Natural gas-free heating

Like the rest of the Netherlands, Voorschoten is phasing out natural gas. The use of natural gas causes significant CO₂ emissions. Excessive CO₂ emissions cause global temperatures to rise. The consequences of this temperature increase are so severe that it has been decided worldwide to reduce CO₂ emissions. This means, among other things, that we will be heating our homes in a different way and transitioning to alternatives for cooking with natural gas.

Municipal vision on heat (Transition Vision Heat)

The municipality of Voorschoten has drafted a vision document outlining how Voorschoten will transition to sustainable heat by 2050. We call this the Heat Transition Vision (TVW). It details the options we currently see for each " neighbourhood " and the milestones we aim to achieve for the future.

The transition to a natural gas-free municipality is a complex process. The municipality is therefore taking the time needed to address this. Through 2050, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, neighbourhood will work in phases toward a natural gas-free future neighbourhood . Key principles in this process are affordability and freedom of choice. Visit Voorschoten natural gas-freefor more information about the heating transition vision.

What will the municipality do together with the residents of Voorschoten?

How each neighborhood will transition away from gas and what work will be necessary is not yet known. Therefore, until 2030, the Municipality of Voorschoten is primarily focusing on reducing energy consumption through insulation, draught-proofing, and low-temperature heating.

However, the municipality will also start developing implementation plans in the neighborhoods identified as promising in the transition vision for heat (Bijdorp, Vlietwijk, Krimwijk). To create these plans, the municipality collaborates with all involved parties in the neighborhood.  

In addition, further research will be conducted in the meantime into potential heat sources and the possibilities for developing heat networks. 

What can I do myself?

Is your neighbourhood not yet compliant with neighbourhood, but would you like to get started anyway? There are steps you can take right now to ensure you’re prepared when the time comes. Tenants can ask their landlord or housing authority about their plans.

Insulation

Insulating your home is an important first step in preparing your property for the transition away from natural gas. Consider options such as triple glazing, floor insulation, facade insulation, cavity wall insulation, and roof insulation. In most cases, insulation measures pay for themselves within a few years. Furthermore, insulation is usually not very disruptive, so inconvenience is kept to a minimum. You can find more information on this on the insulation page.  

(Hybrid) Heat pump

A heat pump is an alternative way to generate heat. By extracting heat from the ground, water, or air, a home or tap water can be heated. Switching to a heat pump is normally the final step in the process of making your home more sustainable. Therefore, it is first important to properly insulate your home and equip it with low-temperature heating. Low-temperature heating (LTH) is a collective term for heat distribution systems that operate with a maximum supply temperature of 55 degrees Celsius. The most common application of low-temperature heating is underfloor heating, but it is also possible to use low-temperature radiators, convectors, or even wall heating. To make the switch to a fully electric heat pump (without a gas connection in the home), heating based on low temperatures is an absolute prerequisite. 

If a home or building has high gas consumption and/or the distribution system is not (yet) suitable for working with low temperatures, a hybrid heat pump can be an interim solution. In this case, the home is not yet disconnected from natural gas, but it is possible to reduce gas consumption by half. Click here for more information about (hybrid) heat pumps.

Electric cooking

Induction cooking uses electricity. Cooking on induction is very similar to cooking on gas: you can quickly regulate the temperature. However, it is also safer than gas: the cooktop itself does not get as hot and there is no flame. Moreover, an induction cooktop is easy to clean.

If you are switching from a gas stove to induction, check whether your pans are suitable. Induction works with magnets. Your pans must therefore have a magnetisable base, otherwise heating with induction current will not work. For this, there must be a steel layer in the base. Pans made solely of stainless steel, copper, or aluminium, or ceramic (oven) dishes, will not work on induction. However, there are also stainless steel or copper pans that do have a metal layer in the base, and you can continue to use cast iron pans as well. You can check this with a small magnet: if it sticks, the pan is suitable for induction cooking.