Schiphol solar panels to be fitted with anti-reflection film
Solar panels at Schiphol Airport, which have been blinding pilots due to sunlight reflection, will be temporarily removed, fitted with an anti-reflection film and then replaced. The measure will allow the solar park to continue operating safely next to the Dutch airport.
The solar park lies directly beneath the approach paths of two runways at the Netherlands’ largest airport.
De Groene Energie Corridor (DGEC), the Belgian-owned operator, has already started dismantling 78,000 panels on two of the four runways, following a court order requiring their removal as the primary source of glare. The remaining 150,000 panels will also be taken down in phases.
According to Schiphol, the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, and DGEC, the measure offers a permanent solution for the solar park, subject to the approval of Haarlemmermeer city council. Agreements have been made with the ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and all parties have committed to contribute financially, though no figures have been disclosed.
The Belgian green energy company Energy Solutions Group (ESG), based in Heusden-Zolder, Limburg, invested 90 million euros in the park and acquired DGEC in early 2024. Construction began in July 2024, and the facility became operational in May this year.
"The energy transition sometimes presents challenging issues. Thanks to the excellent cooperation with all parties involved, we can combine sustainable energy and aviation safety," said Bert Creemers, director of DGEC and CEO of Energy Solutions Group, in a press release.
Earlier this month, DGEC warned that a forced demolition of the park could push the company into bankruptcy.
#FlandersNewsService | Workers remove panels of a solar farm near Schiphol Airport, 5 August, 2025 © PHOTO SIMON LENSKENS / ANP / AFP
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