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The world is going through historic transitions, a global shift of energy, transportation, and consumption that will impact every aspect of our lives, but is that not the norm and could we learn from De Nederlandse aardgastransiti (“the Netherlands natural gas transition“) in the 1960s?

De nederlandse aardgastransitie

De Nederlandse aardgastransitie

Humanity has not always used petroleum, natural gas, and coal as its dominant energy sources. It transitioned from wood to coal, but that transition took a long time. What can we learn from these historical transitions to effectively deal with the modern energy transition? The author, Sven Ringelberg, natural gas-free project consultant and entrepreneur behind Simpel Subsidie,  wrote his book De Nederlandse aardgastransitie: Lessen voor de De Nederlandse aardgastransitie, or Dutch natural gas transition: Lessons for the Dutch natural gas transition, which looks at the shift from coal to gas for space heating in the Netherlands in the 1960s and the lessons that we could take from this transition that took under 10 years. The book is published in Dutch by Eburon.

The Netherlands transition from coal for space heating to natural gas compared to the world transition from fossil fuels for heating, power, transport, and industrial processes might seem like comparing apple and oranges, but the energy transition is happening on multiple fronts at multiple scales. This book is primarily aimed at those thinking about the Netherlands and their current “energietransitie” away from natural gas and towards renewable energy, but all countries are facing their own energy transition and this book offers interesting insights into how on a country level the energy transition can be done. And it comes in a delightful, well-written package.

The current energietransitie in the Netherlands with projects and the creation of gas-free neighbourhoods, increasing insulation, and expanding renewable energy has a parallel with the 1960s energy transition.


Natural Gas and Glittering Nuclear Future


In 1959, the Netherlands discovered a massive gas pocket near Slochteren. The company that discovered it and the Dutch government negotiated, and 10 years later, a country that had normally only heated one room in its homes with coal had converted the majority of its cooking and heating to natural gas, and had introduced more widespread central heating.

This rapid deployment of natural gas is explored in depth in the book, from the negotiations and the reasoning behind it, including one of the main drivers and assumptions of the government at the time. In the 1960s, it was expected that nuclear power would be the future and that if the gas supply was not quickly developed and exploited, it would be hard to recoup the investment, so a plan was created to quickly develop and exploit the natural gas energy source that was expected to last 30 years. Gasunie, a company that was a public-private partnership, encouraged gas use with regressive tariffs. With the tariffs, gas got less expensive the more people used.


Something in the Air


In the 1960s, the marketing for natural gas was about the benefits of using more gas the cosiness and luxury of heat, but in the 1970s, things changed. The Club of Rome publishing the Limits of Growth in 1972 and the oil crisis in 1973 changed the focus from using as much as possible to saving as much as possible. 

The book goes into detail about this change of focus and the results, including a focus on more insulation and how gas was promoted. 

Advertisements for economical use of natural gas from the 1970s. Source: International Institute of Social History. provided by Sven Ringalberg

Advertisements for economical use of natural gas from the 1970s. Source: International Institute of Social History, provided by Sven Ringalberg


The Background


The domestic heating and cooking situation in the 1950s Netherlands was split between multiple types — electric, city gas, coal, and oil. Each had its advantages and disadvantages, but town gas was dominant in cooking and coal was dominant in space heating — but this space heating was limited to the living room due to cost. In the book, Sven discusses how the post-war Netherlands was dealing with the issues of destroyed housing and sub-standard housing and worked to resolve this issue, but rising social standards had created a rising desire for more comfortable central heated homes, and while propaganda for coal talked about the comfortable living room stove, the negatives of coal, oil, town gas, and electric were well known to the users. Natural gas was abundant, cheap, cleaner, and could use the existing town gas network, which created an opportunity for natural gas to become a widespread heat and energy source if properly planned.


Year of Silence


Furthermore, the government benefited from revenue that allowed it to spend on education, infrastructure, and social welfare without tax burden, but after the initial discovery in Slochteren, the discovery was hardly reported on beyond the initial reports of a discovery. Sven Ringelberg discussed the reasons behind the “silence of Slochteren” and how the deal was not nationalization but also not privatization. The details of this arrangement included Shell, Esso, and government entities.


