Entrepreneurs who invest in sustainable energy will also have the opportunity to apply for a subsidy in 2026 via the SDE++ scheme. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) has announced that the round will be reopened, with a budget of approximately eight billion euros. The goal remains the same: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the energy transition…
Modern bioenergy plays a key role in the global energy transition. This is evident from the 2024 annual report of IEA Bioenergy, an international partnership under the umbrella of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The report emphasizes that the available biomass is limited and should therefore be focused on applications that yield the greatest climate benefits. However, the scaling up remains…
In the world of sustainable technologies, it is not only the innovations that make an impression, but especially the people behind them. Two of those people are Cees van Loon and Hans van Klink, the founders of Dutch Sustainable Development (DSD) and later also involved in Innovative Sustainable Technologies. In a sector that is often dominated by young start-ups, these 'pensionados' prove that experience, perseverance and idealism are at least as important as innovation.
The call to the European Commission to actively stimulate demand for sustainable products now has a hundred signatories. On 13 June, the Norwegian company Yara joined the so-called Call for Demand Creation to Drive Industry Investments, which was launched at the end of 2023 by, among others, VNO-NCW, VNCI and NVDE. Broad…
The Bundesnetzagentur, Germany's Federal Grid Operator, has awarded 187,3 MW of capacity to biomass plants in the latest tender round. A total of 244 projects were awarded a subsidy spot. With this, Germany is once again showing how seriously it is working on renewable energy from biomass. The allocation is done via the EEG, the German legislative framework for renewable energy. Within this system, annual allocations are made to…
On Saturday 21 June, the construction sector will once again open its doors to the general public. During Construction Day, construction sites throughout the Netherlands that are normally closed can be visited. This year, the emphasis is on sustainability and innovation, with special attention to biobased projects in which wood and other renewable materials are central.…
The Biogas Systems in Industry report by IEA Bioenergy Task 37 discusses how biogas can play a role in making industrial chains more sustainable. The research shows that fermentation of organic waste streams not only provides a renewable energy source, but also reduces dependence on fossil fuels. Especially sectors with a lot of organic waste, such as…
The chemical industry is concerned about the lack of important decisions now that the cabinet has fallen. According to the industry organization VNCI, necessary sustainability plans are in danger of being delayed due to political uncertainty. “The industry needs clarity in order to be able to invest,” says VNCI chair Nienke Homan. Sustainability under pressure Many chemical companies are busy switching to sustainable business operations.…
What was discarded as worthless grass cuttings for years is given a second life in South Holland. Every year, around ten thousand tons of grass are mowed along provincial roads in the province. Until recently, most of it ended up on the compost heap. That is now changing thanks to a broad partnership under the name Greenhub Zuid-Holland. Greenhub Zuid-Holland consists of more than thirty…
The aviation industry is under pressure to operate faster, more efficiently and, above all, more sustainably. Aircraft are increasingly made of lightweight composite materials, which contribute to lower fuel consumption. But these same materials are vulnerable to damage, for example from hail, collisions on the ground or rough baggage handling. Repairs are often time-consuming, expensive and lead to unnecessary waste of parts.…
While tensions are increasing worldwide and new priorities are being set, the sustainability of our energy and material supply remains more than necessary. For the reader of Biomass Facts this is a known fact, but how can we achieve this together. From the international cooperation within the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and Mission Innovation I see from…
The Netherlands is getting closer to its climate goals. In 2024, almost one fifth of all energy used came from renewable sources. This is thanks to strong growth in offshore wind energy and a doubling of the use of biodiesel in road transport. New figures from the Central Bureau for the…
On 28 May 2025, the European Commission launched a new strategy to support start-ups and scale-ups in the EU. This strategy, called 'Choose Europe to Start and Scale', aims to make Europe more attractive for technology-driven companies. For the bio-based sector, in which many innovative SMEs are active, this strategy offers opportunities to…
This morning, with a cup of coffee in one hand and my phone in the other, I was reading an article about a possible US-Ukraine raw materials deal. According to the reports, the Americans would gain strategic access to Ukrainian raw materials such as lithium and cobalt – materials that are essential for batteries, electric cars and the energy transition. My first thought? What does this mean for Europe? And what does this mean for the Netherlands?
The European Union is taking a new step towards a circular bioeconomy. Under the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), 30 projects have been selected to receive €197,5 million in grants. These projects, spread across 33 countries and involving 416 organisations, focus on developing innovative bio-based solutions to reduce the dependency on…
With the growth of solar and wind, the need for flexibility in the energy system is also growing. Bioenergy proves to be surprisingly versatile in that role, but is still far from being used everywhere. What is possible and what is needed to achieve this? Solar and wind provide clean energy, but not always when we need it.…
