Trend Continued fossil dependence and supply-security risk

Summary

The report finds that, although the share of renewables is growing, the Netherlands still depends heavily on fossil fuels for electricity generation, heating and transport. The war in Ukraine and the war involving Iran and the Gulf region have shown that reliance on fossil energy is a major risk to security of supply and can turn into an energy crisis within a short time. Disruptions to fossil energy supplies can have large economic and social consequences. The Netherlands is closely tied into the European energy system through links with Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Norway, and cross-border electricity trade helps absorb shortages and surpluses, but it also makes supply security dependent on developments elsewhere. The report explains that price shocks from a crisis can spur new purchases of renewable energy equipment and lead to a temporary drop in energy use.