The Transition


The deal between the companies, national government departments, and city municipalities outlined the whole planned transition, from pricing, infrastructure, marketing materials, and the roles of each player in the transition. Sven Ringelberg goes into deep detail about this planning process and each part of the transition, from laying the large backbone of natural gas pipelines to transferring the gas from Slochteren to the municipalities, to the process of switching neighbourhoods to natural gas and retrofitting old town gas stoves. 

Design gas transport network in the Netherlands 1963 - 1975. Source: Gasunie. provided by Sven Ringalberg

Design gas transport network in the Netherlands 1963–1975. Source: Gasunie. provided by Sven Ringalberg.


Lessons to Learn from a 20th-Century Transition for the 21st-Century Transition


According to Sven Ringelberg, this quick (10 years) and somewhat painless transition was helped by a number of factors. One key factor was leadership from the central government that shaped the goals and provided the resources from key partners and agencies to promptly design and plan the transition, which is contrasted against what’s happening now in the Netherlands in 2021, in which municipal governments are tasked with this job but where they lack the resources and might only have “one and a half men and a horse’s head” to create pilots. The fragmentation of responsibilities and resources has led to a lack of standardization (which increases costs) and less momentum towards the goal.

Sven Ringelberg discusses how focusing on financial benefits might be the wrong route to people choosing to go gas-free, that putting a price on something does not always lead to buy-in from the public, but focus on the non-financial benefits that people get from a gas-free home is key, such as comfort or reducing your impact on the environment. This aspect will impact many customer-facing transitions, like the move from fossil fuel vehicles to electric vehicles.


Final Word


Sven Ringelberg has managed to turn a subject that could have easily been a dry, dusty, academic read into a very engaging and informative read. The book has diagrams and tables of key statics, but also anecdotes — from Pinkie from coal propaganda to Kees the gas dog. The book provides a rear-view mirror to contemplate what has taken us to here and what might be needed to keep driving towards a better future.

Gas dog Kees from The Utrecht Archives, provided by Sven Ringalberg

Gas dog Kees from The Utrecht Archives, provided by Sven Ringalberg.

Pinkie the cat in Beatrijs; Catholic weekly for women, 19-07-1958 provided by Sven Ringalberg

Pinkie the cat in Beatrijs, Catholic weekly for women, 19-07-1958, provided by Sven Ringalberg.

For now only available in Dutch, this is a much-needed addition to energy transition literature that readers from around the world could learn lessons from.


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$250M Series B raise boosts XPeng AeroHT flying car ambitions

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0M Series B raise boosts XPeng AeroHT flying car ambitions

Chinese carmaker XPeng is getting perilously close to bringing its AeroHT consumer eVTOL concept to market, thanks to a $250 million Series B round that’s set to accelerate the company’s modular “flying car” production plans.

XPeng subsidiary AeroHT had its first successful proof of concept test flight ahead of the brand’s annual 1024 back in 2023, where the company unveiled a pair of flying car designs. The X3 is an actual flying “car” that can drive, park, and take off on its own, and a second, modular eVTOL that folds up into the back of an electric van called the Land Aircraft Carrier.

That vehicle pair, shown at CES in January, was set to begin production this year, with the eVTOL component set to begin production in 2026 – and that’s looking a lot more likely thanks to the new infusion of capital!

AeroHT at CES 2025


Xpeng Aeroht raised $150 million in Series B1 funding last August, before launching its Series B2 funding round. The most recent announcement that the company has secured an additional $100 million in its Series B2 funding round brings the total amount raised to more than $750 million, with a $1B pre-revenue valuation.

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CNEVPost reports that company aims to establish itself as a commercial pioneer in urban air mobility ahead of a potential IPO – and may get there sooner than later, thanks to several hundred pre-orders at the $280,000 projected price.

Electrek’s Take


flying car Dubai
AeroHT sixth-generation X3 flying car; via XPeng.

Scooter Doll said it best, writing, “this footage (of the AeroHT test flight) is as scary and concerning as it is exciting and awe-inspiring.” Which is to say that these things are real, they seem like they’re getting built, and they seem like they’ll sell well enough to convince at least one or two remaining boomers that the flying car they’ve been promised their whole lives is – finally! – coming to market.

