The energy production from solar power in the Netherlands saw a significant increase of 46% in 2022 compared to the previous year. This growth can be attributed primarily to the use of new solar panels, according to data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The energy production from solar panels installed on residential buildings grew slightly more than that from panels installed at businesses.
As a result of this surge in solar energy, the share of solar power (electricity and heat) in the country’s total energy consumption also rose, increasing from 2.1% in 2021 to 3.3% in 2022. Alongside biomass and wind energy, solar power makes the largest contribution to renewable energy in the Netherlands.
While solar panels installed at businesses accounted for nearly 60% of the total energy production from solar power, the strongest growth was observed in residential properties. In 2022, solar power generation reached 16.8 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), with approximately 60% originating from panels installed at businesses and the rest from panels on residential rooftops. Since 2019, the installed capacity of solar panels at businesses has surpassed that of residential properties, mainly due to the addition of large solar parks. However, in 2022, the energy production from residential properties grew slightly more (49% increase) than that from businesses (45% increase).
The total installed capacity of solar panels in all municipalities across the Netherlands increased by an average of 30% in 2022 compared to 2021. The municipality of Dronten experienced the largest increase with 161 megawatts (MW) due to the construction of the country’s largest solar park. Borger-Odoorn and Hoogeveen followed with more than 100 MW each. In terms of residential properties, the strongest growth in installed capacity of solar panels was observed in Utrecht, Rotterdam, and Tilburg.
Furthermore, the Netherlands has secured a position in the top five European countries with the highest solar power production since 2022. The country has witnessed significant growth compared to other European nations. The Dutch solar power production has more than tripled since 2019. Although Poland and Hungary experienced the highest growth rates, their production levels in 2019 were considerably lower than that of the Netherlands.
In 2019, the Netherlands and Belgium had a similar solar power production level of approximately 5.3 billion kWh. However, by 2022, the Netherlands reached the same level as France with 16.8 billion kWh, despite being smaller in terms of land area and population size compared to most major solar power producers. The Netherlands also boasted the highest installed capacity per capita among all European countries, reaching 1044 watts in 2022.
https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/nieuws/2023/24/46-procent-meer-energieproductie-uit-zonnestroom-in-2022