In the Netherlands, the electricity landscape over the past year, from May 2024 to April 2025, shows a fine balance between low-carbon and fossil energy sources. More than half, approximately 50%, of the electricity is derived from low-carbon sources. Wind energy plays a significant role, contributing roughly 23% to the grid, while solar power supplies about 19%. Nuclear energy, while crucial for clean electricity, accounts for close to 3%. Biofuels add around 6% to the mix. On the other hand, fossil energy sources still form a substantial portion of electricity generation, making up approximately 49%. Natural gas is the primary fossil fuel, providing 36% of the total electricity, alongside coal at 10% and oil contributing just above 1%.
Is Electricity Growing in Netherlands?
Examining the trajectory of electricity consumption in the Netherlands reveals a rather concerning trend. The latest data indicates an electricity consumption of about 6684 kWh per person, a decline from the historic 2008 record of 7435 kWh per person. In addition, low-carbon electricity generation saw a decrease to 3363 kWh per person from a high point of 3611 kWh in 2024. This downturn is disappointing, especially when considering the environmental imperative and technological progress expected to drive electricity consumption growth, particularly clean electricity. This stagnation is potentially detrimental to ambitions of curtailing climate change and supporting advancements such as the expanded use of AI.
Suggestions
To enhance low-carbon electricity generation, the Netherlands could significantly benefit from expanding its wind and solar capacity. With already considerable investments in wind power, learning from regions like Iowa or Denmark, where wind provides up to 62% and 57% of electricity respectively, could propel further advancements. Solar energy also offers considerable potential; drawing inspiration from places like Lebanon, where solar constitutes 31% of electricity, can guide expansion strategies. Meanwhile, nuclear energy deserves increased attention given its proven success in France and Slovakia, where it accounts for more than 60% of electricity generation. The Netherlands can markedly improve its low-carbon output by pursuing similar policies and infrastructure enhancements demonstrated by these regions.
History
The history of low-carbon electricity generation in the Netherlands reveals several noteworthy trends. In the late 1990s, nuclear energy experienced variability, with notable decreases in 1997 and subsequent growth in 1998. The mid-2000s saw biofuels rise and fall in usage. More critically, the late 2010s and early 2020s marked a period of rapid growth in wind and solar power, signaling a progressive shift toward clean energy. Wind energy consistently expanded, particularly from around 2015 onwards, peaking dramatically in 2023 despite a setback in 2025. Similarly, solar energy witnessed significant increases from 2018 through to 2023. This pattern underscores the Netherlands’ capacity and potential for achieving greater low-carbon electricity generation in the coming years.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.