Sufficient Gas
The government expects, based on an analysis by Gasunie Transport Services, that there will be no issues with gas supply security this winter. Gas storage in the Netherlands and Europe is well-stocked, and sufficient gas is being imported.
Europe is in a much better position than during the 2022 energy crisis when, due to the war in Ukraine, gas availability dropped sharply. Still, there is scarcity in the international gas market: demand is high, and supply is limited. Therefore, the government continues to monitor the gas market closely. The Netherlands is still at crisis level: early warning. This means ongoing information is shared among involved parties and the government regarding gas supply.
Gas Storage
The gas market is international: gas in Dutch storage is also used abroad, and vice versa. Agreements have been made in Europe regarding the maintenance, transport, and use of gas reserves.
Compared to other countries, the Netherlands has relatively much storage capacity relative to gas consumption. In absolute terms, there is still a lot of gas in storage, about a quarter of the annual Dutch consumption. During winter, not only gas from storage is used, but gas is also continuously imported via pipelines and ships.
If more gas is used from storage, it needs to be replenished next summer in preparation for the following winter. This is primarily the responsibility of companies. The government monitors this closely. The state-owned company EBN can partially fill gas storage at the governments request if companies do not do so sufficiently.
Import
The Netherlands extracts gas from small fields, but this is much less than we use. Therefore, we rely on gas imports. Due to the expansion of an existing terminal and the establishment of a new terminal in recent years, the Netherlands can now import much more liquefied gas (LNG). By increasingly producing sustainable energy, insulating homes, and making businesses more sustainable, total gas consumption decreases, reducing our dependence on other countries.
Gas Price
During the gas crisis in 2022, gas prices rose sharply within weeks due to the war in Ukraine. Fortunately, we are now in a different situation, and the Netherlands and Europe are much better prepared. However, there is still scarcity in the international gas market where companies and energy suppliers buy gas. As a result, gas prices on that market rise or fall directly when something happens.
The majority of consumers now have a fixed contract (unlike during the energy crisis) and do not directly notice price increases or decreases on their energy bill. To alleviate energy bills, the government has lowered energy taxes starting in 2025 and increased the fixed discount everyone receives on energy taxes. This winter, the advice remains for governments, companies, institutions, and households to save as much energy as possible.