Regional Energy Strategy
The Regional Energy Strategy (RES) 1.0 in the Rotterdam - The Hague energy region, of which the municipality of Wassenaar is a part, was adopted by the municipal council on June 14, 2021. 23 municipalities, 4 water boards and the province worked together on a realistic and ambitious vision of future energy supply for the region.
What does the RES say?
Insulation and sustainable heat
The Rotterdam-The Hague region considers saving, including through insulation, an important first step. The region wants to save at least 20% in the built environment and 30% or more in greenhouse horticulture. The available residual and geothermal heat must be used as well as possible.
The Hague Rotterdam region is creating a so-called Regional Heat Structure (RSW), and the knowledge and opportunities that this provides can be used by the municipalities for their transition visions for heat. In this way, we are jointly working on an optimal regional heat structure with the lowest social costs.
Sustainable generation based on carrying capacity landscape
The municipalities, province and water boards are working with grid operators, civil society organizations and businesses on the energy transition. The region sees opportunities to generate 2.8-3.2 TWh of renewable energy. (A terawatt hour is one billion kilowatt hours (kWh), for comparison: a refrigerator uses about 100 kWh per year.) That contributes 8-9% to the national goal set out in the Climate Agreement.
The Rotterdam The Hague region considers the landscape very important and believes that we should only do what is appropriate. Therefore, the region mainly wants solar energy on roofs, parking lots and water basins. The region will continue to look at where there are more opportunities to generate solar energy and also for wind energy, but the landscape must be able to cope. One option would be along (rail) roads. There will be no generation of renewable electricity in natural areas. Each area will have its own approach, with the participation of everyone concerned and with a careful analysis of the possibilities to see how the large-scale electricity generation can best be done.
Green gas and hydrogen
The opportunities for production and transportation of renewable fuels were also considered. For this, the starting situation is good. Green gas and hydrogen can be widely used in the energy system, but their availability is still limited. The cooperating parties in our region have the ambition to substantially increase the use of green gas and hydrogen towards 2030 and 2050. Especially hydrogen produced from sustainable electricity (green hydrogen) should play a major role. We want to use scarce sustainable fuels in the best possible way.
Wassenaar on the move
All parties determine how the RES will be translated into their own local (environmental) policies. They also look at what actions are needed to achieve this. Wassenaar is committed to realizing the ambitions of the Regional Energy Strategy together with all partners. The RES will be updated every two years. This is done on the basis of new insights, experience and techniques.
What is a Regional Energy Strategy (RES)?
The government presented the Climate Accord in 2019. In it, agreements were made to reduceCO2 emissions by 49% in 2030 compared to 1990, and by 95% in 2050. This means that we in the Netherlands will switch from fossil fuels such as natural gas and oil to sustainable sources such as solar and wind. These national agreements are being translated by thirty regions in the Netherlands into regional goals and measures. Each region draws up an RES for this purpose, as does the Rotterdam Den Haag region in which Wassenaar participates together with 22 municipalities, 4 water boards and the province of South Holland. The 23 municipalities, 4 water boards and the province will all make their own decision on the RES 1.0. The goal of the RES of the Rotterdam The Hague Region, which includes Wassenaar, is an affordable, reliable, safe, clean, energy supply for everyone.
An RES brings together the strategic visions for energy transition of a region's municipalities, provinces and water boards. They deal with the entire energy system. That means about the energy sources, their transport and storage and the various users (residents, industry for example). But also about how all these different parts are connected.
An RES does not stand on its own: all RESs together must also be interconnected.
What does the RES mean for residents and businesses?
Residents and businesses do not all notice the same thing about the Regional Energy Strategy. This is because the RES is a strategy that the municipalities will use to make plans. The municipalities will do this together with experts, residents, businesses, organizations and energy cooperatives. Together they look for ways to achieve the goals. They will make local policies and plans. Eventually everyone will notice something of the energy transition, for example because solar panels will be put on the roof of a shopping center.
The municipality discusses the energy transition with its residents and businesses because locally, it knows best what fits in its own environment. Residents and businesses can put questions to their municipality. At the same time, neighboring municipalities keep in touch with each other because energy and heat do not stop at a municipal border. The goal is to have affordable, reliable, safe and clean energy available for everyone.