In comparison to 2021, the output of electricity from renewable sources grew by 20 percent in 2022. Production of electricity from fossil fuels decreased by 11%. This is what Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports today using preliminary data.
In 2022, the amount of power produced was the same as it was in 2021. (around 118.3 billion kWh). 40 percent (47.44 billion kWh) of the world’s power will be produced by renewable sources in 2022, up from 33 percent in the previous year. 47 billion kWh were produced of electricity from renewable sources, a 20 percent increase.
Solar rises, wind follows
The increased capacity (solar +4 GW, wind +1 GW) and better weather are the main causes of this. Here, Sun showed the most growth. From 11.5 billion kWh in 2021 to 17.68 billion kWh in 2022, solar energy production rose by 54%. Wind energy output went from 18.01 kWh to 21.15 billion kWh, a 17 percent increase. Electricity generated by hydropower and biofuels decreased. Hydropower decreased from 0.09 billion kWh to 0.05 billion kWh, and biomass decreased from 9.8 billion kWh to 8.56 billion kWh.
Less natural gas-based electricity
The amount of electricity generated from fossil fuels fell to 67 billion kWh in 2022, down 11% from the previous year. Due in part to the high price of natural gas, the amount of energy generated from natural gas decreased by 16 percent to 47 billion kWh.
The 16 billion kWh of coal-based electricity produced was unchanged from the previous year. This has been influenced by the lifting of the coal-fired power plants’ production cap, which took effect in June 2022.
Less imports from Germany and Norway, more from UK
In 2022, imports of electricity will drop by 11% to 19 billion kWh. The number of kWh exported rose by 11% to 23 billion. As a result, there is once more a net export balance, as opposed to a tiny import deficit from a year earlier.
The decrease in imports from Norway (-49%) was partially caused by the country producing less electricity from hydropower. Germany’s imports decreased (-23%) as a result of a drop in nuclear production. On the other hand, imports from the United Kingdom increased as a result of an increase in wind production.
France exported less electricity to Belgium and Germany, in part due to ongoing maintenance at the country’s nuclear power reactors. Due to the fall in nuclear energy generation within their own nation, these nations were thus compelled to import a portion of their electricity. This contributed to an increase in the Netherlands’ export of electricity to Belgium and Germany.
Source: CBS
