Sustainable heat for Wassenaar 

The municipality of Wassenaar has written a vision stating how Wassenaar is going to switch to sustainable heat by 2050. We call this the transition vision heat. It states which possibilities we currently see per neighborhood and the moments we want to take steps for the future.

Wassenaar's transition vision heat 

The heat transition vision was adopted by the Wassenaar Municipal Council at the end of November 2021. The main goal of the vision is: The municipality of Wassenaar will be CO2 neutral in 2050. That is where we are heading. The transition vision for heat states, based on what we know now, how and on which Requirements we want to achieve this. At least every 5 years there will be an update of the transition vision heat based on the latest national policy, the latest innovations, technical and financial knowledge.

Council decision transition vision heat

View all the pieces that go into the council's decision on the heat transition vision:

View the most frequently asked questions around transition vision heat

Together with Wassenaar

Key principles of transition vision heat

  • Energy Savings
    Wassenaar will fully commit to energy conservation through insulation until 2030. In this way we will reduce natural gas consumption and CO2 emissions. At the same time, the measures we are going to implement will make it easier to switch to sustainable ways of heating. 
  • No homes or buildings required to be off natural gas before 2030
    Newly built homes are already no longer getting natural gas connections. For the homes on the Meijendelseweg in the neighborhood Verspreide huizen Meijendel we want to investigate, together with the building owners, whether it is possible to switch from natural gas to a sustainable way of heating, without increasing the cost of living. The reason for doing this is that the natural gas pipeline there is written off and will eventually have to be replaced. 
  • Natural gas-free becomes CO2-neutral with CO2-reduction as route
    Where the Rijksoverheid opts for the term natural gas-free, the residents of Wassenaar have indicated that they prefer to talk about CO2 reduction. After all, that is also why we are getting rid of natural gas in Wassenaar; we want to be CO2 neutral by 2050. Therefore, that is also the main goal of the vision. We focus on that through CO2 reduction. This can be done until 2030 through insulation, low-temperature heating, energy-efficient installations and other energy savings. A hybrid heat pump is an interim solution for those homes where it is clear that they will not switch to a collective heat system. A hybrid heat pump is a way of heating where you use much less natural gas. Offsetting emissions through CO2 trading, planting forests, etc. we rule out as a solution.  
  • Sustainable heating must be as expensive as heating with natural gas
    The rijksoverheid has agreed that the heat transition must be done at the lowest national cost. National costs refer to all costs incurred, regardless of who pays them. For the owner/occupant, the costs must be housing cost neutral. That is what the rijksoverheid has agreed to. The rijksoverheid is still going to define exactly what living expenses are neutral. In general, it means that the cost of living (energy and rent/mortgage) should not become higher than when using natural gas. If subsidies or other measures are needed to keep the costs the same, then this must be done through rijksoverheid regulations. 

Want to read more about your neighborhood? 

Would you like to read more about the initial ideas for your neighborhood? Below you can click on your neighborhood to see what the action perspective is for your neighborhood: what can you expect in the coming years and what can you do yourself? On the website www.wijkpaspoort.vng.nl you can find more specific information about your neighborhood such as energy labels and house types.

Thinking along via digital workshops

There were two online workshops on April 7 and April 21, 2021. Anyone who left her or his email address via the online questionnaire could sign up for these workshops. During these workshops, we continued discussions with residents, business owners and the municipality about the route to a carbon-neutral municipality. 

Read residents' input  

Over 500 residents participated in thinking about the transition vision. People were able to give their opinions through a questionnaire (March 2021) and in several online workshops (April 2021). A summary was made of the information and ideas collected so far. A first, shared picture of the route to 2050 was also created. This summary and route was shared in the Wassenaarse Krant in June 2021. Residents were then asked to respond to it. All input from residents was translated into a participation report. This, together with the technical-economic advice, has been included in the transition vision heat.

Workshop 1

Talking about the preconditions: what will the alternative heating solution have to meet in the future and how will we make choices? What dilemmas and opportunities do you see arising? 

Presentation workshop 1

Workshop 2

Workshop 2: In conversation about the route to 2050, how we are going to ensure that everyone wants to and can participate and in conversation about the approach in the different neighborhoods: what are the differences and similarities between the neighborhoods that we need to take into account? 

Presentation workshop 2

    Documents