What do we see?
The graph below shows how much energy the agricultural sector in Flanders consumes and also makes a distinction between the different sources of energy. Although consumption varies each year, mainly because it is dependent on the weather conditions, in general we see an upward trend. The increase is balanced out by the fact that the agricultural sector also provides electricity to the grid.
Natural gas is the most commonly used source of energy. This is because regulations incentivise agricultural companies to install combined heat and power systems. In addition, we see an increase in the use of biomass. We do not currently have any data about the use of renewable sources of energy like sun and wind.
What’s the aim?
In a circular economy we want to reduce energy consumption. Therefore, we need to use the available energy sources more efficiently and focus more on renewable sources of energy like sun and wind.
What does this indicator measure?
This indicator shows how much energy is consumed each year by the agricultural sector and which sources of energy are used. The data is collected by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.