Encourage the industry to switch to renewable electricity or hydrogen
What do we mean by this?
The industry must become more sustainable in the coming years by switching to CO2-free energy sources such as renewable electricity and sustainable hydrogen. This requires major investments: therefore set an explicit electrification goal for the industry and actively pursue it. For example, schemes such as the SDE++ must provide subsidies to a broader number of projects, not just the very best.
Some industrial processes require very high temperatures. Renewable electricity cannot always provide the energy required and therefore alternative sustainable options such as hydrogen are necessary. That is why the Netherlands must implement the ambitious European objectives for, among other things, green hydrogen in a timely manner.
Sustainable projects (including the development of electrolysers) also have to pay high rates for their connection to the electricity grid. These high rates put a brake on electrification and should be reduced for projects that place less strain on the grid. In this way you not only encourage sustainability, but you also take steps to tackle grid congestion. In addition to lowering the network rates, possible solutions include correcting for high network rates in the SDE++ and financing the networks partly from the government’s general resources.
Why now?
On Wednesday, February 7, Wopke Hoekstra, the European Commissioner for Climate, will present his vision on behalf of the European Commission on the future of the European energy system after 2030. This includes the ambitious goal of achieving a net 90% emission reduction by 2040, compared to 1990. For comparison, the current Dutch goal is to achieve a 55% reduction by 2030.[1] So that is a very big task. If the Netherlands wants to keep up with the European target, large consumers must be supported in the energy transition. Energie-Nederland therefore calls on the industry to switch to sustainable electricity or green hydrogen.
*Is one of the 10 recommendations that Energie-Nederland sent to the new Members of Parliament. In the coming period, we will explain these one by one, depending on current events.
