In the coastal provinces, in the first week of October, nearly half of all electricity needs were supplied by wind turbines. This is evident from figures from energieopwek.nl
The continuous flow of depressions was accompanied by a lot of wind. For days the wind was blowing strong to strong day and night, sometimes with peaks of storm force. The relatively constant power supply provided by offshore and onshore wind turbines resulted in a declining electricity price, with relatively few peaks and troughs.
This is in contrast to peak periods of solar panels, which of course do not generate electricity when it is dark. The relatively constant flow of wind energy is not exactly self-evident either. Weather conditions have a major influence on the supply of both forms of renewable energy.
Solution directions for peak load
This fact, combined with the rapidly growing share of renewable energy from solar panels and wind turbines, is causing headaches. Especially about the peak load. There is an increasing threat of a negative electricity price, which can be at the expense of efficiency. This week the House of Representatives discussed this subject. PvdA member William Moorlag asked Minister Eric Wiebes of Economic Affairs and Climate to look for solutions to this problem. He referred to Germany where battery storage is being used. Hydrogen factories are also seen as a solution. The number of initiatives for the construction of this type of power plants is growing rapidly in the Netherlands and worldwide.
Norwegian and Russian gas dependence
The ample and constant supply of wind energy resulted in a falling electricity price, but the price of gas tended to rise. Due to the autumn weather with a lot of wind in Western Europe, the heat demand increased. Strikes in the Norwegian oil and gas industry also appear to have a significant impact.
This week the House of Representatives discussed the dependence on Russian gas, but Norway is also an important factor as a supplier of gas now that the natural gas tap in Groningen is increasingly turned off. Sea shipments of American liquefied natural gas are also growing in significance. At this time of year, the supply of natural gas and oil from the Mexican Gulf region is affected by hurricanes, but the worst part of the hurricane season seems to be over.
OPEC Optimism About Oil
The oil market is apparently getting used to the fact that there is a new corona pandemic. Despite the rapidly increasing number of infections and sick people every week, the oil price rose again to a level of just above $40 a barrel. Agricultural diesel has also become slightly less cheap, but the price of €0,90 per liter is not yet in sight. OPEC this week released a remarkably optimistic estimate of growing oil consumption in the coming decades, which oil-producing countries estimate will far exceed pre-coronavirus volumes in the long term.
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