Natural gas-free Son and Breugel
In the national Climate Accord, it was agreed that all homes will eventually be off natural gas by 2050. We need to make a plan for that. In most households today, natural gas is still a natural choice for heating and cooking. But that will change. Not all at once, but gradually and in phases. We will do this together with all residents, housing corporations, property owners, network operators and companies. In short, with everyone in the village.
The Heat Transition Vision
The Heat Transition Vision describes how we in the municipality want to go off the gas. In it, we provide answers to questions such as: In which neighborhoods will we go off natural gas when? And in what ways can we reduce natural gas consumption step by step? Possible heat alternatives are disclosed for locations planned before 2030. Everything is laid down in a roadmap: the Transition Vision for Heat. The vision was adopted by the city council at the end of 2021. Every 5 years we update the vision.
You can access the Heat Transition Vision via the Storymaps . Here is presented in an interactive way how we will heat the municipality in the future and how we arrived at these choices. In the presentation we have also named a perspective for each neighborhood.
Are concrete plans being made at this point?
In 2022, we started a first pilot in 't Zand. Together with the neighborhood, we are drawing up a neighborhood plan for natural gas-free.
In time, neighborhood implementation plans will be drawn up for the remaining neighborhoods, districts and clusters where we plan to go off natural gas first. We have agreed with the council that after 't Zand we will probably start in 't Harde Ven and/or part of the Gentiaan. There are no concrete plans for the next step. Plans on actually phasing out natural gas must be adopted by the city council at least 8 years before the end date.
What does this mean for you and what can you already do yourself?
Natural gas-free living means cooking on an alternative heat source and heating your home. Switching to an alternative heat source will probably require modifications to the home. You can take this into account now with possible home renovations or replacing the central heating boiler when necessary. The vision outlines what heat alternatives are possible.
Frequently asked questions about quitting natural gas
Germany (and other countries) are just now switching to natural gas, why does the Netherlands want to get rid of natural gas?
In Germany, a quarter of houses are still heated with a highly polluting oil boiler. Therefore, there is also a premium for the replacement of these boilers with a HR boiler or a heat pump, especially in areas where there is already a gas grid. A lot ofCO2 savings can be achieved with this intermediate step. At the same time, the German government is also committed to energy conservation, renewable energy and heat networks, in order to have aCO2-neutral energy supply by 2050.
Isn't stopping natural gas now actually increasing carbon emissions?
Natural gas is a fossil fuel. This means that CO₂ is released during combustion. Currently, almost all homes and other buildings in the Netherlands use natural gas for space heating, which causes substantial CO₂ emissions. In the Paris Climate Agreement, international agreements were made on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. In the national Climate Accord, the Netherlands has included the reduction of CO₂ emissions by 49% in 2030 and 95% in 2050 compared to 1990. One of the ways the Netherlands is working to achieve these goals is to stop using natural gas for space heating. CO₂ reductions can already be achieved by switching to alternative heat sources. For example, even when using gray electricity - from coal-fired power plants - it is more beneficial to use a heat pump than a natural gas boiler. Provided you have a good heat pump, you can achieve 30% CO₂ reduction with gray power and 50% with green power. If you then also put solar panels on your roof, the CO₂ reduction increases even further. Ultimately, by 2050 we must also make all electricity consumption sustainable so that the built environment no longer emits any CO₂.
Can people be forced to move off natural gas?
We cannot force anyone to go off natural gas at this time. We can only entice people to get off natural gas by reaching out to people from a positive perspective and getting them excited together. The future will show whether there will ever be coercive options. This is not for us as a municipality; it is for the government. But right now these options do not exist and it is not applicable at all. So it is only possible if we work together with residents in a neighborhood in a positive way. We are also aware that not everyone will get rid of natural gas of their own accord.
How is support created?
We try to create support by informing residents in a timely manner and also involving them in the process. We will draw up the Neighborhood Implementation Plans together with residents, entrepreneurs, housing corporations and other important parties in the area. Exactly how this will be shaped still needs to be worked out.
Why so necessary off the gas when it has been demonstrated that (at this time) that is not the solution?
