The overviews from the Dutch Sustainable Energy Association (NVDE) and BNNVARA show that biomass and biofuels are present in election manifestos in a new way. The focus is clearly shifting from low-grade bulk combustion for power and heat to higher-value applications such as green gas, sustainable aviation fuels, and the use of biofuels in industry and the chemical industry.
The 2026 National Budget for Climate and Green Growth outlines how the government and funds intend to use bio-based raw materials and biomass. Biobased construction will be subject to standards and incentives, carbon removal will be included in an official certification framework, and a route for cleaner agricultural machinery with electrification or biogas will be established. All of this is linked to the broader deployment of…
The Netherlands is taking the next step in its climate ambitions by fully committing to activated carbon removal. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) has launched a call for proposals for entrepreneurs and knowledge institutions to develop a new subsidy program. This program should support innovations that remove CO2 from the atmosphere, water, or biomass, with the aim of achieving long-term...
Companies looking to scale up gasification can still apply for the DEI Plus program. The application window for the Gasification of Waste Streams theme closes on Thursday, August 28th at 17.00:109 PM. The available budget is €30 million, with a maximum of €18 million per project. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) also reported on August XNUMXth that no applications have yet been received...
For the first time, the Netherlands has a tool that systematically maps the use of biobased materials in construction. The National Biobased Construction Monitor provides policymakers, construction companies, and manufacturers with insight into the practical application of biobased raw materials. The monitor was commissioned by the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning (VRO) and…
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.…
On 11 April 2025, the government presented its vision to make the Netherlands a global leader in biotechnological innovation and application by 2040. With targeted investments, low-regulation testbeds and a focus on social applications, the government wants to use biotechnology as a key technology for health, sustainability and economic growth. Biotechnology offers solutions for urgent social…
As of today, 1 April 2025, the new EKOO-Biobased Circular (EKOO-BBC) subsidy scheme has been opened. This scheme, part of the Biobased Circular Growth Fund Programme, makes €2,5 million available for consortia that want to investigate the industrial and economic feasibility of innovative production and recycling processes and applications of biopolyesters. The subsidy is aimed at partnerships between companies and research organisations that…
During the National Conference on the Circular Economy, six levels of government, including the central government, provinces, municipalities and water boards, officially signed the agreement on the Joint Forces of the Central Government and the Region on the Circular Economy 2025-2026. The aim of this collaboration is to accelerate and strengthen the implementation of the National Program for the Circular Economy (NPCE). Although the collaboration is broader than just…
Minister Hermans (Climate and Green Growth) has sent the final draft Climate Plan 2025-2035 to the House of Representatives. This plan outlines the long-term strategy to make the Netherlands climate neutral in 2050 and contains concrete choices for the period 2030-2035. The Senate has also received a similar letter. A striking part of the Climate Plan is the role of bio-based raw materials…
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) has announced that the opening of the Sustainable Energy Production and Climate Transition (SDE++) subsidy for 2025 has been postponed by one month. Entrepreneurs can submit their applications from 7 October to 6 November 2025. This postponement offers additional time to prepare high-quality applications. In order to…
At the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin, agriculture ministers from more than 70 countries unanimously expressed their support for a sustainable bioeconomy. Led by German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, the ministers expressed their ambition to strengthen the contribution of the bioeconomy to global food security, to preserve biodiversity and…
From residual flows to wind farms From 28 January 2025, entrepreneurs can once again submit applications for the Energy and Climate Innovation Demonstration (DEI+) subsidies. This year, the total budget has increased to €370 million, a significant increase compared to the €305 million in 2024. All ten themes within the scheme will be opened simultaneously, which immediately offers entrepreneurs the opportunity…
The government is taking an important step towards a circular economy by making plastics more sustainable. In a recent letter to the House of Representatives, Minister Hermans of Climate and Green Growth and State Secretary Jansen of Infrastructure and Water Management announced a bill for a circular plastic standard. This standard will oblige companies to use sustainable bio-based raw materials from 2027 onwards.
