Avoided use of fossil energy and emission of CO2

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Energy sources/techniques Energy application Avoided carbon dioxide emission (CO2) Avoided emission (kton) Avoided carbon dioxide emission (CO2) Avoided emission relative (% of total CO2 emission)
Total energy sources Total energy applications 35,944 28.20
Electricity 28,237 22.15
Heat 4,331 3.40
Transport 3,376 2.65
Hydro power Total energy applications 38 0.03
Electricity 38 0.03
Heat
Transport
Wind energy, total Total energy applications 14,626 11.48
Electricity 14,626 11.48
Heat
Transport
Wind energy on shore Total energy applications 7,812 6.13
Electricity 7,812 6.13
Heat
Transport
Wind energy off shore Total energy applications 6,815 5.35
Electricity 6,815 5.35
Heat
Transport
Solar energy Total energy applications 9,982 7.83
Electricity 9,912 7.78
Heat 70 0.05
Transport
Solar photovoltaic Total energy applications 9,912 7.78
Electricity 9,912 7.78
Heat
Transport
Solar thermal Total energy applications 70 0.05
Electricity
Heat 70 0.05
Transport
Total geothermal energy Total energy applications 767 0.60
Electricity
Heat 767 0.60
Transport
Deep geothermal heat Total energy applications 420 0.33
Electricity
Heat 420 0.33
Transport
Total shallow geothermal energy Total energy applications 347 0.27
Electricity
Heat 347 0.27
Transport
Shallow geothermal heat, total Total energy applications 271 0.21
Electricity
Heat 271 0.21
Transport
Shallow geothermal heat, heat pumps Total energy applications 260 0.20
Electricity
Heat 260 0.20
Transport
Shal geothermal heat, without heat pumps Total energy applications 11 0.01
Electricity
Heat 11 0.01
Transport
Shallow geothermal cold Total energy applications 76 0.06
Electricity
Heat 76 0.06
Transport
Aerothermal heat, total Total energy applications 391 0.31
Electricity
Heat 391 0.31
Transport
Total biomass Total energy applications 10,140 7.96
Electricity 3,660 2.87
Heat 3,104 2.44
Transport 3,376 2.65
Municipal waste; renewable fraction Total energy applications 1,183 0.93
Electricity 686 0.54
Heat 497 0.39
Transport
Co-firing of biomass in electr. plants Total energy applications 2,540 1.99
Electricity 2,397 1.88
Heat 143 0.11
Transport
Total biomass households Total energy applications 656 0.52
Electricity
Heat 656 0.52
Transport
Biomass households, open fireplaces Total energy applications 10 0.01
Electricity
Heat 10 0.01
Transport
Biomass households, inserts Total energy applications 94 0.07
Electricity
Heat 94 0.07
Transport
Biomass households, wood stoves Total energy applications 431 0.34
Electricity
Heat 431 0.34
Transport
Biomass households, pellet stoves Total energy applications 122 0.10
Electricity
Heat 122 0.10
Transport
Biomass households, charcoal use Total energy applications
Electricity
Heat
Transport
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


The use of renewable energy avoids the use of fossil energy and as a consequence avoids emission of CO2. Renewable energy is energy from wind, hydro power, the sun, the earth, heat from outdoor air and biomass. This is energy from natural processes that is replenished constantly.

Figures are presented in an absolute way, as well as related to the total emission of carbon dioxide in the Netherlands.

Avoiding the use of fossil energy and avoiding emission of carbon dioxide are important underlying aims for stimulation of the use of renewable energy.

The figures are broken down into energy source/technique and into application (electricity, heat and transport).

From reporting year 2021, new sustainability criteria for solid and gaseous biomass will apply in the context of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (2018). Only solid and gaseous biomass compliant according to these criteria are used to determine the avoided use of fossil energy and emission of CO2 in 2021.
An exception applies to the biogas used for bio-methane production. The current methodology doesn’t discern sustainable from non-sustainable biogas used for bio-methane production. This differs from the methodology used for gross final energy consumption that is the basis of most statistics on renewable energy.

Data available from:
1990

Status of the figures:
This table contains definite figures up to and including 2023, revised provisional figures for 2024.

Changes as of December 2025:
Figures on 2021 and 2022 have been revised, figures on 2023 and 2024 have been updated.
The revision concerns improved data on (bio)diesel oil consumption by mobile equipment in the construction and services sectors. This results in a shift of biodiesel consumption in energy application transport to energy application heating and cooling. Figures on other energy sources have been slightly adjusted based on new information.
The figures on “Shallow geothermal heat, heat pumps” and “Aerothermal heat, total” differ from the figures as published in the heat pumps table (StatLine-code 85523). The reference efficiencies used to determine the avoided use of fossil energy and the avoided emissions for 2024 were published in December 2025. When updating the heat pump table in November 2025 the references from 2023 were used, which explains the differences.

Changes as of July 2025
Figures for 2024 have been added.

Changes as of January 2025
Figures have been updated for 2022 and 2023. Figures for 2022 are now definite.
The figures on “Shallow geothermal heat, heat pumps” and “Aerothermal heat, total” differ from the figures as published in the heat pumps table (StatLine-code 85523). The reference efficiencies used to determine the avoided use of fossil energy and the avoided emissions for 2023 were published in December 2024. When updating the heat pump table in November 2024 the references from 2022 were used, which explains the differences.

When will new figures be published?
Provisional figures: June of the following year.
Revised provisional figures: December of the following year.
Definite figures: December of the second following year.

Description topics

Avoided carbon dioxide emission (CO2)
The amount of carbon dioxide that is emitted if no use is made of renewable energy technology. The amount of carbon dioxide is calculated in accordance with the methodology of the Protocol Monitoring Renewable Energy (AgentschapNL, 2010). It covers domestic production of renewable electricity, heat and gas. Imports of green electricity is not included.
This methodology only considers the avoided emission by the use of the renewable energy at the final stage: production of renewable electricity, heat and gas. The earlier stages are not included. For biofuels for road transport greenhouse gas emissions of the earlier stages may be substantial. Therefore, for these biofuels no avoided CO2 emissions are published.
Avoided emission
1 kton = 1,000 ton = 1 million kg.
Avoided emission relative
Avoided emission of carbon dioxide as percentage of the total Dutch CO2 emission according to the IPCC guidelines (Kyoto Protocol).

CO2 emission figures are provisional.