Experts: Netherlands can make quick changes to get off Russian gas

With relatively simple measures, the Netherlands can cut between half and all of its annual demand for Russian gas within a year, the Dutch Association for Sustainable Energy (NVDE) said. According to the association, this can be achieved with thermal insulation in industry, by better regulating heating installations at companies, institutions, and households, and by replacing companies' fluorescent lights with LEDs.

Around 6,000 companies are affiliated with the association for entrepreneurs in sustainable energy, including energy companies and network operators.

The NVDE's package of short-term measures could cut the use of 4.7 billion cubic meters of gas this year. According to the NVDE, the Netherlands consumes between 5 billion and 8 billion cubic meters of Russian gas annually, depending on the calculation methods.

The association listed many advantages to investing more into sustainability now. It will make the Netherlands energy independent more quickly, and we will stop financing Russia's war machine. In addition, energy costs for consumers and private individuals will decrease due to lower consumption on the one hand and lower demand on the other. And we'll make good progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the association said.

According to the NVDE, the measures can reduce gas consumption by more than 10 billion cubic meters within four years. That amounts to 20 megatonnes of CO2 emissions that won't happen, slightly less than a fifth of the total CO2 reduction in the climate goals.