72 J. BACKHAUS
introDuCtion
Today, heating, cooking and showering in Dutch households is largely
fuelled by gas—not least due to the country’s large natural gas reserves.
Nevertheless, the Dutch government has committed to an energy system entirely based on renewables by 2050. This commitment entails that
newly built homes are no longer required to be connected to the gas network, and gas sourcing companies have been ordered to cap, and within
four years, completely stop extraction from a major gas field in the country’s north after a series of increasingly severe earthquakes (Rijksoverheid
2018). Yet, while the country sets out to become ‘gasless’, the share of
renewable energy is still very low and implementation is slow.
Developments in the Dutch energy sector have been, and will continue to be, strongly dependent on policies and trends in other countries,
especially neighbouring countries in Europe’s North-West. While the
Netherlands is currently a net importer of energy, this is said to change
from 2023 onwards according to the most recent National Energy
outlook (NEo) (Schoots et al. 2017). The 2017 NEo indicates around
5% share of renewables in total domestic energy use, which is projected
to increase to 12% in 2020 and 17% in 2023. A steep downward trend of
total energy consumption, especially in the built environment, observed
between 2005 and 2016, is expected to continue. However, actual
energy reduction in the built environment is considered to be much
lower than theoretical calculations may suggest (Majcen et al. 2013), and
demographic as well as socio-economic trends draw into question positive future projections (Brounen et al. 2012).
soCio-materiaL DynamiCs of househoLD energy use
in the netherLanDs
With a share of over two-thirds, almost 90% of which is generated from
gas, space heating consumes by far the most energy in the Dutch residential sector (Eurostat 2018). Research has shown that compared to
households in other countries, Dutch households are less interested in
energy-related home renovations including insulation or an upgrade of
the heating system due to concerns regarding investment costs, among
other reasons. Potentially a coping mechanism, but certainly of relevance in terms of comfort and social conventions, is a comparatively
lower average indoor temperature (below 20 °C) at which people in the
Netherlands feel comfortable at home (Kammerlander et al. 2014).
introDuCtion
Today, heating, cooking and showering in Dutch households is largely
fuelled by gas—not least due to the country’s large natural gas reserves.
Nevertheless, the Dutch government has committed to an energy system entirely based on renewables by 2050. This commitment entails that
newly built homes are no longer required to be connected to the gas network, and gas sourcing companies have been ordered to cap, and within
four years, completely stop extraction from a major gas field in the country’s north after a series of increasingly severe earthquakes (Rijksoverheid
2018). Yet, while the country sets out to become ‘gasless’, the share of
renewable energy is still very low and implementation is slow.
Developments in the Dutch energy sector have been, and will continue to be, strongly dependent on policies and trends in other countries,
especially neighbouring countries in Europe’s North-West. While the
Netherlands is currently a net importer of energy, this is said to change
from 2023 onwards according to the most recent National Energy
outlook (NEo) (Schoots et al. 2017). The 2017 NEo indicates around
5% share of renewables in total domestic energy use, which is projected
to increase to 12% in 2020 and 17% in 2023. A steep downward trend of
total energy consumption, especially in the built environment, observed
between 2005 and 2016, is expected to continue. However, actual
energy reduction in the built environment is considered to be much
lower than theoretical calculations may suggest (Majcen et al. 2013), and
demographic as well as socio-economic trends draw into question positive future projections (Brounen et al. 2012).
soCio-materiaL DynamiCs of househoLD energy use
in the netherLanDs
With a share of over two-thirds, almost 90% of which is generated from
gas, space heating consumes by far the most energy in the Dutch residential sector (Eurostat 2018). Research has shown that compared to
households in other countries, Dutch households are less interested in
energy-related home renovations including insulation or an upgrade of
the heating system due to concerns regarding investment costs, among
other reasons. Potentially a coping mechanism, but certainly of relevance in terms of comfort and social conventions, is a comparatively
lower average indoor temperature (below 20 °C) at which people in the
Netherlands feel comfortable at home (Kammerlander et al. 2014).