Production of sustainable energy in the Netherlands, share in total energy supply, 1990-2001

The share of sustainable energy in the total energy supply in the Netherlands rose by 11% to 41.97PJ in 2001, or 1.3% of total domestic energy use. The high level of demand has resulted in a sharp increase in imports of sustainable energy.

			1990	1995	1998	1999	2000	2001

			TJ primary energy savings ¹⁾
Total			16 861	20 894	32 049	33 318	37 685	41 975

Recurrent energy			1 457	3 836	7 264	7 386	9 618	9 848
of which	hydroelectric power		703	728	927	745	1 179	971
	wind energy		463	2 623	5 297	5 338	6 861	6 831
	solar energy		77	174	331	404	479	590
	heat pumps ²⁾		200	240	425	502	626	798
	heat/cold storage		14	71	284	397	473	658

Energy from waste			15 404	17 058	24 785	25 932	28 067	32 127
of which	waste incineration ³⁾		6 312	5 576	11 363	11 522	11 591	12 858
	combustion and gasification of biomass		6 476	6 508	8 199	9 137	10 672	13 445
	fermentation of biomass		2 616	4 974	5 223	5 273	5 804	5 824
	of which	landfill gas/organic waste	336	2 096	2 059	1 926	2 420	2 396
		waste treatment plants	2 280	2 878	3 164	3 347	3 384	3 428

Source: CBS/Novem.			CBS/EDC/May03
1) Calculated using the Monitoring Renewable Energy Protocol method, criteria for 2000 objectives. 2) The figure for 1990 is an estimate. 3) Only the contribution of the renewable organic component. The calculated renewable components for the various periods are not comparable: 1990 to 2000 (incl.) on the basis of data in the 1999 Protocol; 2001 on the basis of a new calculation method using the 2002 Protocol.

Developments in sustainable energy

Sustainable energy as a proportion of total energy supply in the Netherlands rose by 11% to 41.97PJ in 2001, or 1.3% of total domestic energy use. Nevertheless, a lot remains to be done to achieve the objective of 10% sustainable as a proportion of Dutch energy use in 2020 (EZ, 1996).

The largest contribution to this increase was made by the combustion and gasification of biomass, with the largest increase in this sector being made by cofiring in the coal-fired electricity plants. Furthermore, there was also a sizeable increase in the use of solar energy and use of ambient heat (heat pumps and heat/cold storage).

Electricity is produced from hydro-electric power and wind energy. Solar energy and the combustion of waste and biomass are used as sources of both electricity and heat. Heat pumps supply heat. Biomass fermentation processes produce gases which generate energy when burned.

Imports of sustainable energy have increased sharply as a result of the tax incentives for imported sustainable electricity. In 2000, imports amounted to 1,500 GWh; in 2001, this figure increased to 7,645 GWh. The energy consists almost entirely of electricity generated from biomass and hydroelectric power.

Technical note

The amount of sustainable energy is expressed in the number of terajoules of primary energy savings (= the amount of fossil fuel energy carrier savings). The information in the above table comes from surveys conducted by CBS, the Green label system of EnergieNed and audits conducted by Ecofys and Kema.

References

CBS/Novem (2001). Duurzame energie in Nederland. Statistics Netherlands/Novem, Voorburg/Heerlen and Sittard/Utrecht.
CBS (2003). Statline, Winning van duurzame energie. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
EZ (1996). Third Energy Memorandum. Tweede Kamer, 1995-1996, 24 525, nos. 1-2. Ministry of Economic Affairs, Sdu Uitgeverij, The Hague.
Novem (1999). Protocol Monitoring Duurzame Energie. Methodiek voor het registreren en berekenen van de bijdrage van duurzame/hernieuwbare energiebronnen. Novem, Utrecht.
Novem (2002). Protocol Monitoring Duurzame Energie. Methodiek voor het registreren en berekenen van de bijdrage van duurzame/hernieuwbare energiebronnen (update 2002). Novem, Utrecht.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium

More information about the production of sustainable energy can be found on Statline (Statistics Netherlands).