In 2018, no fewer than 47 energy suppliers are active on the Dutch market. The majority supplies electricity and gas to private and business customers. 12 energy companies focus exclusively on the small and / or large business market.
There are energy companies that only supply electricity but do not generate electricity. These suppliers purchase electricity from energy producers at home and abroad. On the other hand, there are also a number of energy suppliers that are producers themselves and therefore own power stations and wind farms. These are generally the major energy companies operating in the Netherlands, such as Essent, Nuon, Eneco, E.ON and Engie (formerly GDF Suez). But also a number of smaller suppliers, such as Pure Energie and Qurrent, which generate sustainable energy themselves.
Liberalization of energy market
For the liberalization of the energy market in 2004, consumers did not have a choice of different power providers companies nz, because depending on the place of residence, the network operator and the energy supplier were determined. At that time, only 12 license holders were active for electricity. Since then, the number of energy suppliers has almost quadrupled.
The competition that has arisen after liberalization has had a positive influence on the electricity and gas prices. In addition, the energy companies are more motivated to develop new customer-oriented technologies and additional services, such as a smart meter.
Market leaders
Some of the companies that were already active in the Netherlands prior to liberalization are still among the largest energy suppliers in the Netherlands. Market leader is Essent, which together with its subsidiary EnergieDirect has more than 3 million customers in the Netherlands. Essent is part of the German energy group Innogy, which is again a subsidiary of the German RWE.
Eneco and Nuon are also among the largest energy companies in the Netherlands with 2.4 and 2.0 million customers respectively. This is followed by the Nuts Group, which includes BudgetEnergie and NLE. According to estimates, this concern has around 600,000 customers in the Netherlands. Finally, Greenchoice is now also one of the larger energy suppliers in the Netherlands. The brand is 70 percent owned by Energie Concurrent BV and 30 percent owned by Eneco.
The remainder of the Dutch energy market consists of smaller independent energy suppliers. Research from WiseNederland shows that the smaller suppliers occupy an increasing percentage of the market. In particular, companies that exclusively supply green energy are growing rapidly.
Green energy suppliers
31 of the 47 energy companies only supply sustainable electricity from water, wind, biomass and sun. It must be said, however, that these are largely smaller suppliers with a limited market share. Many electricity suppliers also purchase green electricity certificates (GVOs) from abroad.
According to WiseNederland, Pure Energie and Qurrent are the most sustainable energy suppliers in the Netherlands. The companies only produce and supply solar and wind energy generated in the Netherlands.
The suppliers below only supply green electricity (mainly wind energy), the majority of which is produced in the Netherlands. These energy suppliers are classified by WiseNederland as 'truly green energy suppliers', because they stimulate the generation and supply of sustainable energy in the Netherlands.
The larger energy company Eneco is also working hard when it comes to a sustainable power supply. The group invests heavily in wind energy and only supplies green energy to private and small business customers. Eneco is assessed with a 7.9 by WiseNederland.
Another positive development is that the supply of green electricity is becoming less frequent due to the use of foreign electricity certificates. An increasing number of companies are purchasing renewable wind or solar electricity from Dutch electricity producers.
Gray energy suppliers
There are still 16 energy suppliers that supply gray electricity to households, for example from oil, gas, coal and nuclear energy. This also includes the major energy companies: Essent and Nuon.
Only 3 energy providers only supply gray electricity. These are Robin Energie, Naked Energy, and the Russian Gazprom that only supplies to the large business market.
Here an overview of the energy suppliers (private market) and how they are assessed on sustainability.
Suppliers
A number of suppliers in the Netherlands also only supply green energy, but use foreign energy sources for this. This electricity is (mainly) purchased abroad with the help of green certificates of origin (GOs), for example at hydroelectric power stations in Scandinavia. WiseNederland classifies these energy companies as 'sjoemelstroom' suppliers. There is no incentive to produce more sustainable energy in the Netherlands.
Electricity producers
A small part of energy companies are also electricity producers in addition to electricity. This includes, among others, the large energy companies (Essent, Eneco, Nuon and Engie), but also a number of smaller companies, such as GreenChoice, Pure Energie, Qurrent and HVC Energie. The other energy suppliers purchase electricity from trading houses and sell it on to consumers and entrepreneurs.
Electricity producers (international)
The following companies are internationally active as a power producer:
Essent (RWE)
Eneco
Nuon
Engie
Electricity producers (the Netherlands)
The following companies are active exclusively as electricity producers in the Netherlands:
Pure Energy
Qurrent
HVC
Greenchoice
The transition to sustainable energy takes a lot of time. Suppliers with many customers cannot easily switch to completely green electricity. Certainly not to green electricity that is only generated in the Netherlands. The capacity is too limited for that. Many (large) energy companies do invest in the use of sustainable energy sources, particularly in wind farms.
