One million customers are now using ‘green’ energy in the Netherlands

The number of people opting for green energy in the Netherlands has steadily increased. By 1 May 2002, 900,000 households were supplied with green energy, but by 1 July 2002, the figure had hit one million, according to a survey conducted by Greenprices.nl, an independent website that focuses on green energy prices in Europe.

The rapid growth in green energy has been attributed to the large marketing campaigns of the traditional energy suppliers, and also the entrance of several new suppliers into the market, offering green energy at even lower prices than conventional electricity. This has been made possible as a result of the tax benefits of using green energy, as green energy is exempt from the energy tax of six eurocents per kilowatt hour (kWh).

Whilst extolling the rapid growth of green energy use in the Netherlands, Greenprices.nl has, however, expressed concern at the lack of information being supplied to consumers regarding the terms and conditions of their green energy contracts.

The liberalisation of the green energy market is not confined to the Netherlands. Marlon Mintjes of Greenprices.nl told edie, “The Scandinavian countries (except Denmark) and Finland are also already liberalised”. However, the Netherlands is certainly the greatest success story in Europe. “The Netherlands is on top regarding the tremendous growth in green energy. Now, 14.7% of all households in the Netherlands are supplied with green energy. In Germany and in Great Britain this figure still remains beneath 1%,” said Mintjes.

According to Greenprices.nl, 4% of the total electricity consumption in the Netherlands is currently being derived from renewable energy sources. This growth should, in turn, stimulate further growth and future investment in green energy production.

Greenprices.nl aims to monitor and stimulate renewable energy use in Europe by providing clear information about green energy. It is an initiative of Ecofys BV, part of the Econcern group, a European company with the mission statement ‘a sustainable energy supply for everyone’.