The share of sustainable energy has increased from 7.4% to 8.6% in 2019. The greatest increase comes from the use of biomass and solar energy. If we continue at this rate, we will not meet the target of 14% sustainable energy by the end of 2020 but remain at around 10%.
Current situation
What you cannot get from the figure below is that there will be a large increase in renewable energy from offshore wind. Currently 1000 MW of energy comes from offshore wind. This capacity will increase by 200% this year. It is planned to increase by more than 2000 MW until 2023. This will result in an increase of 2% in renewable energy until 2023, based on the increase in capacity at sea. But whether we will achieve the target of an additional 16% in 2023 is still uncertain. It may be that the rapid increase in solar parks offers relief, but I have my doubts.
Meeting the EU target
Failure to meet the 2020 EU target of 14% sustainable energy will result in the Netherlands being fined by the European Union. The Dutch government is now investigating whether it can use renewable energy generated from other EU countries. These are countries that currently have a greater share of renewable energy than the EU obliges them to. The EU made the trade of generated sustainable energy between EU countries possible but it remains strange. Especially because the Netherlands has one of the lowest renewable energy goals of all EU countries.
It seems sensible to me that our government should first look carefully at how it could still achieve the 2023 objectives, instead of looking at 2050 on becoming fully sustainable. Also to gain more credibility within a EU context. At CCS we have the necessary suggestions. I’ll post them in my next blogs.
About this article
22 January 2020 / Author: Dr. Ir. René Cornelissen
