How can the northern Netherlands grow into an energy region of national and international significance in Europe in view of the liberalisation of the labour market?

Summary Energy Valley is an initiative of the authorities, institutions and businesses. They want the existing activities in the energy sector in the northern Netherlands to grow into a cluster of national and international significance. Energy Valley is based on three pillars, specifically:

Europe aspires to have one communal energy market in which consumers can choose their own supplier. This liberalisation means a drastic restructuring of the existing energy markets within the individual member states. At the same time, there are increasing efforts for a further transition towards sustainable energy management. Due to these changes, the Dutch energy market is currently in a dynamic transitional phase. This dynamic situation offers a number of new possibilities for development.

The northern Netherlands is at the centre of domestic activity in the area of natural gas. Furthermore, a number of large production facilities for electricity are established here and the north plays an important part in the area of sustainable energy development. A number of big players dominate these activities and around them is a broad spectrum of suppliers, subcontracting relationships and spin-offs. Currently, the number of jobs in the northern Netherlands energy sector is approximately 14,000, divided over the three northern provinces. This means that the Netherlands has at its disposal a driving national concentration of activity, which lends itself excellently for further expansion.

Energy Valley, tel. +31 50 5214552

07/02/2003

case

Urban Policy > Transport and infrastructure > Technical infrastructure

Electricity