By encouraging working from home, carpooling, train travel and cycling, the Netherlands can save eight million barrels of oil within a year. This is apparent from a study published on Wednesday by the Dutch Association for Sustainable Energy (NVDE). In the period up to 2030, according to the NVDE, an oil saving of almost 30 percent is even possible. Profit is in the environment, energy independence and possibly also the wallet.

Measures that save oil soon sound familiar. Driving slower is an important one, but keeping the tires inflated also reduces fuel consumption. And car-free Sundays are an option.

But what is the potential of such measures taken together? The NVDE made an overview of existing calculations. That consists of 21 policy recommendations that could reduce oil use by almost 30 percent by 2030.

“This is a sustainable tripartite”, NVDE chairman Olof van der Gaag told NU.nl. “It makes us independent, saves tons of CO2 and it lowers nitrogen.”

Working from home is the biggest oil saving in the short term

According to the NVDE, oil consumption can be reduced by about 10 percent in a year. Stimulating working from home then provides the most important savings. Since the corona crisis, we have been doing this on average one day a week.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) recommends increasing this to three days a week. That would save 1.9 million barrels of oil in the Netherlands on an annual basis. This would reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions by more than 3,000 tons, and almost a million tons less CO2 would be released.

By comparison, promoting public transport and cycling saves 1.1 million barrels of oil per year, carpooling 1.5 million barrels and lowering the speed limit 0.4 to 1.5 million barrels. And updating tire pressure more often saves 0.6 million barrels of oil every year.

‘Make all business cars emission-free’

In the longer term, other measures stand out. For example, taxing kerosene and increasing the price of airline tickets would reduce the demand for oil in the Netherlands by three million barrels.

The abolition of diesel trains and the introduction of alternative fuels for inland shipping will also make further oil savings possible in the period up to 2030.

But the biggest hit is the rules for new business cars, says Van der Gaag. “They largely determine what is new on the road. If they are mandatory electric by 2026, that will save no less than 5 million barrels of oil, 2 million tons of CO2 and 6,000 tons of nitrogen dioxide.”

Less money lost at the pump, more effective sanctions

The emissions of nitrogen and CO2 from road traffic can be reduced by 27 and 28 percent respectively by 2030.

Yet perhaps the main benefit of oil conservation is financial. Energy costs will rise sharply during the coming heating season. Saving money at the same time at the pump can provide relief, energy expert Laetitia Ouillet suggested earlier on NU.nl.

Uncertainty surrounding the oil price is also a factor. That is a lot lower than the gas price, but that is not to the liking of oil-producing countries. In order to increase the oil price, they are reducing daily production by 100,000 barrels per October.

“The prices of electricity and gas have already gone through the roof. With the fuel costs we can still try to prevent these problems,” says Van der Gaag. “In that regard, OPEC issued a first warning yesterday.”

In addition to dampening energy costs, saving oil will also make the sanctions policy against Russia more effective, says Van der Gaag. Putin earns significantly more from oil than from gas.

Smart commuter turns off the heating

Last spring the NVDE made a similar overview with calculations for gas savings. By setting thermostats lower, among other things, 5 billion cubic meters of natural gas can be saved on an annual basis – roughly 15 percent of the use. Such savings are on average sufficient in the EU to become independent from Russia.

It is questionable whether oil savings from extra working from home will not hinder the intended gas savings: a smart commuter turns off the heating at home before leaving for the office. Nevertheless, considerable gas savings are also possible in offices, for example by not heating unused rooms and floors.