Three-quarters of energy used by the dairy industry is renewable

According to a study conducted by the Dutch Dairy Association, Nederland ICT, the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, and RVO.nl, 76% of the dairy industry’s energy use comes from renewable sources. The study was conducted in the context of the MJA3 energy agreement, which set multi-year agreements for the improvement of energy efficiency.

Last year, the dairy industry purchased a total of 7.1 PJ of electricity, 5.4 PJ of which was renewable. Nearly half of the renewable energy was wind (48%) and 45% was biomass. A large share of the energy came from participating dairy farms.

These numbers mean that the dairy industry has more than exceeded its energy-efficiency targets for 2020 set in the MJA3 agreement (i.e. 30% efficiency gains compared to 2005).

The four organizations conducted this study to gain more clarity into the nature and origins of renewable energy in the agreement. Next year, they will continue the study by looking at other sectors participating in the energy agreement.