The Netherlands is undergoing a significant shift in its energy landscape, with the construction of onshore substations to receive power from its expanding North Sea wind farms. This development marks a remarkable transformation for a country once renowned for its windmills in an earlier era.
Despite lagging behind its European neighbors for years, the Netherlands has been making great strides in increasing its renewable energy production and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to The National Climate Platform, renewable energy sources accounted for 53% of the electricity used in March 2023, up from 39% in 2022.
The government has set a target of 21 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, which is driving the growth in renewable electricity generation. As a result, the share of renewable energy in the overall Dutch energy mix has risen to around 16%, compared to 11% in 2020 when the country failed to meet a 14% target agreed upon with the European Union.
See also: Renewable Energy Makes Up 21.8% of EU's Gross Final Energy Consumption in 2021
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte recently toured the Port of Rotterdam to witness the conversion of incoming high-voltage current for industrial use and the transportation of massive turbines to the North Sea. This highlights the rapid change in the country's electrical infrastructure landscape.
Although natural gas still provides most Dutch energy for heating, the Netherlands has been making significant progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Data published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) showed that emissions were down 9% in 2022 compared to the previous year, and 30% below 1990 levels. These figures indicate that the country is on track to meet its goal of a 55% reduction by 2030.
