Renewable energy sources accounted for 6.6 percent of total Dutch energy consumption in 2017, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) announced on Wednesday.
The CBS recorded this as an increase of 10 percent relative to the previous year, noting consumption of solar energy rose by over 30 percent.
"Biomass consumption increased as well, partly due to higher consumption of biofuels for transport," CBS explained.
Total renewable energy consumption in the Netherlands amounted to 138 petajoules (PJ) in 2017, over 10 percent up on the previous year. Gross final energy consumption stood at around 2,100 PJ last year, just as in 2016, CBS said.
In 2017, solar energy consumption for electricity and heat increased by 31 percent to 9 PJ, according to CBS. The total established capacity of solar panels used to generate solar power saw a record increase from over 800 to nearly 2,900 megawatts (MW).
Wind energy production rose by 15 percent to 35 PJ, the Dutch statistical institute reported. The installation of offshore wind turbines with a total capacity of 600 MW in the second half of 2016 led to a substantial rise in consumption levels, it explained, adding that these turbines were in operation all year long in 2017.
"Hardly any new turbines were added last year, as a result of which total wind capacity did not exceed 4,200 MW," CBS said.
- Biomass: largest source of renewable energy
Biomass was the largest source of renewable energy with a share of 61 percent, and a consumption rise of 8 percent in 2017. Consumption of biofuels for transport increased in particular, by around 30 percent, according to CBS.
"This is partly related to the obligation for suppliers of motor fuels to increase the share of renewable energy in transport fuels," it noted.
Biofuel consumption by power plants and companies for electricity production rose 20 percent last year, which was mainly due to the fact that these installations started generating mainly more heat as well as electricity for adjacent industrial sites.
(Anadolu Agency, 31/05/2018)
