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Wind energy on land

The European Union (EU) is committed to achieving 14% renewable energy by 2020. In the Netherlands, wind energy is a key source of renewable energy, which the country depends on to achieve this goal. So central government has decided to build more onshore wind turbines.

How much onshore wind energy will be generated?

At the end of 2015 there were at least 2,525 onshore wind turbines, generating a total of 3,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity. This is around 5% of the Netherlands’ total requirement.

By 2020 the Netherlands must have an onshore wind capacity of 6,000 MW. This is set out in the Energy Agreement for Sustainable Growth. This means capacity must be increased by over 3,000 MW. An average wind turbine has a capacity of 2 to 3 MW, so the Netherlands needs roughly 1,000 to 1,500 new onshore wind turbines.

Measures for achieving wind energy goals

The Wind Energy action plan introduces extra measures to achieve the 2020 target. They include:

  • fast-track procedures for installing new wind farms

  • better information and communication to overcome local residents' resistance.

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