Renewable energy; consumption by energy source, technology and application

This table expresses the use of renewable energy as gross final consumption of energy. Figures are presented in an absolute way, as well as related to the total energy use in the Netherlands.

Renewable energy is energy from wind, hydro power, the sun, the earth, heat from outdoor air and biomass. This is energy from natural processes that is replenished constantly.

The figures are broken down into energy source/technique and into energy application (electricity, heat and transport).

This table focuses on the share of renewable energy according to the EU Renewable Energy Directive. Under this directive, countries can apply an administrative transfer by purchasing renewable energy from countries that have consumed more renewable energy than the agreed target. For 2020, the Netherlands has implemented such a transfer by purchasing renewable energy from Denmark. This transfer has been made visible in this table as a separate energy source/technique and two totals are included; a total with statistical transfer and a total without statistical transfer.

Data available from: 1990

Status of the figures: This table contains definite figures up to and including 2020, figures of 2021 are revised provisional figures.

Changes as of February 8th 2023 The figures for co-firing of biomass in electricity plants have been updated for 2021. After exchanges with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in charge of securing the sustainability of subsidised solid biomass for electricity and heat, it has been concluded that the solid biomass used in co-firing plants was 100% RED II compliant with respect to biomass sustainability in 2021. This results in a 14 PJ higher final energy consumption of biomass for co-firing plants than the update in December 2022 and in an increase of the share of renewable energy of 0,7 percentage point. RED II refers to the EU Renewable Energy Directive which came into force in 2021.

Changes as of December 15th 2022: Revised provisional figures of 2021 have been added. Only solid and gaseous biomass compliant according to REDII are used to determine the final energy consumption of these energy sources in 2021. Figures for 2020 and before were calculated based on RED I; in accordance with Eurostat these figures will not be modified anymore. Inconsistencies with other tables undergoing updates may occur.

Changes as of June 2022: Revised provisional figures added for 2021. From reporting year 2021, new sustainability criteria for solid and gaseous biomass will apply in the context of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (REDII). It is currently unclear whether all biomass consumed in the Netherlands meets these new sustainability criteria. For the cases where this uncertainty applies a “.“ is displayed.

When will new figures be published? Provisional figures on the gross final consumption of renewable energy in broad outlines for the previous year are published each year in May. Revised provisional figures for the previous year appear each year in June.

In December all figures on the consumption of renewable energy in the previous year will be published. These figures remain revised provisional, definite figures appear in December two years after the reporting year. Most important (expected) changes between revised provisional figures in December and definite figures a year later are the figures on solar photovoltaic energy. The figures on the share of total energy consumption in the Netherlands could also still be changed by the availability of adjusted figures on total energy consumption.