The Netherlands to power its railway network on 100% wind energy by 2018

The Netherlands has pioneering new energy target. The nation has promised to run its whole electric rail network on 100% wind energy within three years. The Netherlands is the most recent nation to bring to standard for embracing renewable energy sources: the companies responsible for the nation’s railways are working hand-in-hand to shift complete network to wind energy.

Railway Technology indicates that Dutch energy company Eneco and the VIVENS rail companies signed a contract to make Dutch electric trains inside Netherlands Railways to be powered fully by wind energy. Wind energy already provides an amount equivalent to half of the 2897km, 1.5kV DC system’s energy — a network that conveys 1.2 million passengers daily.

The wind electricity will be derived from inside the Netherlands, together with Belgium and other Scandinavian countries; part of the goal is to enhance the integration of renewable energy in some European nations.

In the past years, wind energy adoption has developed rapidly globally. Based on the analysis from the International Energy Council, the land-based wind power installation level has risen up to 24% yearly since 2000. The IEC forecasts that should world leaders adhere to plan, wind power could cover about 18% of all energy production worldwide.

Within Netherlands, Eneco indicates it also signed a 10-year contract with Google to establish its data centre in the north of Netherlands completely ran by wind power as well.

Source: D. Nield, September 2, 2015. The Netherlands plans to have a 100% wind-powered railway system by 2018, accessed September 4, 2015.