Green electricity production up by 40 percent

© Hollandse Hoogte / Dolph Cantrijn
In 2020, electricity production from renewable sources increased by 40 percent year-on-year. Slightly over one-quarter of Dutch electricity consumption last year came from domestic renewable sources. This was still 18 percent one year previously, as shown by new, provisional figures on renewable electricity released by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

Renewable electricity production
JaartalWind energy (bn kWh)Biomass (bn kWh)Solar power (bn kWh)Hydropower (bn kWh)
20104.507.060.060.10
20114.737.060.100.10
20124.947.230.190.10
20135.376.000.410.10
20145.815.100.730.10
20156.925.031.110.10
20168.365.011.600.10
20179.644.732.210.09
201810.034.703.710.09
201910.776.015.340.09
2020*13.909.317.990.09
*Provisional figures

In 2020, total electricity production from renewable sources amounted to 31 billion kilowatt hours (kWh), up from 22 billion kWh in 2019.

Wind turbines accounted for the largest share of renewable electricity generation, namely 45 percent; biomass accounted for 29 percent and solar power for 26 percent.

Renewable electricity production from solar power soaring

In 2020, solar panel power production rose by more than half, from 5.3 billion kWh in 2019 to 8.1 billion kWh last year. The increase is directly related to substantial growth in the installed capacity. Total solar panel capacity grew by more than 3 thousand megawatts (MW) in 2020 and was estimated at just over 10 thousand MW at year-end.

Solar panel capacity
JaartalSolar panel capacity at end of reporting year (1,000 MW)
20100.09
20110.15
20120.29
20130.65
20141.01
20151.53
20162.14
20172.91
20184.61
20197.18
2020*10.21
*Provisional figures

Sharp increase in onshore and offshore wind energy

In 2020, electricity production from wind power rose by 29 percent (3.1 billion kWh) year-on-year, to 13.9 billion kWh. The increase is related to the expansion of wind farms. Two new, large farms off the coast of Zeeland province near Borssele increased the installed capacity at sea from around 1,000 MW at the end of 2019 to 2,500 MW one year later. Onshore wind capacity went up by nearly 600 MW to 4,100 MW at the end of 2020.

Wind turbine capacity
JaartalOnshore (1,000 MW)Offshore (1,000 MW)
20102.010.23
20112.090.23
20122.200.23
20132.490.23
20142.640.23
20153.030.36
20163.300.96
20173.240.96
20183.440.96
20193.530.96
2020*4.122.46
*Provisional figures

Substantially more electricity from biomass

Electricity production from biomass sources rose from 6.0 billion kWh in 2019 to 9.0 billion kWh in 2020, i.e. a 49-percent increase. Electricity from biomass is generated at waste incineration plants, where biomass is co-fired in coal-fired power plants, cogeneration plants and biogas plants.