Electricity generation from fossil fuels invariably high
In the period 1998–2008, total electricity generation in the Netherlands increased by 14 percent. Electricity generation from fossil fuels increased by nearly 8 percent over the same period, while electricity generation from renewable sources quadrupled. As a result, the share of electricity produced from fossil fuels dropped marginally from 90 percent in 1998 to 85 percent in 2008.
Generation of electricity by energy source
More electricity from fossil energy sources
In the Netherlands, electricity is largely generated from fossil fuels, mainly natural gas and coal. Between 1998 and 2008, electricity generation from these fossil sources grew by nearly 8 percent to 90 billion kilowatt-hour (kWh). Natural gas chiefly accounts for the increase. Electricity generated from natural gas increased by nearly 19 percent to 62 billion kWh. Electricity generated from coal dropped by 13 percent to 22 billion kWh.
Electricity generated from fossil energy sources
More natural gas, less coal
Despite the increase in the total amount of electricity generated, the share of fossil electricity dropped. The share of electricity generated from coal fell significantly from 28 percent in 1998 to 21 percent in 2008. On the other hand, the share of electricity generated from natural gas increased from 57 to 59 percent in the period 1998–2008.
Generation of electricity from renewable energy sources
Dramatic increase green electricity
Last year, 9 percent of electricity generated in the Netherlands came from renewable energy sources, as against 2.5 percent in 1998. Wind and biomass electricity grew sharply.
Between 1998 and 2005, the increase in green electricity was mainly due to an increase in the amount of electricity generated from biomass, which tripled to 5 billion kWh in that period. After 2005, the amount of renewable electricity mainly increased, because more electricity was generated by wind turbines. Between 2005 and 2008, it doubled to 4 billion kWh.
Bart van Wezel