From 2005 to 2008, the Netherlands imported 13-15% of its electricity.[4] After 2008, however, the share of electricity imported decreased drastically, meaning that in 2009, the Netherlands became a net exporter of electricity. That was until 2011, where the electricity import balance increased sharply.[2] This development continued in 2012 and 2013.[2] A 2010 amount of 56.1 PJ almost doubled in 2015 to 110.7.[5][clarification needed] The cause of the increase in electricity imports was contributed to the development of energy prices. The price of natural gas rose in 2011 and 2012, while the price of coal rose in 2011, but fell in 2012 and 2013. Additionally, the supply of cheap electricity in neighbouring countries rose relatively strongly, which made imports more attractive.[2]
Before 1998, utility companies were allowed to own an electricity network and sell electricity simultaneously, which gave companies that owned the network unfair advantages over companies that were only active in retail sales of electricity. This prompted a restructuring of the electricity sector in the Netherlands with the introduction of the Electricity Act in 1998.[2] This act demanded the decoupling of utilities and electricity supply. The generation and retail of electricity in the Netherlands were liberalized. However, transmission and distribution are still centralized and operated by the system operator and utilities. The system operator and utilities have a monopoly position in the energy market. Therefore, these parties have to be regulated to guarantee rights of consumers and businesses in the electricity sector.[2] The Authority for Consumers and Markets was founded in 2013.[6]
The system operator, TenneT, is the only stakeholder responsible for managing the high-voltage grid (between 110 kV and 380 kV) in the Netherlands.[2] Seven utility companies own the regional energy grids: Cogas Infra en Beheer, Enduris, Enexis, Liander, Stedin Netbeheer, and Westland Infra Netbeheer.[7]
Electricity by power source
Electricity supply and consumption in the Netherlands (GWh)[8]
Year
Consumption
Net Production
Fossil
Nuclear
Biomass
Wind
Solar
Other
Import-Export
Losses
1980
59626
62068
-
-
-
-
-
-
-307
2135
1985
63096
60581
-
-
-
-
-
-
5127
2612
1990
75544
69403
-
-
-
-
-
-
9206
3065
1995
85661
77746
-
-
-
-
-
-
11391
3476
2000
100602
85768
-
-
-
-
-
-
18916
4082
2005
110301
96484
-
-
-
-
-
-
18295
4478
2010
112681
114369
-
-
-
-
-
-
2776
4464
2015
109236
105752
87463
3862
4339
7550
1109
1430
8748
5264
2016
110538
111057
91882
3750
4296
8170
1602
1357
4915
5434
2017
111548
113456
91908
3223
3993
10569
2204
1559
3506
5414
2018
113477
110841
88754
3333
3906
10549
3708
592
7970
5334
2019
113662
117865
91620
3700
5067
11508
5399
570
855
5059
2020
112434
119838
83730
3865
7891
15278
8567
507
-2660
4744
2021
113616
118160
74942
3618
9817
17920
11304
559
253
4797
2022
108875
118010
66290
3930
8703
21401
17079
607
-4267
4869
2023
109274
119751
58277
3767
7147
28885
21173
502
-5659
4818
Dutch electricity by source in 2019
In 2008, the Netherlands consumed an average of 7,463 kWh per person, equal to the EU15[clarification needed] average of 7,409 kWh per person.[9] In 2014, this was 6,713 kWh per person, which is a decrease of 10% compared to 2008.[10]
The electricity generated by wind energy increased from 1990 to 2013 by an average of 19% per year to 2,713 MW. In 2013, wind energy generated 9% of the total electricity in the Netherlands, compared to 3.9% in 2009.[2][11] The wind capacity installed at the end of 2010 would produce 4.1% of the total electricity in a normal year, while the equivalent value for Germany was 9.4%, Portugal 14%,[12] and Denmark 39% in 2014.[13]
Coal-based power generation
The Netherlands has five coal-fired plants.[14] Three new coal-fired plants were opened in 2015–2016, two in the Maasvlakte and one in the Eemshaven. At the same time, three old plants were closed down in Nijmegen, Borssele, and Geertruidenberg, while two other plants (Maasvlakte I and II) were planned to be closed before 1 July, 2017. A discussion is[when?] taking place on what to do with the five operational coal-fired plants and whether they should be closed down. However, according to the government, the remaining five plants should stay open due to the Netherlands' dependency on the energy produced by these coal-fired plants.[15] The tables show an overview of the Netherlands' operational and recently closed/opened coal-fired power plants.[16][17][18]
According to the IEA, the total electricity use (gross production + imports + exports + transmission/distribution losses) in the Netherlands in 2008, was 119 TWh.[20] In 2014, electricity use had decreased to 113 TWh.[21] The total electricity consumption in 2021 had risen again to 117 terawatt-hours (TWh).[1]
In 2007, total emissions of carbon dioxide per capita were 11.1 tons. This is compared to the EU27 average of 7.9 tons CO2.[24] Emissions per capita in the OECD countries exceeded the Netherlands only in the Czech Republic (11.8), Finland (12.2), Canada (17.4), Australia (18.8), the United States (19.1), and Luxembourg (22.4).[24]
Emissions grew by 16.4% between 1990 and 2007, but between 2002 and 2012, the emission per capita decreased by 6.1% tons of CO2.[25] The IEA showed that for a longer time period, from 1990 to 2012, there had been an overall reduction in emissions of 8%, while GDP grew by around 50% in the same period.[25]
