Universities and vocational colleges largest consumers of natural gas

On average, universities and vocational colleges were the largest consumers of natural gas within the services sector in 2010, followed by hospitals. Per connection to the electricity grid, transport companies are the largest consumers of electricity, according to the latest data on natural gas and electricity supply published by Statistics Netherlands.

Electricity and gas consumption by establishment and by branch, 2010

Institutions for higher education and hospitals are on average the largest energy consumers due to the size of the buildings and the fact that they generate their own electricity. Electricity consumption is also high in schools, but in the transport and storage sector, public transport companies (trams, trains and underground railways) account for the highest electricity consumption.

Trade largest consumer of energy

Altogether, wholesale and retail companies were the largest consumers of energy in the services sector in 2010, accounting for 25 percent of electricity and 20 percent of natural gas, due to the large number of wholesale and retail establishments. Energy consumption per business establishment is not high. Transport and storage companies account for the highest electricity consumption per business establishment as well as in absolute terms, i.e. 13 percent of total electricity in the sector.

Electricity consumption by branch, 2010

Although educational institutions use a lot of natural gas and electricity, they are not in the top three with respect to total gas and electricity consumption, because the number of establishments is low.

Gas consumption by branch, 2010

Remko Holtkamp, Ruud Luijendijk, Fatima El Messlaki and Jurrien Vroom