Molly Ayala
The Dutch rail network is well-developed, with frequent trains and a variety of operators. In 2017, the Netherlands' national railway company, NS, announced that all of its electric passenger trains were now 100% powered by wind energy. This was achieved through a partnership with the energy company Eneco, with wind power being sourced from within the Netherlands as well as other European countries. While this is a positive step towards sustainability, it is important to note that not all trains in the Dutch rail network are electric, and a small number, particularly freight trains, are still diesel-powered.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Dutch trains that are electric | 100% |
| Date by which all Dutch electric trains started running on 100% renewable energy | 1 January 2017 |
| Number of passengers travelling on Dutch electric trains daily | 600,000 |
| Number of train trips taken by passengers daily | 1.2 million |
| Amount of wind energy required by NS Dutch Railways annually | 1.2 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) |
| Amount of electricity used to power the city of Amsterdam | 1.2 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) |
| Number of operable wind turbines in the Netherlands | 2,200 |
| Amount of renewable energy that the Dutch government wants to raise the country's generating capacity to by 2023 | 16% |
| Amount of energy consumption that NS is in the process of reducing annually | 2% |
| Amount of reduction in energy consumption achieved by NS since 2005 | 30% |
| Amount of wind energy that powers a train for 120 miles | 1 hour of wind energy from a windmill |
| Amount of electricity that wind farms in Belgium generate | 10% |
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What You'll Learn
Dutch electric trains are powered by wind energy
The Dutch have a long history with wind energy, and the country has been using windmills to drain water and mill grain since the 17th and 18th centuries. Now, the Netherlands is using more sophisticated wind turbines to generate electricity. The Netherlands currently has 2,200 operable wind turbines, with plans for a large new offshore wind farm as well.
The Dutch national railway company, NS, announced that all of its electric passenger trains are now 100% powered by wind energy. This was first announced in 2015, with a target of January 2018, but the company hit its goal a year earlier than planned. The NS spokesman, Ton Boon, said, "Since 1 January, 100 percent of our trains are running on wind energy. So we in fact reached our goal a year earlier than planned."
The NS-Eneco partnership provides 1.2 billion kilowatt-hours of wind energy per year, powering 600,000 daily passengers with no CO2 emissions. According to Eneco and NS, one windmill running for an hour can power a train for around 200 km (120 miles). The power from the rail network comes from wind farms not only in the Netherlands but also in Belgium, Scandinavia, Sweden, and Finland. Sourcing power from multiple countries ensures that there is an adequate amount of electricity for the rail network's needs at all times.
While the use of renewable energy to power electric trains is impressive, it does not account for all trains operating on the Dutch rail network. A small number of trains, likely for freight services, are still diesel-powered.
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The Netherlands' wind energy sources
The Netherlands has a long history with wind energy, using windmills for tasks such as draining water and milling grain since the 17th and 18th centuries. The country now uses more sophisticated wind turbines to generate electricity. In 2015, the Netherlands had 2,200 operable wind turbines, with plans for a large new offshore wind farm.
The Netherlands currently has many small-scale wind farms, which are a testament to earlier models of wind turbines and lesser-known manufacturers. These smaller wind farms often consist of much smaller turbines compared to those deployed today. Some of the newer, larger wind farms that are currently under construction are replacing the smaller turbines previously installed at given locations. One example is the country's largest wind farm, Noordoostpolder, which is installing industrial-scale wind turbines, such as the Enercon onshore wind turbines—at the time the largest onshore turbines in the world, rated at 7500 kW nameplate capacity.
The Netherlands' location on the North Sea makes it convenient to generate energy offshore. Since 2015, there has been a trend towards the deployment and planning of large wind farms, both onshore and offshore, with a view to approximately tripling wind power capacity from 2015 levels by 2023. The first of these, the 429 MW Noordoostpolder wind farm, was already partially deployed by the end of 2015, while the 600 MW Gemini offshore wind farm was commissioned in 2017. In 2022, the Dutch government announced that by 2030, offshore wind would become the country's biggest power source, aiming at 21 GW of installed capacity. The government intends to meet approximately 75% of the country's electricity needs through this initiative, contributing to its increased climate target of 55% less CO2 emissions.
