Areas of cooperation:

• District heating
• Energy efficiency in buildings

The green energy transition in the Netherlands – and how Danish experiences can contribute

Over a third of the Netherlands’ total energy consumption is based on natural gas, and 90 per cent of all households are connected to the natural gas network. With the Netherlands looking to phase out natural gas from residential buildings, a strengthened focus on district heating and energy efficiency is central to the Dutch energy transition.

Denmark has historically had good conditions for district heating and succeeded in building a unique district heating system with a main focus on low consumer prices. The expansion of district heating has supported and still does support Denmark’s long-term climate goals.

Cooperation between Danish and Dutch authorities

The cooperation focuses on exchanging knowledge between national authorities in the Netherlands and Denmark. In addition, the cooperation involves broader public sector actors and Dutch local authorities to ensure the distribution of Danish experiences at the relevant governance and implementation levels.

The knowledge-sharing concerning the green transition is a two-way street. The Netherlands is already far in the development of technologies and knowledge within e.g. Power-to-X solutions and international cooperation on energy islands. Therefore, Denmark can learn from the Dutch experiences, which can contribute to the fulfilment of the Danish climate goals.