Energy use per person dropped to lowest level since 1970

Last year, the Netherlands used 154 gigajoules of energy per inhabitant. “That means that consumption is approximately back to the level of 1970,” Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported. Energy consumption in 2022 decreased because people used less gas in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the stats office said.

The war sparked the energy crisis, in which gas prices, in particular, skyrocketed. As a result, Netherlands residents cut back on energy usage to keep their energy bills low. The winter was also relatively mild, resulting in people using less heating.

Energy use per inhabitant in the Netherlands was highest between 1995 and 2010 and has been declining since 2013 due to homes and cars becoming more energy-efficient and milder winters.

Because the government gradually closed the natural gas field in Groningen, the Netherlands has been importing more gas from abroad. As a result, the dependence on energy from abroad increased to 77 percent last year. “Since opening the State Mines in Limburg in 1906, dependence on foreign countries has not been as high as in 2022,” CBS said.

Until 2018, over 90 percent of the energy consumed in the Netherlands came from fossil fuels. Last year, that was 83 percent.

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) also reported that the number of solar panels on Dutch roofs grew rapidly during last year’s energy crisis. Households and small businesses looking to keep their energy bills low generated over 50 percent more solar energy in 2022 than in 2021.

The Netherlands’ total energy generated from solar has more than tripled since 2019 and increased by just under 39 percent compared to 2021. The RVO expects that the amount of solar energy will grow from 19 gigawatt peak at the end of last year to 31 GWp by 2025. According to the government service, 8 percent of the surface area of all roofs and parking spaces can still get solar panels installed without major adjustments – good for 13 GWp of solar energy.