Interview: FC Groningen’s Crowdfunding Initiative

 

The FC Groningen professional football organization successfully used crowdfunding to put solar panels on the roof of their Euroborg stadium. The GREENFOOT team spoke with Andre Snakenborg, the infrastructure manager at FC Groningen, about their experience with crowdfunding energy investments.

 

GF: Why did you decide to invest in a PV installation?

AS: This choice stems from the fact that the sustainability aspect was a core value in our policy plan at the time. Ultimately, the FC Groningen stadium is the first stadium in the Netherlands to be equipped with PV panels. This has of course provided us with a lot of positive exposure and it fits perfectly into the principle of corporate social responsibility. Do not say but do!! Do not save indirectly, but try to actively save energy directly.

 

GF: Why did you decide to use crowdfunding to finance your PV installation?

AS: This choice was essential to finance the project. The starting point was to get the project off the ground in a cost-neutral way for us.

 

GF: Were there any surprising aspects or benefits from using crowdfunding?

AS: Thanks to the PV panel project, we have been able to commercially bind the various parties working in the energy transition to us, in addition, we have of course also received a lot of positive feedback from supporters and in general from people who care about sustainability. The project has also received considerable attention from the national press.

 

GF: Were there any problems or issues with the crowdfunding process you experienced?

AS: Not really, only in the beginning the crowdfunding started slowly as this was also one of the first crowdfunding projects in the Netherlands.

 

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