Durable energy: modest domestic production, rising imports in 2001

In 2001 1.3 percent of Dutch energy was supplied by foreign durable energy sources. Domestic production of durable energy increased by 11 percent on 2000; of durable electricity the increase was 15 percent.

In 2020 10 percent of the total Dutch energy sypply must come from durable energy sources.

Rising imports of durable electricity

Dutch imports of durable electricity took a flight in 2001. A recent estimate is 7600 GWh (CBS/NOVEM). This means that over 35 percent of the total electricity imported by the Netherlands can be considered durable. The estimate for 2000 was 1500 GWh (CBS/NOVEM). The observed growth is partly due to the fact that imported durable energy is fiscally attractive. The current Dutch government has anounced plans to change this.Het kabinet heeft inmiddels plannen aangekondigd om dit te veranderen.

Production of durable electricity

Domestic production of durable electricity

Compared to 2000 total domestic production of durable electricity increased by 15 percent to 2963 GWh. This is 2.8 percent of the total finale electricity consumption.

The growth is due to the considerable increase in firing bio mass in coal plants. Electricity generated by solar energy increased by 70 percent, but its share in durable electricity production is still a modest 0.4 percent.

Less wind energy

The production of electricity with wind energy decreased by 0.5 percent in 2001 on 2000 reaching 825 GWh. The number of wind mills increased by 34 in 2001, but because most were built towards the end of the year these new turbines did not yt contribute much to the production in 2001. The decrease in wind energy production is therefore mainly due to the low supply of wind. The first figures on 2002 indicate that a record number of new turbines is beinf installed.

Primary energy replaced by durable energy, 2001

Large share of bio energy

The use of durable energy sources avoids having to use primary energy sources such as natural gas and coal.

In 2001 the use of all durable energy sources together avoided using 42 PJ of primary resources. This equals 12 percent of the use of natural gas by Dutch households. Over three quarters of this volume is generated by.

Henk Verduin (CBS) en Ruud de Bruijne (NOVEM)