How is renewable energy doing in the Netherlands?

CBS recently reported that in 2021, 33 percent of the total electricity production came from renewable sources. That year, production increased by 22 percent compared to the previous year. A nice development. Below, we explain how renewable energy is distributed in the Netherlands.

What are the sources of renewable energy in the Netherlands?

The Netherlands is in the European middle range in terms of renewable energy use. However, this use is on the rise. In 2021, our share was 34 percent, compared to 26 percent in 2020.
Production from solar increased by 30 percent, from wind by 17 percent and from biomass by 23 percent. Electricity production from natural gas decreased by 22 percent. This decline is partly due to the large increase in the price of gas.

What about in Europe?

In 2019, 34 percent of energy consumption came from renewable sources. By 2020, this figure had already risen to 37 per cent. Two thirds of the total production came from wind and hydroelectricity. In addition, 14 percent came from the sun, 8 percent from biomass and 8 percent from other renewable sources. Solar energy is the fastest riser. In 2008, only 1 percent of the production consisted of solar energy.

What is the difference between renewable energy and clean energy?

Clean energy is produced under non-polluting and harmless conditions. Most renewable energy is clean, but not all clean energy is renewable. Nuclear and coal power plants that emit less harmful gases can also produce clean energy. They do not, of course, produce renewable energy.
Renewable energy is renewable and, of course, recyclable. The sources that emit the least harmful gases are wind and solar energy. If we look at these two forms of renewable energy in the Netherlands, we see that there are about 1,200 windmills and 1.5 million households with solar panels. Of all renewable sources, these two sources provide the most energy in the Netherlands.

Why should we choose renewable energy in the Netherlands?

To combat the effect of climate change and reduce our CO2 emissions, renewable energy has become increasingly important in the Netherlands. All over the world we need to look for more sustainable sources to preserve our earth.
Generating energy at home has also become increasingly popular in recent years. Many people see the benefits, such as saving on energy costs, reducing your carbon footprint and contributing to a better climate.

What else can we do?

The solution is simple: The more fossil fuels we replace with renewable energy sources, the better it is for our planet. To combat climate change, we need to use our natural resources as efficiently as possible. This can be done by generating energy as sustainably as possible and increasing capacity with green energy products such as zappi, eddi and harvi. This will make us less dependent on the grid and new energy production.
Want to learn more about renewable energy in the Netherlands? Then also read our following guides:

• Self-consumption of green energy: how does it work?
• Top 5 reasons to use green energy
• The answer to the 8 most frequently asked questions on renewable energy
• Storing renewable energy
• Geothermal energy: All you need to know
• Hydroelectricity
• Wind energy
• Solar energy: All you need to know
• Energy from biomass? All you need to know