Energy Agreement for Sustainable Growth
In September 2013, representatives from the Dutch government, environmentalists, and the energy sector – representing 47 different parties – signed the Energy Agreement for Sustainable Growth.[26] This agreement contained plans for investing in energy conservation and renewable energy generation, and was projected to deliver tens of thousands of new jobs, improve industry competitiveness, and increase exports.[26] The stakeholders had agreed that 16% of the energy would be generated by renewable energy sources in 2023,[26] and five coal-fired plants built in the 1980s would be closed in 2016 and 2017. The other remaining five coal-fired plants would remain open and be used for co-firing biomass, a 4 billion euro measure that would contribute 1.2% of the total planned production of renewable energy.[27][28] This agreement was seen as a major breakthrough in the debate about climate change in the Netherlands, because it not only provided a clear set of policies for sustainable growth, but also gathered support from all main stakeholders.[29]
Resistance to the Energy Agreement
The Energy Agreement did not find unanimous support. Urgenda, an environmental organisation, did not sign the agreement. Urgenda called the agreement a weak compromise without any sense of urgency, and sued the Dutch government on these grounds on 20 November, 2013, thereby originating the case State of the Netherlands v. Urgenda Foundation. They alleged the Dutch state acted unlawfully by not contributing its proportional share to prevent global warming and won the case. This forced the Dutch government to take further action to reduce the Netherlands’ share of global emissions. This was the first time that a judge had legally required a State to take precautions against climate change.[30]
Although many politicians supported the decision, the government appealed the verdict on the grounds that they questioned the way the court assessed their policy. They still promised, however, that new measures to comply with the verdict would be carried out. Urgenda described the appeal as a delaying tactic; 28,000 citizens signed a petition urging the government to accept the verdict rather than appeal.[31]
Debate about closure of coal-firing plants
In October 2015, many politicians lost confidence in the agreement and demanded an additional set of measures when evidence emerged that the Energy Agreement's measures could not achieve their intended goals.[28] In December 2015, a majority of the House of Representatives supported closing all Dutch coal-firing plants in the near future, implying a policy contradiction: closing the additional coal-firing plants would interfere with the execution of the Energy Agreement because it would end the co-firing of biomass. Additionally, three new coal plants were just finished costing 1.5 billion euros each.[27] Some politicians suggested to redirect the initial subsidies for co-firing biomass into compensation to close the new coal-firing plants, while others opposed the plan because they were afraid that it would cost too many jobs.[28]
Nuon, the Dutch subsidiary of the Swedish company Vattenfall, which owns the Hemwegcentrale, stated that it was open to discussion about the closure of the plant. Essent, the owner of Eemshavencentrale, on the other hand, believed that the closure of the plants would only work counterproductively in reaching the energy goals. Henk Kamp, the Minister of Economic Affairs, promised that the Dutch government would make a decision by the autumn of 2016.[32]
In January 2016, the three oldest coal-firing plants were closed in Nijmegen, Borssele and Geertruidenberg. Two more closures were scheduled for July 1 July 2017: Maasvlakte I and II.[26]
2017 Energy Agreement debate
At the end of January 2017, Minister Kamp sent a letter to the House of Representatives saying that no decision would be made by the incumbent government on the closure of the remaining five coal plants. Instead of a concrete plan, the minister sent a study by the German research agency Frontier Economics to the House, as well as the final advice of the individual members of the advisory group with whom the minister had consulted on this matter. These advisory group members included the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers, the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions, environmental organisations, and the Dutch industrial energy consumer lobby VEMW. They did not agree on a common position, and hence the difficult issue of the coal-fired power stations would be passed over during the elections of 15 March 2017.[33]
2018 ban on coal-fired power plants
On 18 May 2018, Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Eric Wiebes announced that the Netherlands would ban the use of coal in electricity generation by the end of 2029. Two of the five remaining coal-fired plants (Amercentrale Unit 9 & Hemweg 8) would have to shut down at the end of 2024 unless they switched primary fuels.[34]
The electricity sector in Norway relies predominantly on hydroelectricity. A significant share of the total electrical production is consumed by national industry.
