More renewable electricity generated

Last year, 12.2 billion kWh of renewable electricity was generated, i.e. more than 10 percent of total electricity consumption in the Netherlands and just above the production level in 2011. The amount of electricity generated by wind turbines increased, electricity generation from biomass remained stable.

Renewable electricity generation

More wind energy

Electricity production from wind power increased by 4 percent in 2012 due to capacity expansion. The overall capacity of Dutch wind turbines grew by more than 100 megawatts to 2,431 megawatts. Last year, wind power accounted for 40 percent of renewable electricity generation.

Capacity wind turbines

There are two offshore wind parks in the North Sea with a total capacity of 228 megawatts. Onshore wind turbines account for 2,203 megawatts. The government hopes to step up electricity production from onshore wind turbines to 6 thousand megawatts in 2020.

Nearly 60 percent of renewable electricity generated from biomass

Nearly 60 percent of renewable electricity is generated from biomass. This process involves combustion of organic waste in waste incineration plants, co-fire biomass in power stations, generation of electricity from biogas and other biomass combustion processes.

Renewable electricity generation from biomass

Renewable electricity generation from co-firing biomass in power stations declined marginally in 2012. At the same time, the production of renewable electricity from waste incineration and other biomass combustion processes increased somewhat. The capacity of installations for generation of electricity from biomass remained more or less stable.

Reinoud Segers and Marco Wilmer