More than half of Dutch electricity has been produced by renewable sources for the first time, reports CBS statistics office.

In the first half of 2024, renewable sources such as the sun and wind generated 32,3 billion kWh of energy, equivalent to 53% of the country’s needs.

However, while production rose, electricity use did not match the rise and the country produced more electricity than it used in the first half of the year. The total usage totalled  55,8 billion kWh, a slight rise on 2023 but still under pre-pandemic levels.

The increase was attributed to a growth in the number of wind parks and the replacement of older wind turbines with more efficient models, as well as more solar panels.

The Dutch electricity grid has been struggling with capacity problems, and earlier this year an economic affairs ministry analysis said power cuts could be a problem for households as well as for industrial clients – some of whom cannot currently be connected.

The new government is aiming for 70% of electricity generation from sustainable sources by 2030, however perks for domestic solar panels are being reduced due to the high uptake.

Sustainable energy is more of a challenge to energy networks because the peaks and troughs in generation – when the sun shines and the wind blows – do not necessarily match peaks in consumption. This requires sufficient battery capacity to store energy and release it when needed.