News Energy
Electricity production in the Netherlands is increasing significantly
Electricity production in the Netherlands in the first quarter of 2021 was 1,8 billion kWh, or 6%, higher than in the same period a year earlier. This is apparent from CBS figures published today (Tuesday 8 May). Not only has more renewable energy been generated, coal-fired power stations have also delivered more.
The increase in power production is largely due to an increase in power from biomass, sun and wind. In the first quarter of 2021, 700 million kWh extra electricity was produced from biomass compared to the same period a year earlier. For solar and wind energy, the increase is 400 million kWh each. This is mainly due to the expansion of capacity, for example the offshore wind farm off the coast near Borssele. Renewable sources therefore account for 28% of total electricity production in the first quarter of this year.
Electricity from coal rises 42%
It is striking that the production of electricity from coal has increased by 42% compared to the first quarter of 2020. The relatively low price of coal on the world market plays an important role in this, according to Statistics Netherlands, but there was also less maintenance work on the coal-fired power plants compared to the first quarter of last year.
Net exporter
Electricity imports decreased by 1,3 billion kWh while exports increased by 0,6 billion kWh. Due to malfunctions at various installations in Germany, emissions to that country were 0,8 billion kWh higher than the same quarter a year earlier. Due to a fault in the cables to Norway and Denmark, 0,9 and 0,6 billion kWh less electricity came from those countries respectively. Problems with the Britned cable between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands resulted in 0,9 billion kWh, or 60%, less power being exported to the UK. The net import balance is therefore negative at 5,84 billion kWh.
Jurphaas Lugtenburg
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