"See various articles in this area by professors (TUe among others) e.g. Prof. Smeulders.
https://www.ad.nl/wonen/hoogleraar-kraakt-klimaatbeleid-stoppen-met-gas-zorgt-juist-voor-meer-co2~ae3edac7/"
We are familiar with Prof. Smeulders' criticism. In addition to thecarbon reductions to be achieved by better insulating homes, there is already a carbon reduction to be achieved by switching to alternative heat sources. For example, even when using gray electricity - from coal-fired power plants - it is more favorable to use a heat pump than a natural gas boiler. Provided you have a good heat pump, you can achieve 30% CO₂ reduction with gray power and 50% with green power. If you then also put solar panels on your roof, the CO₂ reduction increases even further. Ultimately, by 2050 all electricity consumption must be sustainable so that the built environment no longer emits any CO₂.
Frequently asked questions about what you can do yourself
I need to replace my boiler, what is wise?
If you are due for a new central heating boiler, you may be able to make a different choice now. Consider a hybrid heat pump, which runs on both natural gas and electricity. Whether this is possible depends on how well insulated your home already is. You can also rent a central heating boiler, for example, and then you won't be stuck with your choice for as long. Or you can buy a second-hand boiler. More information on making your heating system more sustainable can be found here: www.milieucentraal.nl/energie-besparen/energiezuinig-huis/energiezuinig-verwarmen-en-warm-water/. Is your central heating boiler broken and not sure which one to buy next? Then look here: www.advies-op-maat.milieucentraal.nl/aom/CV-ketel_vervangen. Get advice on whether a natural gas-free alternative to a central heating boiler is possible and sensible in your situation.
I do not have solar panels yet and would prefer not to put them on my house. Are there plans for a central scheme where solar panels are centrally placed on a field or building?
One possible option is to co-invest in SDE (Stimuleringsregeling Duurzame Energie) projects through an energy cooperative. This involves large-scale generation. For this you will also receive a return.
Would love to get in touch with someone who can give me some more total advice.
Advice on insulating and other measures can be found via the website of our energy cooperative SonEnergie(https://www.sonenergie.nl/) via Milieucentraal(https://www.milieucentraal.nl/). Via the insulation check(https://advies-op-maat.milieucentraal.nl/aom/Check_je_isolatie) you can already get a first indication of insulation measures you can take.
More info on different techniques, possibilities and consequences
Does a water/bottom heat pump require a permit for drilling and pumping water?
A ground source heat pump may require a permit. This depends on the type of ground source heat pump. You have 2 types:
- Open soil energy systems (OBES): this involves water being pumped up and pumped back with a different temperature, also often referred to as WKO systems, short for heat and cold storage.
- Closed-Bottom Energy Systems (GBES): In this, a fluid is pumped through a loop through the soil and reaches the user at a different temperature.
Both systems present different subsurface risks. Different Requirements will soon apply to these systems. Most regulations are attached to an open soil system, because this is where the most risks are. Think of a maximum drilling depth, use of fluids, prevention of leaks in the clay layers of the soil, etc.) For all ground source heat pumps a registration requirement is going to apply from 1-6-22.
If you want to install a ground source heat pump, it is best to inquire about the specific rules at Bodemloket@odzob.nl.
Will the municipality have a policy to prune trees that cover solar panels?
The municipality's policy is that we do not cut and prune trees for the performance of solar panels. There are 3 reasons why we choose this:
- As a municipality, we consider the green character of the village very important. We would like to preserve this. The green appearance will suffer from a diverse pruning policy.
- In doing so, we have one pruning regime for the community. This means that unless it is for safety reasons, we do not come to prune on request.
- For the total task of renewable energy generation in Son en Breugel, an active pruning policy regarding solar panels does not provide sufficient additional yield from the solar panels. The 'gain' in terms of energy is therefore limited.
Is it possible to heat houses placed on a sand slab (like in Gentian) where there is no (good) floor insulation in the winter with a heat pump?
In the Gentian there are houses of different years of construction. Depending on the year of construction, floor insulation is already present to a greater or lesser extent, even when the floor is on sand. Normally, homes built after 1975 are equipped with floor insulation. The newer the house, the more insulation. If you do not currently have floor insulation in combination with a floor on sand, it is not cost-effective to replace and insulate the floor. You may still be able to insulate on top of the floor, but keep in mind that you will run into all sorts of other work such as shortening doors, moving thresholds, etc. If you ever do any major remodeling, you may want to consider replacing the floor at that time.
To get an idea of whether your home can be heated with a heat pump, do the 50-degree test in winter. You set the temperature of your current central heating boiler to 50 degrees and see if you can still comfortably heat the home. If so, then a heat pump should be able to heat the home as well. You may still need to replace radiators to low-temperature radiators or underfloor heating, though.
