The Netherlands wants to be climate neutral by 2050 at the latest. To plan the way forward, Rob Jetten, Minister for Climate and Energy, has created the Energy System 2050 Expert Team. Next spring, the expert team will present the National Energy System Plan 2050, in which it outlines what the economy and society could look like in 2050 and what options there are for a climate-neutral energy system. The expert team recently presented its interim report, what are the most important preconditions?
Without more guidance and support, we will not achieve our climate goals. That is the central message of the preliminary findings of the expert team's research. We have to hurry. Because if the Netherlands wants to be climate neutral by 2050, our electricity system must be CO2035 neutral by around 2.
There are serious shortages in terms of manpower, space and materials for the energy transition. We have to tackle this quickly. According to chairman Bernard ter Haar, the government must take a strong leadership role in this. “As a result, there appears to be little room to be selective in the use of solutions to achieve CO2-free energy production and consumption. Controversial solutions may also be needed, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and large-scale use of biomass. Not everything can or needs to be supported and choices can be substantiated through a combination of scenarios and social discussion. CO2 capture and storage and biomass”.
Support base
The common thread running through the preliminary findings is support. Social involvement is crucial when implementing difficult and sometimes even painful measures and especially for the necessary behavioral change. Because the lower the energy demand, the better the goals can be achieved. Ter Haar: “Justice is an important condition for support. This may mean that established parties have to make relative concessions. We need to broaden the discussion. In that respect, it makes sense to give young people a stronger voice than older people. Transferring all the costs of the transition to future generations is not fair.”
The ten preliminary findings of the study:
- The economy and society in 2050 must be the starting point.
- The energy transition must be shaped in synergy with other major developments.
- For a climate-neutral Netherlands in 2050, the energy system must be CO2040 neutral by 2 and the electricity system must be CO2035 neutral by XNUMX.
- Fairness of the energy system is a crucial factor for social embedding.
- The economic structure of the Netherlands makes the task more difficult.
- Scarcity requires choices.
- The government's choices matter: its control is necessary.
- Energy savings and behavioral change are a robust part of the energy transition and deserve priority.
- The expansion of the renewable electricity supply must be given priority.
- Less robust development paths also need to be started.
