(Reuters) – Renewable sources in the Netherlands for the first time generated more electricity than fossil sources during the first six months of a year, according to data published on Friday by Dutch statistics agency CBS.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

The development of renewable energies is critical for the Dutch government to reach its commitment of reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 49% by 2030 and the European-wide goal of a 55% decrease in emissions, compared with 1990 levels.

KEY QUOTE

“Electricity production from coal has fallen to 3.9 billion kWh. Because there was much more cheaper electricity available from sun and wind, coal-fired power stations could produce electricity less competitively,” CBS said in an online report.

BY THE NUMBERS

Electricity production from renewable sources in the Netherlands increased to 32.3 billion kilowatt-hour in the first half of 2024, which represents 53% of the total output.

The increase was mainly driven by the development of wind power, which saw its production increase by 4.4 billion kWh to 17.4 billion kWh. This is due to the deployment of new sea wind farms and the upgrading of existing plants on land.

(Reporting by Alban Kacher; editing by Jonathan Oatis)