Avoided use of fossil energy and emission of CO2

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Energy sources/techniques Energy application Avoided use of fossil energy Avoided energy (TJ) Avoided carbon dioxide emission (CO2) Avoided emission (kton)
Total energy sources Total energy applications 591,177 35,944
Electricity 474,427 28,237
Heat 74,473 4,331
Transport 42,277 3,376
Hydro power Total energy applications 659 38
Electricity 659 38
Heat
Transport
Wind energy, total Total energy applications 254,219 14,626
Electricity 254,219 14,626
Heat
Transport
Wind energy on shore Total energy applications 135,773 7,812
Electricity 135,773 7,812
Heat
Transport
Wind energy off shore Total energy applications 118,446 6,815
Electricity 118,446 6,815
Heat
Transport
Solar energy Total energy applications 173,522 9,982
Electricity 172,281 9,912
Heat 1,242 70
Transport
Solar photovoltaic Total energy applications 172,281 9,912
Electricity 172,281 9,912
Heat
Transport
Solar thermal Total energy applications 1,242 70
Electricity
Heat 1,242 70
Transport
Total geothermal energy Total energy applications 13,753 767
Electricity
Heat 13,753 767
Transport
Deep geothermal heat Total energy applications 7,489 420
Electricity
Heat 7,489 420
Transport
Total shallow geothermal energy Total energy applications 6,264 347
Electricity
Heat 6,264 347
Transport
Shallow geothermal heat, total Total energy applications 4,938 271
Electricity
Heat 4,938 271
Transport
Shallow geothermal heat, heat pumps Total energy applications 4,748 260
Electricity
Heat 4,748 260
Transport
Shal geothermal heat, without heat pumps Total energy applications 190 11
Electricity
Heat 190 11
Transport
Shallow geothermal cold Total energy applications 1,327 76
Electricity
Heat 1,327 76
Transport
Aerothermal heat, total Total energy applications 7,689 391
Electricity
Heat 7,689 391
Transport
Total biomass Total energy applications 141,335 10,140
Electricity 47,269 3,660
Heat 51,790 3,104
Transport 42,277 3,376
Municipal waste; renewable fraction Total energy applications 20,762 1,183
Electricity 11,919 686
Heat 8,843 497
Transport
Co-firing of biomass in electr. plants Total energy applications 26,821 2,540
Electricity 25,314 2,397
Heat 1,507 143
Transport
Total biomass households Total energy applications 11,680 656
Electricity
Heat 11,680 656
Transport
Biomass households, open fireplaces Total energy applications 173 10
Electricity
Heat 173 10
Transport
Biomass households, inserts Total energy applications 1,672 94
Electricity
Heat 1,672 94
Transport
Biomass households, wood stoves Total energy applications 7,663 431
Electricity
Heat 7,663 431
Transport
Biomass households, pellet stoves Total energy applications 2,172 122
Electricity
Heat 2,172 122
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 use of fossil energy
The avoided use of fossil primary energy is the amount of fossil (and nuclear) energy that would have been used if renewable energy was not used.
The avoided use of fossil primary energy is the sum of:
1. The avoided use of fossil primary energy by the domestic production of electricity, heat and gas from renewable sources.
2. The avoided use of fossil energy by the biofuels for road transport sold on the domestic market.
Imports and exports of green electricity is not included.
Avoided energy
In this table, the unit TeraJoule (TJ) is used. This equals 1,000,000,000,000 joules (10 to the power of 12). A joule is a unit of energy equivalent to 0.24 calories. A TJ is equivalent to 31 600 cubic meters of natural gas or 278 000 kilowatt-hours of electricity.
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.