The use of gas in total Dutch energy consumption increased last year, while that had remained virtually the same in previous years. In the meantime, gas extraction is declining further as a result of the production limitations after the Groningen earthquakes.
As a result, the gas used in the Netherlands increasingly comes from abroad. The turning point was in 2018, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). “And for the first time more gas was imported than exported.”
In 2019, natural gas accounted for 44 percent of total energy consumption, up from 41 percent a year earlier. Total energy consumption last year was roughly the same as in 2018. After gas, the Netherlands uses the most crude oil to generate energy. “The share of total consumption fell slightly from 38 to 36 percent.”
Coal use fell sharply, by 22 percent. “The biggest decrease since 2000,” said Statistics Netherlands. Coal still accounts for 9 percent of the total. Added together last year, 90 percent of the Dutch energy was generated from fossil energy carriers, 10 percent came from renewable energy, nuclear energy, waste and imports of electricity.
Renewable energy is energy from natural sources that are constantly replenished, such as wind, sun and biomass.
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