Wind turbine installation or wind farm construction

Research into the impact of wind turbines on the environment

You must investigate the effects of wind turbines on the environment. You do this with an environmental impact assessment (milieueffectrapportage, mer). You must prepare this assessment before applying for a project decision or an environment and planning permit. The mer is only mandatory for more than 20 wind turbines. For 3 to 20 turbines, the municipality, province, or central government first assesses whether a mer is required. You can also choose to make a mer assessment yourself.

Applying for an environment and planning permit or project decision for a wind farm

The size, capacity and location of the wind farm will determine exactly what you need to do where:

• For a wind farm (3 or more wind turbines) or wind turbines with a capacity of up to 5 megawatts, you must apply for an environment and planning permit from the municipality via the Environment and Planning Portal (Omgevingsloket, in Dutch). The municipality must sometimes decide to amend the environment plan.
• For a wind farm with a capacity between 5 and 100 megawatts, you must apply for a project decision from the province via the via the Environment and Planning Portal (Omgevingsloket, in Dutch). The province then considers the impact on the environment, for example, and investigates various solutions (the project procedure). In the project decision, the province determines the details for the wind farm and the measures for the environment.
• For a wind farm with a capacity of more than 100 megawatts, you need to apply for a project decision from the government through the Ministry for Climate Policy and Green Growth (in Dutch).

Starting an offshore wind farm

An offshore wind farm (a wind farm at sea) is only allowed in areas designated by the central government. And you must take part in a tender procedure. The winner of the tender will receive the permit for the wind farm. Read about the steps to establish an offshore wind farm (in Dutch).

Rules for wind turbines

A wind farm has an impact on the environment. That is why wind turbines must:

• comply with the noise regulations (in Dutch)
• comply with the safety rules (in Dutch)
• cause as little nuisance as possible for local residents (for example, cast shadow, in Dutch)
• fit into the landscape as well as possible and cause as little damage as possible to animal and plant life (such as bird migration)
• be safe for air traffic (for example, radar disruption, obstacle lighting and height restrictions, all in Dutch)
• comply with the rules on construction (in Dutch) under the Decree on construction works in the living environment (Bbl) and the Environmental Activities Decree (Bal). These include rules on, for example, construction safety