When is an alternative heat technology chosen?
Within the Heat Transition Vision, no final choice is yet made for an alternative heat technology in a neighborhood, but opportunities are named and possible scenarios are outlined for the frontrunner neighborhoods. In the Neighborhood Implementation Plans, together with residents, entrepreneurs, housing corporations and other parties in the neighborhood, a final choice will be made for an alternative heat technology in a neighborhood.
It seems that hydrogen through the existing gas grid is a relatively simple solution. Little impact on current infrastructure and existing homes. Why do we hear so little about this solution comparatively?
In the Heat Transition Vision, we are looking at various technical solutions including hydrogen. Hydrogen is not expected to be an option for individual heating before 2030, because it cannot yet be produced sustainably to a sufficient degree. It remains to be seen whether hydrogen will become widely available after 2030 (just like green gas, incidentally) and whether we will actually use hydrogen for homes or mainly for industry and transport. After all, industry requires high temperatures, something that is more difficult to achieve with other sustainable alternatives. If hydrogen does become widely available in the (near) future for use in the heating of buildings, we will also take this into account. The Heat Transition Vision is updated every five years so that developments can be taken into account.
What is the impact on the environment in terms of noise when every house in a neighborhood has a heat pump running?
Recently, the noise requirements for heat pumps have been tightened because it is a known problem. In the first period, in early 2018, we saw heat pumps being sold on the market that did not meet government noise standards. We see that current generations are getting better at it. It really does present a challenge to start taking into account that we are keeping our neighborhood livable even later in the design. When we start making our homes more sustainable but we get noise pollution in return, support will disappear very quickly. So it is certainly a point that we will take into account and that will also be reflected in the development of the Neighborhood Implementation Plans.
What is the impact of aquathermy on surface water?
Cooling surface water in the summer can have a positive effect on water quality and can reduce algal blooms (blue-green algae) and botulism. In addition, especially in urban areas, cooler surface water can help combat heat stress. Sometimes flow is introduced into stagnant water, and this is also beneficial to water quality.
Whether there are further ecological impacts is still being investigated. It is expected that in most cases there will be no ecological impacts on the water system. Locally, where the discharged water is colder than the receiving water, there may be ecological impacts. These will be included in the permit requirements. Those requirements vary with the size of the water being discharged to. Surface water discharge temperature requirements are still being worked out.
Can the power grid cope if more people take heat pumps, for example?
One of the parties involved in the process is grid operator Enexis. Enexis has made an inventory of where in the electricity grid adjustments and investments are needed due to autonomous growth of solar panels, electric transport, but also when a neighborhood switches completely to a heat pump. This shows that in some parts of the municipality investments will have to be made in the electricity grid. It is still possible to install solar panels on roofs of homes, but e.g. solar meadows cannot be connected for the time being. In the short term, one can still safely connect heat pumps and electric hot plates. Problems will only arise when entire neighborhoods together switch to a heat pump. Enexis is closely involved in the plans for neighborhoods, allowing them to make targeted investments to improve the network.
What are the options in Central Heating without the use of gas?
There are several options for central heating without the use of gas, for more information visit:
In Son en Breugel we are going to investigate the possibilities of a heat network, but a lot of homes will probably get an individual heat solution: (hybrid) heat pump.
Has any research been done on whether the grid can handle all those heat pumps and stoves? I understood that doubling the number of solar panels in the Gentiaan would create a huge problem.
What about the power grid in Son? Does that need to be adjusted
One of the parties involved in the process is grid operator Enexis. Enexis has made an inventory of where in the electricity grid adjustments and investments are needed due to autonomous growth of solar panels, electric transport, but also when a neighborhood switches completely to a heat pump. This shows that in De Gentiaan and Son investments must be made in the electricity grid. It is still possible to place solar panels on roofs of houses, but e.g. solar meadows cannot be connected for the time being. Mind you, in the short term one can still safely connect heat pumps and electric stoves. Problems will only arise when entire neighborhoods together switch to a heat pump. Enexis is closely involved in the plans for neighborhoods so that they can also make targeted investments to improve the network.
Can't the Rendac be used as a heat source?
Rendac already uses a lot of the residual heat in its own processes. In addition, Rendac produces green gas that is already currently being blended into the existing natural gas network. So there is currently no residual heat or green gas available to the surrounding area. In addition, Rendac is fairly far away from a residential area, so it makes more sense to use this heat at Ekkersrijt if there is a need for it.