Electricity imports down in 2007

In 2007, net imports of electricity plummeted by 18 percent. The upward trend observed in recent years was reversed. Despite the decrease, one fifth of the total amount of electricity available was imported.

More electricity generated

Imports of electricity decreased, but exports remained stable. On the present, open energy market, the amounts imported and exported may vary considerably. In October and November, net imports nosedived to less than half of the amount imported in the preceding months. Lower imports were set off by higher production. Net electricity production generated in Dutch power stations rose by 5 percent to 292 Petajoule (PJ).

Imports, production and consumption of electricity

Large power stations in particular generated more electricity in 2007: the increase was 13 PJ or more than 5 percent relative to 2006. The generation required 5 percent extra coals and nearly 8 percent extra gas. The consumption of biomass was reduced by half and covered barely 3 percent of fuel used in power stations in 2007. Electricity consumption rose by 1 percent to 346 PJ last year.

Natural gas consumption

Natural gas consumption down

Although more natural gas was used to generate electricity, total domestic natural gas consumption was reduced by 3 percent relative to 2006. This is mainly caused by a reduction of household energy consumption due to the mild weather conditions early in 2007.

With 341 PJ, industrial consumption of natural gas remained unchanged, while natural gas extraction decreased marginally. Gas imports and exports – on the other hand – rose, resulting in an increase in net exports of 13 PJ.

Leendert Pleijsier