Opinions Kasper Walter
Gap between dream politics and unruly practice
I am certainly not an opponent of the energy transition, but I do note that there is a considerable gap between what politicians want to achieve and what is feasible in practice. Consider the mandatory electric heat pump (now scrapped by the new coalition), residential homes everywhere 'getting off gas' (as yet an almost complete failure) and the unsustainable netting scheme for the return of solar energy.
Just a few examples where practical implementation clashes with politicians' dreams. But certainly not the only one. For example, I recently read in Het Parool about the installation of four to eight wind turbines in Amsterdam. A story that is very amusing for the rest of the Netherlands, but a nightmare for those involved.
There is a law of nature for politicians that says: 'he who plants windmills will reap a storm'. Plans for wind turbines regularly end in intimidation, suspicion and destruction. Something that until recently did not seem to apply to Amsterdam. But that has now changed. Progressive, environmentally conscious Amsterdam residents have been voting en masse for windmill-friendly parties such as GroenLinks and D66 for years. But that enthusiasm disappears like snow in the sun as soon as it concerns wind turbines in your own neighborhood. In the IJburg district, where many wealthy GroenLinks and D'66 voters live, the mood changed when wind turbines were planned right in front of their neighborhood in the IJmeer. Concerns about noise pollution, health damage, nature and annoying flickering light immediately prevailed.
Gap between the poor and the wealthy
The result of these protests is that this location, like a location along the A10 in Amsterdam-Noord, has been eliminated. The IJmeer was excluded because it is a vulnerable Natura 2000 area. The A10 around Noord was canceled because of the meadow birds and the open landscape. The municipality also took into account that the surrounding neighborhoods are socially vulnerable and already have a high environmental impact due to the highway. An argument that, according to the municipal council, apparently does not apply to a remaining location in Zuidoost. The residents of this district have on average the lowest income within Amsterdam and are most often in poor health. But according to the Amsterdam B&W, these neighborhoods are further away from the places that are still in the picture for wind turbines.
Two mega turbines of 220 meters high are to be built at this location. These turbines will be located within 500 meters of homes, within 200 meters of a recreational beach frequented by many Southeast residents who do not have money for expensive holidays and within 200 meters of the Gaasperzoom nature reserve. Apparently the arguments that did apply to protests by the wealthy residents of IJburg do not apply here.
Usually choose gas and not electricity
Another example is a report that tenants are still receiving new gas boilers en masse to heat their homes. Nine times out of ten, housing associations choose gas again and not a heat pump when replacing a boiler. According to the corporations, this is certainly not unwillingness, but they simply encounter practical objections. Apartment buildings, for example, are a problem because it is difficult to hang many pumps on the facade there. In addition, there is a fear of noise pollution. Many landlords also say that there is insufficient manpower to install heat pumps on a large scale. Moreover, there is often no room on the overcrowded power grid to connect large numbers of pumps simultaneously. Other sustainable alternatives, such as a heating network, are often not (yet) available.
The last example I want to share is about Offshore Wind. The success of the energy transition largely depends on whether there is sufficient green energy to electrify industry, for example. But a recent letter from Minister Rob Jetten to the House of Representatives now shows that the government's ambition to realize 2035 gigawatts of offshore wind by 35 is not feasible. There is insufficient material available to get wind energy on land. This is because there is a huge demand for Offshore Wind worldwide, creating great competition for the materials required to build the parks and connect them to the onshore electricity grid. Which can also lead to higher costs, which we will all ultimately have to cover.
Points of virtue on international climate platforms
The above examples are a good illustration of how unruly practice can be and how they can get in the way of the desired goals of our politicians. But also that politicians often do not pay enough attention to the economic and social interests of the people concerned. The energy transition must not only be good for the world, but also for the Netherlands. You cannot expect citizens to pay hundreds of billions of euros until 2050 just for virtue points on international climate platforms and solidarity with the rest of the world.
Kasper Walter
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