School Rooftop Revolution
Since 2016, a Dutch coalition of leaders from across society, called NL2025, has been supporting and initiating a variety of societal projects. DSM’s then-CEO Feike Sijbesma, also co-founder of NL2025, had the vision of starting an initiative to support the uptake of solar energy on the rooftops of elementary schools. What better way to both accelerate the uptake of solar energy on +/- 6,000 suitable (but unused) rooftops, while educating children about the need to take care of our planet?
Setting it up
Having scanned a variety of initiatives that already been working on precisely this mission, I approached Sungevity (a purpose-driven solar company) and Urgenda (one of the country’s leading climate NGOs) and initiated conversations. Together with (among other organizations) the Rabobank, whose CEO was also closely involved in NL2025, we set up the foundation School Rooftop Revolution (Dutch: Schooldakrevolutie).
About the initiative
The foundation is an accelerator of the solar “revolution”, and does not operationally execute projects. Primarily, it makes sure the right partners team up and, where possible, takes away barriers. It acts as a neutral broker between governments, school boards, companies that can execute solar projects, and a range of stakeholders across society. Next to a core team that orchestrates the initiative and takes care of all (campaign) communications and educational materials for the schools, dedicated coaches are available to support school boards with analyzing the potential, developing the business case and by advising on suitable companies that can execute the projects.
Regional ambassadors champion the initiative in specific (parts of) provinces of The Netherlands, for example, by engaging with local government officials on necessary policies that can (further) encourage the uptake of solar energy at schools. To learn more about the initiative, click here (in Dutch).
Special launch
In the video below we see the launch of the initiative at an elementary school in Amsterdam. I orchestrated for this to coincide with a secret surprise for DSM’s CEO, who, around that time, had also been awarded a “Sustainable Ribbon” (Dutch: Duurzaam Lintje).
“Paulette has been instrumental in founding and shaping the ‘Schooldakrevolutie’, a foundation that aims to make the Netherlands the first country where all schools are powered by solar energy, combined with education programs on sustainability financed with savings on the energy bill. Paulette is full of energy and most of all, creative, constructive, with a strong drive for results. I also worked with Paulette on the first solar installation on a school, where she came up with an innovative idea that united and mobilized different stakeholders and media. She proved to be very resourceful. I highly recommend Paulette to anyone looking for a dedicated and super smart lady in pulling new programs, companies or ideas off the ground. In short, anyone looking for a breath of fresh (sustainable) air...”
Photo credit: Ermindo Armino