around 40,000 households. DGEC invested €90 million in the project, with construction starting in the summer of 2023.
On 16 July, a Dutch court ordered the DGEC to dismantle nearly 80,000 panels, or a little over one-third of the farm, in two stages, the first half by 1 September and the remainder by 15 October. The cost of removal was placed on the Belgian company. The court faulted DGEC for installing different panels than originally planned. The aviation sector had recommended deeply textured glass panels with higher sunlight absorption. DGEC, however, opted for lightly textured glass panels, which they stated were anti-reflective, but caused significant glare, claiming the recommended type was unavailable.
The court stated that ‘by failing to take measures to remove or limit the glare from the solar park, DGEC is acting in violation of social due care and thus unlawfully towards Schiphol’. Despite consultations between DGEC, the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, and government bodies, a permanent solution has remained elusive.
In a subsequent letter on 25 July, Van Oord again urged the Ministry of Infrastructure to intervene, warning that ongoing glare could lead to hundreds of flight cancellations and severe delays from late August, impacting airlines, partners, and passengers.
DGEC spokesperson Eliza de Waard maintained the company’s cooperation, citing their partial removal of the solar park. De Waard also defended the company’s approach, stating that extensive research had been conducted on potential glare prior to construction, based on internationally recognised Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines. She added that DGEC consulted all relevant stakeholders and received positive expert assessments, including one from the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR).
This setback is a blow for the rapidly growing green energy firm, which recently raised €125 million and was considered a potential unicorn. DGEC has since submitted a new proposal to Schiphol but has yet to receive a response.
DGEC agrees that flight safety must be top priority and is prepared to dismantle the entire solar farm, but only in exchange for fair compensation. “The main issue is who is responsible for the costs,” said an ESG spokesperson.
With solar parks near airports becoming more common, this case may have wider international implications. Similar installations near Ostend-Bruges Airport in Belgium have not raised safety concerns.
