In the Lauwersoog port area, entrepreneurs, government agencies, and numerous organizations are making a strong commitment to a sustainable future. The goal: a fossil-fuel-free port, with a focus on nature conservation and self-sufficiency. “Your environment determines your license to operate.”
The port of Lauwersoog is nestled between Lauwersmeer National Park and the Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage Site. In between are fishing boats, restaurants and bars, a ferry terminal, and about eighty businesses. It’s a place worth cherishing. And the people who make their living here know that all too well.
For about nine years now, entrepreneurs, the port authority, government agencies, and various organizations—including the NOM—have been working together to create a sustainable port area. How are they approaching this, and what have they achieved so far? To answer these questions, three of the key participants joined us at Restaurette Schierzicht, right on the water: Klaas Laansma (coordinator of the Lauwersoog Sustainable Port Program), Sander Wubbolts (Director of Lauwersoog Port), and Gretha Boels (Business Developer at Smart Energy Hubs NOM).
“In 2017, we started by developing a strategy document for the Lauwersoog Sustainable Port program,” says Klaas. “We didn’t just make it up out of thin air; instead, we actually asked entrepreneurs and other directly involved parties: What do you think is important? Going fossil-free turned out to be one of the most important goals. That makes sense, because your environment determines your license to operate. And here, that environment is largely a World Heritage Site.”
We’re on track to reduce light pollution by more than 50% in three years. And we’re almost certain it will reach 75%, because everyone is participating. Other ports are closely following these developments and are already calling us for advice.
Sander Wubbolts Director of the Port of Lauwersoog
Port Coalition
In Lauwersoog, it’s not just talk. The results speak for themselves. Solar panels on the roofs of business buildings now generate 18 percent of the port’s own electricity consumption. Or take the harbor dredging project, in which dredged sediment isn’t dumped at sea but is converted into usable clay. That clay can then be used for applications such as reinforcing dikes, as a soil conditioner in agriculture, and can even serve as a substitute for cement in construction.
The pressure to become more sustainable is increasing. “The power grid, just like in other industrial parks, can sometimes be a limiting factor,” Sander acknowledges. “So when an initiative arises from the business community to better manage energy among themselves, we wholeheartedly support it.”
But how do you organize something like that? How do you pull it off with all those different parties involved? “The Port Coalition, a network of businesses, government agencies, and organizations, spearheads the specific projects in the port,” Sander explains. “The Lauwersmeer Steering Group—a partnership between provinces, municipalities, water boards, Staatsbosbeheer, and Rijkswaterstaat—ensures coordination in the area. And the Sustainable Port program is essentially the roadmap within which projects are prepared and implemented.”
Short decision-making chains
Since March 2025, Gretha Boels has been working in the three northern provinces as a business developer for Smart Energy Hubs at NOM, focusing on guiding and supporting collaborations around innovative energy solutions and grid congestion issues in areas such as industrial parks. Her involvement in Lauwersoog in the development of the Lauwersoog Energy Community is relatively new, but rooted in years of experience. Previously, in the province of Utrecht, she was closely involved in the development of the Lage Weide Energy Hub on an industrial park, including the implementation of a group transmission agreement (GTO) with the grid operator, through which companies jointly make optimal use of existing transmission capacity and generate, share, and manage energy.
“The most important lesson I’ve taken away from Utrecht is that all parties must be intrinsically motivated, must be willing to support one another, must be innovative, must agree on the direction, and must each make their own contribution,” says Gretha. “That’s exactly what I see here, too. Thanks to the unique location and the energy situation, virtually everyone here quickly realizes why active participation makes sense. Most of the companies here are family-owned businesses with short decision-making chains and a strong social commitment to their employees and the community. But the government agencies and other organizations are also fully on board.”
It’s extremely important to us that the NOM is at the table. If we need to apply for grants or require legal support, we can rely on the NOM’s network.
Klaas Laansma Initiator of the Lauwersoog Sustainable Port Program
Digging a small pond
Klaas has known this for a while and sums up the essence with a nice metaphor. “You can try to keep the frogs in the wheelbarrow, but then you’ll wear yourself out. Or you can dig a little pond where they’ll happily stay and come to on their own. That’s how we do it.” Klaas has had a special connection with the Wadden Sea ever since he was a child. He’s been a mudflat walking guide for over 20 years. “When I came here in 2017 to interview entrepreneurs about sustainability, I became hooked on the unique spirit and the strong sense of responsibility. At some point, it really takes root in your heart. For example, there’s no business association here, because when you’re working on sustainability and nature, it’s a collective effort. Everyone contributes out of intrinsic motivation. Renewable energy, as well as nature in the harbor area, are the responsibility of all of us.”
Sander Wubbolts has been the port’s director since October 2025. He has a broad background, ranging from project development to advocacy and stakeholder management. “On the one hand, the mission is to ensure that operations are and remain future-proof,” he says, “and on the other hand, to develop a vision for where we want the port to grow.” “A clear vision helps us focus and set priorities. How do we want the area—viewed over a timeline—to function, grow, thrive, and become fossil-free?”
Balancing
A future-proof port area means becoming fossil-fuel-free while also ensuring that the shrimp fishing industry and tourism remain viable. It’s a constant balancing act between the economy and the environment. “I think every port is looking for that balance,” says Sander. “But here, it comes quite naturally. Lauwersoog is and will always be a fishing port. That’s its soul. But we also have other sectors that we see as growth drivers, including tourism and recreation. We also view offshore wind as a growth market that offers various opportunities. If I have to choose between a standalone project and one that strengthens multiple sectors, I always choose the latter. I think that cohesion is important.”
Each individual project has its own funding. Sometimes it’s a municipal grant, sometimes it comes from another source, and the entrepreneurs themselves also contribute. “Having the NOM at the table is extremely important to us,” Klaas emphasizes. “If we need to apply for grants or require legal support, we can rely on the NOM’s network. Gretha also brings her experience with energy hubs to the table. For a small port, that’s indispensable.”
Darkness Project
Lauwersoog is more than just a local story. The Darkness Project illustrates this. Together with the University of Groningen, the Province of Groningen, and the municipality of Het Hogeland, entrepreneurs involved in the Darkness Master Plan are working to reduce light pollution in the port. “We’re aiming for more than a 50% reduction in light pollution within three years,” Sander explains. “And we’re almost certain it will reach 75%, because everyone is participating. Other ports are closely following these developments and are already calling for advice.”
Of course, Lauwersoog is far from finished. Boat tour operators are eager to switch to electric power, and the ferry to Schiermonnikoog must also become CO₂-neutral in the near future. And there’s much more in the works.
“I’m convinced that the Lauwersoog Energy Community will be up and running in two or three years,” says Klaas. An energy community in which businesses and government agencies jointly utilize transmission capacity, generate energy, store it, and exchange it among themselves—with 40% more renewable energy than today.'Gretha, too, looks to the future with confidence. "Every step you take now—with courage, decisiveness, and room to experiment—makes the next step easier and more rewarding."'
Energy Hubs 2024 Incentive Program
Through the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth, provinces and Regional Development Agencies (ROMs) have received funding from the Energy Hubs 2024 Incentive Program. This funding will enable them to implement their plans within the province and support entrepreneurs.
Gretha Boels has been appointed as the point of contact for energy hubs at NOM. She has extensive experience in setting up energy hubs in collaboration with companies and government agencies.
Are you dealing with grid congestion, or are you working on a future-proof energy system? Gretha is happy to help you get started. You can turn to her for support with an initial assessment, explanations of the various steps in the development process, contract types with grid operators, organizational issues, grant opportunities, and other practical questions related to energy.