Dutch White Paper Urges Immediate Worldwide Action
Fossil fuel prices may remain low, and renew-ables will have
only a small share of energy use for decades in the Netherlands
and Europe, according to a Third White Paper on energy policy
prepared by the Dutch government. Only in those scenarios that
are optimistic about technology and that take account of ecological
considerations will CO2 emissions be reduced. All scenarios see
CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere still rising in 2050, with
the climate already changing. Therefore, immediate worldwide response
is essential, and Dutch energy policy must be ambitious and realistic,
said Bert Metz, deputy director for Air and Energy of the Netherlands
Ministry of the Environment.
Describing European trends, Dr. Metz said the high political
priority placed on economic growth will lead to a significant
rise in energy consumption, particularly in transportation and
electricity. Imports of Russian and Middle East gas and oil are
likely to grow, and nuclear energy will come under increasing
pressure. The possibility of stabilizing CO2 emissions will be
achieved only with strong conservation actions and a shift in
fuels.
In the decade from 2010 to 2020, the Dutch economy will be sensitive
to price shocks as political vulnerabilities increase. By the
years 2020 to 2050, climate change may become a more serious risk,
price and political uncertainties may be even more critical and
renewable energy will be essential, according to the Third White
Paper. With climate change exerting ever more urgency, immediate
action is needed today, Metz said.
In 2010, the share of biomass energy as a percent of total commercial
energy use will amount to around five percent for the European
Union use as a whole in a so-called conventional wisdom scenario,
with countries like Denmark, Ireland and Portugal at around 10
percent or more and Finland at 15 percent. The top three European
countries with technical wind potential are UK (highest), followed
by Spain and France. A figure of 12 percent has been suggested
by the European Commission.
The Dutch recently decided to have renewables amount to 10 percent
of total energy use by 2020. The biggest contributor to this growth
will be biomass and waste, more than doubling over their year
2000 share. Heat pumps will also play an increasingly important
role, and the use of wind energy in that period is expected to
almost triple. Renewable energy will be competing, however, with
low-cost, fossil-fuel-based electricity generation. Least expensive
energy-generating options in 2020 are expected to be natural gas/combined
cycle systems; land-based wind systems may be comparable. Photovoltaics
systems (although their cost is expected to fall) and sea-based
wind energy are predicted to be in the high cost range.
To accelerate the use of renewables, the Netherlands is adopting
the following measures:
-
an energy levy on end users, using the revenues for subsidies
on renewables
-
a fiscally neutral energy tax, exempting renewables
-
reduced value added taxes on renewable electricity and equipment
-
establishment of a green electricity market (voluntary acceptance
by consumers of a premium to pay for all renewable electric)
-
guarantees for prices paid for electricity sold back into
the grid
-
subsidies for research, development and demonstration
To strengthen the supply side infrastructure for renewables the
Netherlands plans a wind energy export platform and an action
plan for solar export.
