The Photovoltaic Industry Met 18.9% Of The Netherlands' Electricity Demand In The First Half Of The Year

According to data from the Nationaal Klimaat platform, renewables accounted for about 49.6 percent of total electricity demand in the Netherlands in the first half of this year.

In the Netherlands, the Nationaal Klimaat platform reported that in the first half of 2023, photovoltaic power generation accounted for about 18.9% of the country's electricity demand.

Solar accounted for the highest share of renewables throughout the period, by onshore wind (14.2%), offshore wind (8.6%), biomass (7.8%) and hydropower (0.1%). Overall, renewables accounted for 49.6 per cent of the electricity mix, up from about 43 per cent the previous year.

The Nationaal Klimaat platform said: "Photovoltaic generation reached a new peak in June, accounting for more than a third of all electricity. There were about 140 hours in June when sustainable electricity generation from solar and wind was greater than the total electricity demand of the Netherlands."

The agency said the increase in renewables' share was mainly due to a reduction in total electricity consumption throughout the first half of the year, noting that clean energy could soon surpass the 50 percent mark as more wind and solar power stations are expected to be connected to the grid by the end of the year.

The increase in renewable energy generation has not led to negative electricity prices, the agency said, adding that demand from neighbouring countries has helped prevent this from happening.

According to a new report by Netbeheer Nederland, the national association of regional electricity and gas network operators in the Netherlands, the total installed solar capacity in the Netherlands could reach 100 GW to 180 GW by 2050. According to the latest data from the Dutch statistical agency CBS, the country's cumulative installed PV capacity reached 16.5 GW at the end of June 2022, and said the country had installed 3,803 MW in 2021 and 3,882 MW in 2022.