The road traffic in the Netherlands consumes five times more electricity than in 2019, according to figures from statistics bureau CBS. This is due to the rise of electric cars.
Although the demand for electric cars among private individuals decreased somewhat in 2024, more and more are being sold. Approximately one-third of new cars sold in the Netherlands last year were electric.
The Dutch vehicle fleet now consumes more electricity than the trains due to the rise of the plug-in car. Domestic transport together consumes 17 petajoules, accounting for 4 percent of total electricity consumption in 2024.
All sectors together consumed 407 petajoules of electricity last year. That is 2 percent more than the year before. This is not only due to the rise of electric cars. New data centers also contribute to the growth of electricity consumption.
In contrast, greenhouse horticulture has become more efficient in using energy for lighting. Partly as a result, the consumption of agriculture, forestry and fisheries decreased by a quarter between 2019 and 2024.
Furthermore, the Netherlands produced three times as much electricity at homes due to the many solar panels on roofs. These solar panels together produced 8 percent of the entire electricity production in the Netherlands.