ABSTRACT
The Dutch energy scene is dominated by natural gas, which covers about 50 per cent of the primary energy supply. The high penetration of natural gas for various applications and in all sectors was an explicit goal of the national energy policy in the sixties and seventies based on the large Groningen field. Since the oil crisis in the mid-seventies the involvement of the national government in the energy field has increased. The Amsterdam economy is strongly service oriented (trade, finance, transport), and consequently the energy intensity of the local economy is relatively moderate. The residential sector is the largest consumer category, followed by transport. About 80 per cent of energy consumption is from natural gas, mainly for space heating purposes. The use of oil products is virtually limited to the transport sector. The Energy Company Amsterdam is implementing a programme for the installation of small scale combined heat and power units.
