Solar panels provide the most energy in the Dutch province of Zealand. This is reported by the local Omroep Zeeland, which is based on a Utrecht University study. Solar panels are particularly useful in the city of Vlissingen, which also has the most hours of sunshine in the Netherlands almost every year.

The fact that Zeeland scores well compared to other Dutch provinces has to do with the fact that the sun is relatively shining there. But that is not the only reason. For example, the sea breeze also plays a role. The hotter a solar panel heats up, the less energy it generates. The refreshing sea breeze prevents this and, in combination with the large number of hours of sunshine in the province, produces a relatively large amount of energy.

In any case, last year was a good year in the Netherlands in terms of solar panel performance. The sun was relatively bright and even brighter than the long-term average between 1981 and 2010. However, 2018 remains the record year for the time being, when the panels generated the most electricity in total.

Nationwide, panels delivered 12.6 percent more than last year’s long-term average. In Vlissingen that percentage was even 15.6 percent. In 2018, the record year in terms of power generated, the panels generated no less than 16.8 percent more power than the long-term national average.

Therefore, Zeeland scored the best last year. In the eastern Netherlands, as in Overijssel, Drenthe and Groningen, solar panels provide relatively the least amount of energy.