The Netherlands also has several turbine manufacturers that produce both large and small installations for domestic and international clients. In 2016, the country saw a record year for new wind turbine installations, totalling 887 MW, bringing the total installed capacity to 4,328 MW by the end of the year. 691 MW of the new installations were offshore. The Dutch government has set a target of 6,000 MW of onshore wind power by 2020 and 4,450 MW of offshore wind power by 2023.
In addition to wind energy, the Netherlands also generates electricity from solar power, nuclear power, and bioenergy. The country is transitioning to sustainable energy sources, with the goal of using only sustainable energy by 2050.
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NS's electric train fleet
NS, the Netherland's national railway company, has been running its electric passenger trains on 100% wind energy since January 1, 2017. The company partnered with Dutch electricity company Eneco in 2015 to achieve this feat. The trains get their power from overhead wires or an electrified "third rail".
In addition to these, NS operates the IC direct, the Thalys, the ICE, the Eurostar Direct, and the IC Berlijn. The company also has the Koploper (ICM), a 3- or 4-car multiple unit that can be coupled with another train to allow passengers to walk through. NS closed the doors on this train in 2005 due to frequent breakdowns but has since modernised the fleet, providing more seats, a new interior, wheelchair-accessible bathrooms, air conditioning, and upgrades to the engine and connection systems.
The VIRM (Regiorunner) is another train in NS's fleet, which was partially rebuilt from the DD-IRM trainsets. The ICNG (Intercity Nieuwe Generatie) is a newer addition, operated by NS as of 2023. NS's electric train fleet also includes the PROTOS, a train built by Fahrzeugtechnik Dessau for the Valleiljn, and the Sprinter Lightrain or SLT, a 4- or 6-car unit introduced in 2007 to replace the Mat '64 stock.
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Dutch trains' energy consumption
The Dutch railway network, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), has approximately 600,000 passengers daily, with 1.2 million train trips made each day. As of 2017, NS announced that its electric passenger trains are now 100% powered by wind energy. This was achieved through a partnership with the Dutch energy company Eneco, which supplies NS with 1.2 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of wind energy annually. This amount of energy is equivalent to the electricity consumed by all the households in Amsterdam. Eneco sources its wind power from wind farms in the Netherlands and other European countries, including Belgium, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.
NS first announced its target for a wind-powered train fleet in 2015, with an initial goal of achieving this by 2018. However, they reached their goal a year earlier than planned. This was made possible by the increase in the number of wind farms around the country and off the coast of the Netherlands.
Prior to this transition, the NS fleet consumed electricity generated predominantly from fossil fuels, with natural gas making up 61% and coal contributing 15% of the total installed capacity. The shift to wind energy as the sole source of power for electric trains is a significant step towards reducing the carbon footprint of the Dutch rail network.
In addition to wind energy, NS has also explored other sustainable initiatives. Since 2019, NS has been using buses powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) made from processed deep fryer oil and industrial fats when trains are not in operation. This fuel is considered climate-neutral as it does not produce CO2 emissions. NS also aims to generate sustainable energy by utilising its own resources, such as buildings and property. Furthermore, the company is in the process of reducing its overall energy consumption, having already achieved a 30% reduction from 2005 levels.
While the use of renewable energy for electric trains is a notable achievement, it is important to note that it does not cover all trains on the Dutch rail network. A small number of trains, likely those used for freight services, are still diesel-powered. Nonetheless, the Netherlands has made significant progress in sustainable energy for its rail network, with wind-powered electric trains playing a key role in reducing the country's environmental impact.
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The Dutch rail network
In terms of electrification, the Dutch rail network is quite advanced. As of 2017, all electric trains in the Netherlands are powered by wind energy, thanks to a partnership between NS and the energy company Eneco. This means that around 600,000 passengers are travelling with no CO2 emissions daily. The electricity is generated by wind farms in the Netherlands and other European countries, including Belgium, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. The NS electric train fleet consumes 1.2 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of wind energy annually, equivalent to the electricity consumed by all households in Amsterdam in a year.
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Frequently asked questions
100% of Dutch passenger trains are electric and are powered by wind energy. A small number of freight trains are diesel-powered.
600,000 passengers travel on electric trains in the Netherlands every day.
The wind energy is produced by wind farms in the Netherlands and other European countries including Belgium, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.
