Energy R and D in the Netherlands

Abstract

This report documents trends in R and D and in particular (public) energy R and D in the Netherlands. Besides quantitative information on R and D and energy R and D, the report gives an impression of changes in science and technology policy, energy policy and changes in energy research priorities (both organizational and financial). In the Netherlands, 2.09% of GDP (or $6.7 billion) was invested in R and D activities in 1995. The private sector financed 46% of all R and D in that year. A small but significant fraction (9.3%) of the research performed in the Netherlands is financed by foreign public and private sector entities. Energy R and D has been identified by the national Strategic Foresight Activity as an important area of R and D for government support in the future. This is due in part to the overall decline in public support for energy R and D that occurred from 1985 to 1995. However, recent concern over climate change and energy policy has resulted in increased budgets for energy R and D. Recent policy documents (e.g., the Memorandum on Energy R and D in April 1998) and initiatives (e.g., a recent university energy R and D program; intensification of climate policy, partly in R and D) indicate the growing interest in addressing the issue of climate change partly through energy R and D. The Dutch government believes that the liberalization of the energy market in the Netherlands justifies an active role for the government to guarantee the longer-term transformation to a sustainable energy system. In terms of climate policy, the expanded and more efficient use of natural gas is seen as a suitable transition option towards a sustainable energy system. However, energy efficiency (and in particular energy efficiency in the industrial sector) and the introduction of renewable technologies (solar energy, wind energy and biomass) are generally favored for the long term. Recently, additional funding was allocated for research on industrial ''breakthrough'' technologies, photovoltaic energy, and biomass research. Best available data suggest that the private sector's energy R and D investments are on par with and quite close to the level of the government's energy R and D budgets. Renewable energy R and D, nuclear fission and fusion are predominantly financed by the public sector. However, energy efficiency receives the largest share of the total governmental energy RD and D budget (about 40%). The majority of the private sector's energy R and D investments are devoted to energy efficiency. Private sector investments also exceed those of the government in the area of power storage technologies.