“WE ARE GOING TO HAVE CHICKENS”

“A random thought to many people, but not apparently to community energy expert Pauline Westendorp, who decided that the perfect way to instigate her vision of a community energy project in her district of Amsterdam, was to start a small chicken pen and then take it from there.

The idea behind the novel approach being to place early emphasis on the need to build the community first. To put in place all the basic connections on a far more achievable scale and then ramp those connections up to the real project, the community energy scheme.

In short ‘We are Going to have Chickens’ (WAGTHC) is an informal cooperative, a swarm of residents, businesses and people from government and education in Amsterdam South and beyond who are working together to bring clean local energy to the whole of the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area by 2018. The idea for WAGTHC was first hatched in December 2012 as one of the eight projects of the ‘Innovation Climate Neutral Cities’ organized by the NL Agency, who also sponsor the scheme, as do local businesses and individuals.

Local citizens and interested parties are encouraged to visit the WAGTHC site to peruse information about local sustainable energy: the experiences of others, organization, techniques, and/or contact them with any questions or ideas or maybe to suggest other ways to participate. Every week, on Thursdays, they organize ‘Energy Breakfasts’ where people who want to get involved can come along and exchange ideas, ask questions, speak to experts and generally get involved in the initiative. manager, Pauline Westendorp, certainly believes in leading by example. She lives on a houseboat in Amsterdam Zuid which is equipped with solar panels, a solar water heater and a pellet stove. She also believes strongly in the power of the local community and steers WAGTHC towards working with neighbours, employers, employees and officials in Amsterdam Zuid (and beyond) to produce their own clean energy with local resources. They offer residents cooperatives, community businesses, one-on-one customized coaching, content and process. An extension of the ‘train the trainer’ learning principle.

Indeed, they are open to broadening themes: besides local sustainable energy also food, green management, care, etc. If required, they also offer hands-on courses such as building solar collectors, installers and energy educating coaches.