Choosing renewable, green energy is mandatory if we want to preserve our planet for future generations. In this article, PartnerPete gives you 5 surprising facts about green energy in the Netherlands.
1. Grey energy is still the most supplied energy type
The types of energy provided to the Dutch are strongly influenced by the demand of the EU and The Paris Agreement that was signed by the government of the Netherlands. The goal is to cut back on the greenhouse gasses produced, such as CO2, to limit the global temperature rise below two degrees. According to the TU Delft, the energy that currently is produced in the Netherlands is mainly coming from natural gas (57,9%) and coal (31.3%). After that, the energy that comes from wind power is currently only 10.6% of the total energy produced by the Netherlands. Biomass (4,6%), Solar power (2,2%), nuclear energy (3,4%) and fuel oil (0,1%) are also one of the energy sources produced in the Netherlands.
2. The Netherlands has 29 energy suppliers
In the Netherlands, you have 29 companies that supply energy to consumers. Some of these companies also provide water, gas, or city heating; most of them don’t. For such a small country, 29 is a significant number, indicating a very competitive energy market, which makes it appealing for consumers looking for sharp deals. Not all 29 offer green energy tough, some of the companies that do are ENGIE, Budget Energie, Nuon/Vattenfall, Greenchoice, and Huismerk Energie.
3. Green energy is not more expensive for the consumer
Green energy in the Netherlands is financial as or even more attractive than non-green energy (e.g., grey energy). Making green energy is more costly than producing grey energy. You need to build windmills (and maintenance them) to convert wind into electricity. Same applies to energy that comes from the sun or biomass. This is why, currently, the real price of green energy is higher than from non-green. To keep renewable energy affordable, the Dutch government subsidizes green energy. That is why you pay the same price for green as grey energy in the Netherlands.
4. You do not use the same power that you purchase
There are a lot of misconceptions about renewable energy. Not every green energy supplier is the same, and not every green energy contract is the same. There are multiple ways for energy companies to call themselves green. They can invest in future green production or/and they can deliver more green power than their competition.
Another misunderstanding is that when you purchase green energy, you will only use green energy. There is only one network via which energy is transported to each household, both green and non-green that is. To make sure the energy companies supply the indicated amount of green energy, the Dutch market works with green certificates (warranty of origin) called GvO’s.
5. One green utility company can be ‘greener’ than another
A lot of companies that deliver energy to Dutch households sell green energy. Some companies invest more in green development, while others may sell more green energy, making it hard to determine which company is ‘greener’ than the other. The Consumentenbond, a company that mediates the interests of the Dutch consumers, did research into how green Dutch energy companies are. The study pointed out that easyEnergy, Energie VanOns, Greenchoice, and Huismerk Energy are frontrunners when it comes to green energy.
Go Green!
PartnerPete advocates for green energy in the Netherlands, and we are therefore glad to help you install yourself while enjoying the benefits of renewable energy. Our green solutions provide an easy way to support environmentally friendly initiatives. We’re trying everything to take care of our planet. Want to know how we can help you to do the same? Give us a call on +31 20 7372124 or leave your details and we will call you back as soon as possible.