Regional Energy Strategy (RES): a guide for businesses
Direct answer
A Regionale Energiestrategie (RES), or Regional Energy Strategy, is the plan in which one of the thirty Dutch energy regions sets out how much renewable electricity from solar and onshore wind it generates and where, along with the heat transition and the infrastructure needed. Municipalities, provinces and water authorities draw it up together. The RES translates the Climate Agreement target for renewable generation on land into concrete locations.
- Clear definition
- Data-driven assessment
- Risks and opportunities visible
- Practical next steps
Regional Energy Strategy (RES): scattered information versus Energy Intelligence
Electricity use in the Netherlands is rising, and generation from solar and wind has to grow with it. But wind turbines and solar fields have to go somewhere, and not every location is suitable. To make those choices close to residents, the national and regional governments agreed to divide the country into thirty energy regions. A business considering a solar field or wind project feels this directly: whether your site stands a chance depends on what the region has designated in its RES.
- The Netherlands is divided into thirty energy regions; each region produced a first Regional Energy Strategy, the RES 1.0, in 2021.
- The RES distributes three tasks across the region: generating solar and onshore wind power, the heat transition and the infrastructure this requires.
- Every two years a progress document follows; if new frameworks or insights arise, a region revises the RES into a RES 2.0.
Insight
Traditional approach
Information is scattered across portals, documents, invoices or separate spreadsheets.
Modern approach
Data, context and interpretation are brought together into a clear decision picture.
Decision-making
Traditional approach
Choices are made based on averages, assumptions or occasional analyses.
Modern approach
Scenarios, KPIs and current measurement data make the trade-off more concrete and repeatable.
Follow-up
Traditional approach
Actions often stay non-committal or disappear into separate reports.
Modern approach
Follow-up actions, monitoring and reporting are linked to the same energy data.
What is in a Regional Energy Strategy?
The RES is the regional plan for the energy transition. Municipalities, provinces and water authorities jointly set up thirty energy regions, each of which produced a first strategy in 2021: the RES 1.0. In every region they work together with residents, businesses, grid operators and energy cooperatives. The strategy describes three connected parts. First, the generation of large-scale renewable electricity from solar and onshore wind: how much and in which search areas. Second, the heat transition, in the form of a Regional Heat Structure that maps the demand for and supply of heat. Third, the infrastructure, because the grid must be able to handle all that generation and heat. This puts generation, heat and the electricity grid together in one plan.
- Thirty energy regions, each with its own Regional Energy Strategy.
- Part one: solar and onshore wind, expressed as a target and search areas.
- Part two: the heat transition via a Regional Heat Structure.
- Part three: the infrastructure that has to carry generation and heat.
- Drawn up together with residents, businesses, grid operators and cooperatives.
Why does the RES exist?
The RES stems from the Dutch Climate Agreement of 2019. It sets the target of generating at least 35 terawatt-hours of large-scale renewable electricity on land by 2030. That national target had to be translated spatially, into concrete areas where solar and wind fit. By doing this per region, the choices lie with the governments closest to residents. The combined ambitions from the first RES documents add up to 55 terawatt-hours in 2030. Generating close to consumption eases the load on the grid and limits network expansion. The strategies were adopted by municipal, provincial and water authority councils, and are administratively binding on the government that adopts them.
- Its basis is the Dutch Climate Agreement of 2019.
- Target: at least 35 terawatt-hours of renewable electricity on land by 2030.
- The sum of the regional ambitions comes to 55 terawatt-hours in 2030.
- Adopted by municipal councils, provincial councils and water authority boards.
- Generating close to consumption eases the grid and limits network expansion.
What does the RES mean for your business?
The RES helps determine where in your region there is room for solar and wind. If you are considering a solar field, panels or a wind project, the first question is whether your location lies in or near a designated search area. The tasks from the RES gain legal weight when municipalities and provinces record them in environmental visions, plans and programmes under the Environment and Planning Act. Equally important is the link with grid capacity: a promising location on paper does not help if the local grid is full. The RES deliberately brings generation and grid management together, so plans and grid capacity align. Besides the RES, follow the plans of your regional grid operator. The process does not stand still: every two years a progress document appears and, where needed, a revision into a RES 2.0.
- Check whether your location lies in or near a designated search area.
- The tasks land in environmental visions and plans under the Environment and Planning Act.
- Room on paper means nothing if the local grid is full; check grid capacity.
- Besides the RES, follow the plans of your regional grid operator.
- The picture changes: every two years a progress document, and where needed a RES 2.0.
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