We are the Energy Valley
The transition to clean, sustainable energy, and energy security is a top priority, both to the EU and to the Northern Netherlands. To achieve the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement, we will need the commitment of all European regions.
As the ‘Energy Valley’, the Northern Netherlands is at the forefront of the transition to a sustainable energy supply. The necessity to shift to renewable energy is felt most strongly in our region. The extraction of natural gas causes earthquakes in our region, and the safety of our local people makes us more motivated to switch to other energy sources.
We have the infrastructure and space
We have the infrastructure and space to do so. Using sun, biomass, and wind, the Northern Netherlands is already contributing to the climate challenge. One of the things we focus on is offshore wind energy , north of the Wadden Islands. We use this energy to produce green hydrogen, which helps us to green our chemical industry. We can store the surplus energy here and increase the sustainability of mobility by facilitating the use of hydrogen in (public)transport and ports. This is why we invest in the large-scale development of a hydrogen economy. In addition to this, we are committed to saving energy, e.g. by making homes and schools energy-neutral.
We can only achieve this together; by collaborating with the EU, the provinces, cities, companies and citizens. Anyone can contribute by saving energy and generating sustainable energy. The Northern Netherlands promotes a bottom-up energy transition.
Gasfield
The EU can contribute to this by:
- Focusing more on innovation, the development of knowledge and financial resources for industrial energy savings
- Ensuring a level playing field for upscaling the infrastructure for alternative fuels in Europe, in particular for hydrogen
- Recognizing the role of regional and local authorities in the energy transition and allocating more resources to supporting innovative energy projects, both largescale interregional projects and small-scale initiatives at community level
- Providing extra support to regions that are making the transition from the production of fossil fuels to alternative fuels.
