The Dutch Petroleum Company (NAM) has been producing natural gas near Ameland since the 1980s. The production locations (two offshore platforms and one land location) used part of the extracted natural gas to generate electricity for their own installations. NAM has now modernized the installations at all locations on Ameland. They have also become fully electric, which is very special for an offshore installation. The completion was festively celebrated in the Ameland Nature Center.
Example of social entrepreneurship
Director of NAM, Mr Johan Atema opened the day. He talked about the interaction between NAM and the island. A good example of social entrepreneurship: through coordination, the activities take the area, nature and the people into account. Johan Atema also emphasized the relevance of natural gas extraction, which is equivalent to the heat demand of the entire province of Friesland.
Electrification comprehensive project in a protected nature reserve
The electrification was a multi-year process with various adjustments on land, in the dunes and on the seabed; all work in a protected nature reserve. Herbert Goorhuis, Operations & Maintenance Lead NAM and Erik Kugel, project manager at Boskalis talked about the different phases of the project. First, an electricity cable was laid from the village of Buren to the land location and then from the land location through the seabed to the large platform off the coast. At the same time, NAM carried out major maintenance. The Amelander companies Spoelstra and Nagtegaal also carried out work. NAM now uses green energy instead of raw natural gas for its production locations. This prevents significant CO 2 and NOx emissions.
Research into the impact of nature
Mr Johan Krol, Ecologist at the Nature Center closed the morning program and talked about the subsidence and sedimentation research in the salt marsh. Measurements taken in recent years have shown no decline in the salt marsh.
Presentation of check for sustainable school program
To celebrate the electrification of AWG -1, NAM presented two checks. One of 37,500 euros was for the Amelander Museums, to support the sustainability of the museums. Mayor Leo Pieter Stoel received the second check from Johan Atema and Jan van der Tempel of the DOB Academy. The 25,000 euros is a joint gift from DOB (De Oude Bibliotheek in Delft) and NAM and is intended for the rollout of a sustainable school program on Ameland.
Presentation of check for lesson program. From left to right Johan Atema (NAM director), Jan van der Tempel (founder DOB Academy) and Leo Pieter Stoel (mayor of Ameland)
Energy wall updated
On the occasion of electrification, the energy wall that describes the development of energy on Ameland in the Nature Center has been updated.
Energy wall in Ameland Nature Center
In the afternoon, various presentations took place about, among other things, the Tidal Kite and the significance of the electrification of the AWG platform for the energy transition of Ameland.