3. Available sources
Although the proposed study is a feasibility study, we know beforehand which sources can be used in the study. This chapter will outline our general knowledge about energy consumption patterns and will give a preliminary operationalization. This is so we can formulate proposed methods in the concluding chapter of our desk research.
Consumption patterns
The energy data collected has information on the approximate location of energy consumption, identified through EAN (European Article Number) codes, which can be linked to addresses of tourist accommodations. For each EAN we have access to the energy delivery of electricity and gas, and the backflow of electricity due to the use of solar panels, by which we can approximate the energy consumption.
The number of residents and the number of nights spent at an accommodation follow seasonal patterns throughout the year. Typically, there are peaks in both May and August, which are associated with the summer season. During the winter months, fewer tourists are expected, particularly in January. Over the years, the number of tourists appears to be increasing steadily, especially during the summer months (CBS, 2026; 2026). In contrast, (global) energy usage in the Netherlands follows the opposite pattern. Electricity and gas consumption are highest in winter and lowest in summer (CBS, 2024). Unfortunately, we do not have specific data on energy expenses in the energy sector. Overall, energy usage seems to be declining over time, likely due to measures against global warming, higher energy prices and measures to save energy. On the other hand, the production of solar energy is increasing rapidly, both in relative and absolute terms (CBS, 2026). In 2024, 79 PJ of solar energy was consumed, compared to 31 PJ in 2020.
Preliminary operationalization
As stated Statistics Netherlands already possesses information about the available sources we plan to use for the feasibility study. We will therefore describe the variables we are planning to utilize directly or indirectly.
Guests
Visitors who stay one or more consecutive nights in a lodging accommodation. A guest who stays for more than two consecutive months in a lodging accommodation is considered a regular guest and is not counted for the statistics. Asylum seekers and seasonal workers are not counted as guests, even if they stay for less than two consecutive months in a lodging accommodation. Each month, guests who leave during that month are counted, regardless of the month in which they arrived. Note that it is possible that a person is counted as a guest two or more times in the same month, either in the same accommodation or in different accommodations.
Types of tourist accommodations
Hotel
A hotel is a location where one can stay overnight and have hotel service. Also motels, youth accommodations and b&b's which provide hotel service are counted as hotel.
Campings
A piece of land or part of a land with tourist sleeping places, where it is possible to stay in tents, caravans, camping cars, cabins, or trekker tents. Our statistics apply a minimum threshold of at least 4 tourist parking spots for these accommodations.
Holiday Park
A site with a number of summer cottages, motorhomes, (holiday-)bungalows, or (holiday-)apartments, which are mainly available for rental by the operator or manager of the complex. Apartments that are rented with hotel services are not considered a holiday home complex but rather as (apartment) hotel. Apartments without hotel services, which are often part of a larger building, are considered as bungalows or summer cottages. Our statistics apply a minimum threshold of at least 10 sleeping places for these accommodations.
Group accommodation
Accommodation providing lodging primarily to people in group settings (not family settings), with sleeping arrangements in rooms, halls, cottages, cabins, apartments, and/or tents, where guests may have to share with strangers.
Units of energy
The SI unit for energy is the joule (J). It is commonly used with prefixes, such as terajoules (1TJ = 1012J) and petajoules (1PJ = 1015 J). Another unit of energy frequently used in electricity is the kilowatt-hour (kWh), where 1 kWh equals 3.6 megajoules (MJ). Additionally, 1 PJ is equivalent to about 31.6 million cubic meters of natural gas or 278 million kWh of electricity.
Types of consumable energy
Natural gas
Natural gas supplies from the public grid. This refers to natural gas supplies from the national gas grid managed by Gas Transport Services (GTS), the Zebragas network, and the gas networks of the regional network operators. For long-distance transport by ship, natural gas is liquefied. The use of gas measured as m3 has been corrected for the weather, so that it approximates the gas usage in a fictional year with average weather conditions. In other words: after a mild winter, the weather-corrected gas usage is higher than the real gas usage because in a normal and colder winter the gas consumption would haven been higher.
Electricity
Electricity deliveries from the public grid. This refers to electricity deliveries from the national electricity grid managed by TenneT and the electricity networks of the regional network operators. Electricity is the flow of electrons used, for example, to light lamps or to operate washing machines. Gross electricity delivery refers to the amount of electricity delivered regardless of whether it is consumed. Net electricity delivery only include electricity that is not delivered back to the net.
Registers available
BAG (base administration buildings)
Identifies residential properties and links gas/electricity connections to specific homes. It only includes spaces used for living, but some spaces are in dual use (e.g. for tourism).
- Building year: When the building was originally built (excluding renovations)
- Type of residence: (e.g. single family home)
- Living area: Square meters of living space according to NEN2580 standards.
BRP (base registrations of persons)
Provides information about which houses are inhabited and the number of persons registered at the address.
CERES (Central registration of system elements)
Tracks solar panel installations and returns. Also holds the yearly registration of solar panels present at an address.
Other information
NACE
The economic sector in which activities take place, standardized throughout the European Union. Tourist accommodations can be defined by combining NACE 551 to 553 according to their definitions in NACE2025.
EAN code
An 18-digit code valid across the European Union. It is specific to a particular gas or electricity connection of a household to the grid. Our research can be limited to EAN codes that can be linked to tourist zones, such as hotels, campsites, holiday parks, or group accommodations.
Smart energy meter
A smart meter is a digital meter whose readings can be read remotely by the energy supplier and the network operator. Since 2026 every home is required to have one. It measures electricity and gas meter readings. The information from the smart meters is collected once a month. Older data has sometimes been collected by an analog meter which might be less accurate.