To have a liveable earth in 2050 and beyond, we need to make a major effort in the areas of climate and sustainability. The Paris agreements and their Dutch translation in the Climate Agreement set our country a huge task. For instance, by 2030, we need to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions by 55% compared to 1990 - and preferably 60%. Ultimately, the Netherlands should be climate neutral by 2050. That means making the electricity grid more sustainable, getting rid of natural gas in the built environment and enabling people to live healthy and safe lives.
In addition, our industry is climate-neutral and competitive, we are working on emission-free mobility and our economy is circular (see mission Circular Economy and our agriculture is climate-neutral (see mission Agriculture, Water and Food).
Four missions in energy transitions
The four missions for energy transition are:
- A completely carbon-free electricity system by 2050;
- A CO2-free and future-proof built environment by 2050;
- A climate-neutral industry with recycling of raw materials and products by 2050;
- Emission-free and future mobility for people and goods by 2050.
Role of digitalisation
To arrive at solutions to those missions, intensive cooperation and knowledge sharing is needed to achieve the required innovation capacity of our economy and society. Digital and Information Technologies play a crucial role in this. For any programme, important innovations can be realised using those technologies. For example, in modelling, forecasting and optimising energy production, its transportation and cost revenue sharing. Remote control and robotics are also of great value in energy production. ICT also plays a major role in the efficient distribution of locally generated energy. Like smart charging, setting up an automated, safe and connected electric mobility system or digital twin simulation models.