Japan is a major consumer of energy, ranking fifth in the world by primary energy use. Fossil fuels accounted for 88% of Japan's primary energy in 2019. Japan imports most of its energy due to scarce domestic resources. As of 2022, the country imports 97% of its oil and is the larger LNG importer globally.
Energy in the United Kingdom came mostly from fossil fuels in 2021. Total energy consumption in the United Kingdom was 142.0milliontonnes of oil equivalent in 2019. In 2014, the UK had an energy consumption per capita of 2.78tonnes of oil equivalent compared to a world average of 1.92tonnes of oil equivalent. Demand for electricity in 2023 was 29.6GW on average, supplied through 235TWh of UK-based generation and 24TWh of energy imports.
Energy in Finland describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Finland. Energy policy of Finland describes the politics of Finland related to energy. Electricity sector in Finland is the main article regarding electricity in Finland.
Energy in Belgium describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Belgium.
Energy in Switzerland is transitioning towards sustainability, targeting net zero emissions by 2050 and a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Energy in Italy comes mostly from fossil fuels. Among the most used resources are petroleum, natural gas, coal and renewables. Italy has few energy resources, and most supplies are imported.
Energy in Australia is the production in Australia of energy and electricity, for consumption or export. Energy policy of Australia describes the politics of Australia as it relates to energy.
As of May 2024, wind power in the Netherlands has an installed capacity of 11,611 MW, 40.9% of which is based offshore. In 2022, the wind turbines provided the country with 18.37% of its electricity demand during the year. Windmills have historically played a major part in the Netherlands by providing an alternative to water driven mills.
Majority of electricity production in Sweden relies on hydro power and nuclear power. In 2008 the consumption of electricity in Sweden was 16018 kWh per capita, compared to EU average 7409 kWh per capita. Sweden has a national grid, which is part of the Synchronous grid of Northern Europe. A specialty of the Nordic energy market is the existence of so-called electricity price areas, which complicate the wholesale Nordic energy market.
Denmark's western electrical grid is part of the Synchronous grid of Continental Europe whereas the eastern part is connected to the Synchronous grid of Northern Europe via Sweden.
The Netherlands' only commercial nuclear reactor is Borssele nuclear power plant, which became operational in 1973 and as of 2011 produces 485 MW and about 4% of the country's electricity.
Italy's total electricity consumption was 302.75 terawatt-hour (TWh) in 2020, of which 270.55 TWh (89.3%) was produced domestically and the remaining 10.7% was imported.
The electricity sector in Switzerland relies mainly on hydroelectricity, since the Alps cover almost two-thirds of the country's land mass, providing many large mountain lakes and artificial reservoirs suited for hydro power. In addition, the water masses drained from the Swiss Alps are intensively used by run-of-the-river hydroelectricity (ROR). With 9,052 kWh per person in 2008, the country's electricity consumption is relatively high and was 22% above the European Union's average.
Electricity in Cyprus is managed by the Electricity Authority of Cyprus. Power is primarily generated at three fuel oil-burning stations but the use of distributed renewable energy is expanding.
Energy in Luxembourg describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Luxembourg. Electricity sector in Luxembourg is the main article of electricity in Luxembourg.
Primary energy use in Slovakia was 194 TWh and 36 TWh per million inhabitants in 2009.
Coal in Europe is a term describing the use of coal as an energy source in Europe, including both thermal coal used for power generation and coking coal used for steel production.
Total primary energy supply (TPES) in Slovenia was 6.80 Mtoe in 2019. In the same year, electricity production was 16.1 TWh, consumption was 14.9 TWh.
Denmark is a leading country in renewable energy production and usage. Renewable energy sources collectively produced 81% of Denmark's electricity generation in 2022, and are expected to provide 100% of national electric power production from 2030. Including energy use in the heating/cooling and transport sectors, Denmark is expected to reach 100% renewable energy in 2050, up from the 34% recorded in 2021.
↑ Energy in Sweden 2010, table: Specific electricity production per inhabitant with breakdown by power source Table 49Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine .
1 2 Energy in Sweden 2010, Table 1: Emissions of carbon dioxide in total, per capita and per GDP in EU and OECD countries, 2007 2010 Table 1Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
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