Here’s hoping.

SOURCE: Xpeng, via CNEVPost; gallery photos by the author.


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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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This metro Atlanta factory roof is now a solar record-breaker

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This metro Atlanta factory roof is now a solar record-breaker

Flooring manufacturer Beauflor USA just turned on the biggest rooftop solar system by capacity in metro Atlanta — and it’s now powering part of its Georgia factory.

The new 1,040 kW system in Cartersville officially beats metro Atlanta’s previous rooftop solar record of 1,034 kW. The new array produces enough energy to power more than 100 homes. The system is expected to cover about 10% of Beauflor’s electricity needs and cut its carbon emissions by about 920 metric tons annually.

“This solar installation represents our commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices while making sound business decisions,” said Emile Coopman, continuous improvement manager at Beauflor. He added that the system is designed with room to grow: “This is the first step toward more renewable energy.”

The company partnered with Cherry Street Energy to install the nearly 2,000-panel system, which was completed in less than four months. Cherry Street invested $1.8 million into the project and is covering all construction and maintenance costs through a 30-year energy procurement agreement. Beauflor will buy solar power directly from Cherry Street, allowing it to avoid upfront capital costs while still lowering its energy bills.

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“As Georgia’s manufacturers ramp up production amid rising costs for grid energy, sophisticated operators seek ways to quickly and sustainably address their energy needs,” said Cherry Street CEO Michael Chanin. “On-site solar with no capital expense delivers just that: reliable, affordable electricity.”

Chanin added that the system’s power output is especially impressive: “The previous record-holder for metro Atlanta’s largest rooftop solar required over 4,000 panels. We’re using less than 2,000 to reliably generate even more power.”

Read more: This is New Jersey’s largest high-rise residential rooftop solar array


The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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Block shares soar 10% on entry into S&P 500

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Block shares soar 10% on entry into S&P 500

Jack Dorsey, co-founder and chief executive officer of Twitter Inc. and Square Inc., listens during the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami, Florida, on Friday, June 4, 2021.

Eva Marie Uzcategui | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Block shares jumped more than 10% in extended trading on Friday, as the fintech company gets set to join the S&P 500, replacing Hess.

It’s the second change to the benchmark this week, after S&P Global announced on Monday that ad-tech firm The Trade Desk would be added to the S&P 500. Trade Desk is taking the place of software maker Ansys, which was acquired by Synopsys in a deal that closed Thursday.

Hess’ departure comes just after Chevron completed its $54 billion purchase of the oil producer, prevailing against Exxon Mobil in a legal dispute over offshore oil assets in the South American nation of Guyana.

Block will officially join the S&P 500 before the opening of trading on July 23, according to a statement from S&P. Stocks often rally when they’re added to a major index, as fund managers need to rebalance their portfolios to reflect the changes.

Most alterations to the S&P 500 take place during the index’s quarterly rebalancing. However, in the case of the closing of an acquisition, a company can be removed from the index and replaced off schedule. Last week monitoring software company Datadog took Juniper Networks’ place in the S&P 500 as part of the index’s quarterly change. 

Block’s addition brings further tech heft to an index that’s been steadily moving in that direction in recent years, reflecting the market cap gains of companies across the sector. Block, which gained popularity as Square due to the rapid growth of the company’s payment terminals, has expanded into crypto, lending and other financial services.

Founded by Jack Dorsey in 2009, Square changed its name to Block in 2021 to emphasize its focus on blockchain technologies.

Block shares are down 14% this year, underperforming the broader U.S. market. The Nasdaq is up more than 8%, while the S&P 500 has gained 7%. Still, with a market cap of about $45 billion, Block is valued well above the median company in the index.

In May, Block reported first-quarter results that missed Wall Street expectations on Thursday and issued a disappointing outlook, leading to a plunge in the stock price. Block’s forecast for the second quarter and full year reflected challenging economic conditions that followed sweeping tariff announcements by President Donald Trump.

“We recognize we are operating in a more dynamic macro environment, so we have reflected a more cautious stance on the macro outlook into our guidance for the rest of the year,” the company wrote in its quarterly report.

The company is scheduled to report second-quarter results after the close of regular trading on Aug. 7.

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