33 Table 1. National energy saving targets since 1995
Source Target as originally
formulated Target
according to PME
Target according to Clean and Efficient
working programme
Third Energy Memorandum EZ, 1995
33 in 1995-2020 1.6 per annum
1.3 per annum
1.5 per annum Energy Saving Memorandum
1998 EZ, 1998; Energy Saving Action Plan 1999-2002
EZ, 1999; Climate Policy Implementation Memorandum
VROM, 1999 2 per annum in 1998-
2010 1.8
per annum 2.0 per annum
Energy Report 2002 EZ, 2002a and EZ Budget 2003
EZ, 2002b 1.3 per annum or as
much as necessary to fulfil Kyoto agreements
1.3 per annum
1.5 per annum Clean and Efficient VROM,
2007 Increase to 2 per
annum in 2011-2020 1.6
per annum 2.0 per annum
Coalition Agreement 2010 No national target,
continuation and strengthening of policy
- -
Table 1 shows that the ambitions for energy saving policy have fluctuated over the years. In 1999, the target was raised to 2 per annum EZ,
1999. In 2002 it was lowered to 1.5 per annum, or as much as necessary to meet the Kyoto target
17
EZ, 2002a; 2002b. In 2005 the House of Representatives passed the Van der HamSpies motion House
of Representatives, 2005. The motion claimed that the ambition was too low and asked the government to raise it to 2 per annum, to be
achieved as from 2010. The motion was implemented in the Clean and Efficient working programme.
2.1.3 Targets by sector
The Clean and Efficient working programme set a national energy saving target of 2 per annum as from 2010. The ministries concerned did not
make formal agreements on targets for individual sectors. According to the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment VROM,
which was responsible for coordinating climate policy until the end of 2010, the Clean and Efficient working programme was based implicitly on
the allocation shown in table 2.
17
Pursuant to the Kyoto Agreement, the Netherlands must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 6 per annum in the period 2008
–2012 relative to 1990.
34 Table 2. Targets by sector
Sector Responsible ministry
Energy saving target per annum
Built environment Housing, Communities and Integration
2.4 Manufacturing
Economic Affairs 1.7
Agriculture Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
2.4 Transport
Transport, Public Works and Water Management
1.7 Source: official comment by the Ministry of VROM, 28 June 2010
As expectations and responsibilities were not specifically agreed and documented, it has been unclear in recent years which ministry was
responsible for taking additional measures to make up for the disappointing results. According to the then Clean and Efficient
programme managers at the Ministry of VROM, the line ministries were responsible for proposing and costing additional policy. The policy officers
at the line ministries thought that the coordinator at the Ministry of VROM was responsible for initiating new policy and that they themselves could
decide on its implementation and funding. Owing to this uncertainty, not all line ministries took appropriate action when the savings in their
sector were below target.
2.1.4 Feasibility of the 2 target
Feasibility studies carried out for the Ministers of VROM and EZ in recent years show that an energy saving rate of about 1.6 per annum
18
could be achieved at relatively low cost to society Daniëls Farla, 2006b, pp.
6-7 and p. 35. They concluded that achieving the last little bit the remaining 0.4 would be disproportionately expensive Daniëls Farla,
2006a. One of the studies found that a package of technical measures could reduce energy consumption by up to 720 PJ Daniëls Farla,
2006a, p. 53. This potential is equal to about 2.3 per annum. However, the cost of the final 60
PJ would exceed €200 million per PJ while the cost of the first 660 PJ would be €25 million or less per PJ. For the calculation,
the researchers assumed that 80 of the total technical potential energy saving would actually be achieved Daniëls Farla, 2006b, p. 46. This
means, for example, that double glazing would be placed in 80 of all houses where it was technically possible. This would require very broad
support throughout society. Later calculations also found that the 2 per annum energy saving target as from 2010 would be just about feasible
but would be far more expensive and difficult than a slightly lower saving of 1.8, possibly as much as €3 billion for a 2 saving against €0.3
18
This percentage does not include the use of feedstocks see also section 2.3.2.