There are energy companies that only supply electricity but do not generate electricity. These suppliers purchase electricity from energy producers at home and abroad. On the other hand, there are also a number of energy suppliers that are producers themselves and therefore own power stations and wind farms. These are generally the major energy companies operating in the Netherlands, such as Essent, Nuon, Eneco, E.ON and Engie (formerly GDF Suez). But also a number of smaller suppliers, such as Pure Energie and Qurrent, which generate sustainable energy themselves.
Liberalization of energy market
For the liberalization of the energy market in 2004, consumers did not have a choice of different power providers companies nz, because depending on the place of residence, the network operator and the energy supplier were determined. At that time, only 12 license holders were active for electricity. Since then, the number of energy suppliers has almost quadrupled.
The competition that has arisen after liberalization has had a positive influence on the electricity and gas prices. In addition, the energy companies are more motivated to develop new customer-oriented technologies and additional services, such as a smart meter.
Market leaders
Some of the companies that were already active in the Netherlands prior to liberalization are still among the largest energy suppliers in the Netherlands. Market leader is Essent, which together with its subsidiary EnergieDirect has more than 3 million customers in the Netherlands. Essent is part of the German energy group Innogy, which is again a subsidiary of the German RWE.
Eneco and Nuon are also among the largest energy companies in the Netherlands with 2.4 and 2.0 million customers respectively. This is followed by the Nuts Group, which includes BudgetEnergie and NLE. According to estimates, this concern has around 600,000 customers in the Netherlands. Finally, Greenchoice is now also one of the larger energy suppliers in the Netherlands. The brand is 70 percent owned by Energie Concurrent BV and 30 percent owned by Eneco.
The remainder of the Dutch energy market consists of smaller independent energy suppliers. Research from WiseNederland shows that the smaller suppliers occupy an increasing percentage of the market. In particular, companies that exclusively supply green energy are growing rapidly.
Green energy suppliers
31 of the 47 energy companies only supply sustainable electricity from water, wind, biomass and sun. It must be said, however, that these are largely smaller suppliers with a limited market share. Many electricity suppliers also purchase green electricity certificates (GVOs) from abroad.
According to WiseNederland, Pure Energie and Qurrent are the most sustainable energy suppliers in the Netherlands. The companies only produce and supply solar and wind energy generated in the Netherlands.
The suppliers below only supply green electricity (mainly wind energy), the majority of which is produced in the Netherlands. These energy suppliers are classified by WiseNederland as 'truly green energy suppliers', because they stimulate the generation and supply of sustainable energy in the Netherlands.
The larger energy company Eneco is also working hard when it comes to a sustainable power supply. The group invests heavily in wind energy and only supplies green energy to private and small business customers. Eneco is assessed with a 7.9 by WiseNederland.
Another positive development is that the supply of green electricity is becoming less frequent due to the use of foreign electricity certificates. An increasing number of companies are purchasing renewable wind or solar electricity from Dutch electricity producers.
Gray energy suppliers
There are still 16 energy suppliers that supply gray electricity to households, for example from oil, gas, coal and nuclear energy. This also includes the major energy companies: Essent and Nuon.
Only 3 energy providers only supply gray electricity. These are Robin Energie, Naked Energy, and the Russian Gazprom that only supplies to the large business market.
Here an overview of the energy suppliers (private market) and how they are assessed on sustainability.
Suppliers
A number of suppliers in the Netherlands also only supply green energy, but use foreign energy sources for this. This electricity is (mainly) purchased abroad with the help of green certificates of origin (GOs), for example at hydroelectric power stations in Scandinavia. WiseNederland classifies these energy companies as 'sjoemelstroom' suppliers. There is no incentive to produce more sustainable energy in the Netherlands.
Electricity producers
A small part of energy companies are also electricity producers in addition to electricity. This includes, among others, the large energy companies (Essent, Eneco, Nuon and Engie), but also a number of smaller companies, such as GreenChoice, Pure Energie, Qurrent and HVC Energie. The other energy suppliers purchase electricity from trading houses and sell it on to consumers and entrepreneurs.
Electricity producers (international)
The following companies are internationally active as a power producer:
Essent (RWE)
Eneco
Nuon
Engie
Electricity producers (the Netherlands)
The following companies are active exclusively as electricity producers in the Netherlands:
Pure Energy
Qurrent
HVC
Greenchoice
The transition to sustainable energy takes a lot of time. Suppliers with many customers cannot easily switch to completely green electricity. Certainly not to green electricity that is only generated in the Netherlands. The capacity is too limited for that. Many (large) energy companies do invest in the use of sustainable energy sources, particularly in wind farms.
