The Spanish government recently decided that cooling in shops, offices and public buildings should be no less than 27 degrees, van der Leon says. In hospitals and schools, refrigeration is still allowed at lower temperatures.

With this measure, Spain wants to reduce energy consumption. It’s not so much about the situation in Spain, but about the whole of Europe, which is experiencing an energy crisis.

This crisis is the result of the severe suffocation of gas supplies from Russia and aggravated by it Damaged nuclear power plants In France and drought in Norway, that Less hydroelectricity can be connected.

Stores with air conditioners must keep their doors closed in Spain

Therefore, in Spain they are addressing electricity consumption this summer with a set of guidelines, says van der Leon, director of the energy agency Common Futures. “Shops that stock in the fridge are now obligated to keep their doors closed. The lights in shop windows should also be turned off after 10pm and there will be more inspections at businesses.”

Van der Leon says the Netherlands is quite negative compared to Spain. When we think of energy saving, we think of reducing heating in winter, but we still have blind spot For our reverse behavior in the summer. Even so, we create a temperature difference between indoor and outdoor air. And if air conditioners are set to low, this difference can be more than 10 degrees during a heat wave. This requires a lot of electricity.

“The Dutch government only called for economical use of energy, as well as for cooling,” says van der Leon. “But this call is without commitment, and to my knowledge there is no evidence to adjust the temperature of air conditioners.”

Van der Leon fears that the energy crisis will be underestimated and savings opportunities remain untapped. “We have a serious situation and we are looking at the futures markets for electricity and gas, it could go on for a long time. So I think similar measures are needed here as in Spain.”

Time is running out: savings law or industry conventions

According to the energy expert, whether we can expect to benefit from this summer depends on the speed with which actions are implemented. “How to implement it more quickly, as in Spain, must be considered. If legislation for the provision of additional energy does not work in time, the alternative may be to quickly conclude binding agreements with VNO-NCW and the relevant industry.”

According to Van der Leun, the government should also expect something in return from companies. “The government also needs these things in order to secure supplies – think subsidizing energy savings, filling gas storage facilities and arranging additional LNG terminals. But in order to solve the savings puzzle, everyone must contribute.”

as the European Union jointly 15 percent Saving gas, dependence on Russia can completely disappear. Until then, however, Van der Leun points out another important advantage: the more collective saving, the lower energy prices, because they respond not only to supply, but also to demand.