At the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan, Afke van Rijn, Director General Environment and International of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW), announced that 233 parties have now joined the Dutch ambition for clean heavy road transport. This is almost double compared to last year. Among the new endorsers are major players such as Maersk and two new countries: Mozambique and Ethiopia.
The government has presented its government programme, which is fully committed to a sustainable future. The focus is on energy transition, climate policy and green growth, in which the Netherlands must remain both prosperous and ecologically responsible. The government emphasises the need for drastic changes to pass on a cleaner and healthier world to future generations. In addition, there is a clear…
The Netherlands is taking major steps towards a more sustainable energy system by aiming to produce no less than 2030 billion cubic metres of green gas by 2. An important contribution to this ambition comes from animal manure, which can be converted into sustainable gas through fermentation. In the coming years, an increase in permit applications for mono-manure digesters on farms…
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) launched a new version of the Raw Materials Scanner this summer, with updated data up to and including 2022. This tool offers entrepreneurs crucial information about the availability of raw materials, including metals, minerals and twenty different bio-based raw materials. The European manufacturing industry is highly dependent on raw materials from other countries. The Raw Materials Scanner provides…
The Schoof cabinet was sworn in this week. The new cabinet has appointed Sophie Hermans (VVD) as Prime Minister of Climate and Green Growth and also as Deputy Prime Minister. Hermans succeeds Rob Jetten, who fulfilled the role of Minister of Climate and Energy in the previous cabinet. In her new position, Hermans emphasizes her commitment to...
Are you involved in innovation or research in the field of biorefinery, bioenergy, biofuels or bioraw materials for the chemical industry? Would you like to gain insight into developments in India and expand your network with Indian experts? Then the innovation mission 'Biorefinery, bioenergy, biochemistry' to India, organized by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), is something for…
In recent weeks, all political parties have shared their (draft) election manifestos for the European Parliament elections on June 6. The NVDE has listed the relevant passages that touch on the climate and energy transition. You can find the entire overview on their site. The table lists the parties in order of the number of seats…
This year, entrepreneurs can again apply for the Stimulation of Sustainable Energy Production and Climate Transition (SDE++) subsidy. In the 2024 application round, €11,5 billion is available for energy generation and CO2 reduction by companies. That is €3,5 billion more than last year. There are also some techniques to do this. Projects with solar panels and wind turbines on…
The European Commission is mapping out the route to achieve the goal of making the European Union climate neutral by 2050. It recommends a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels, which is in line with recent scientific advice and the EU's obligations under the Agreement…
The report conducts research into the biobased economy. It focuses on the use and application of bio raw materials per economic sector. The important basis of the Sustainability Framework is the SER report 'Biomass in Balance: A sustainability framework for high-quality use of bio raw materials. The SER report sets out the principles for the responsible use of bio-based raw materials with...
The new House of Representatives was installed at the beginning of December, which means that the factions were allowed to divide the portfolios among their MPs. On this page you can see who will be speaking in the coming years on the themes of Climate and Energy, Industry, Mobility, Housing and Spatial Planning and Environmental Act. Climate and energy Industry Mobility…
Did you produce at least 2021 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable heat in 2022 and 400 with a production installation with a maximum capacity of at least 1 megawatt? Then you may be eligible for the Temporary subsidy scheme for renewable heat projects (HEHW). This scheme opens on November 20 at 09:00 AM and closes at 27:17 PM on November 00. So you only have…
In the Netherlands, many people work passionately with biomass as a raw material. They work on innovations, improve (production) processes or create policy for a fossil-free future. We have had a series of conversations with people who work at companies where bio raw materials are central. In this mini-series we highlight what drives them to work on the transition...
On October 18, 2023, Jolijn Zwart-van Kessel from Foodvalley NL and Freek van Eijk from Holland Circular Hotspot presented the new publication 'Circular agrifood & biomass: food and materials for a sustainable future' to Piet Adema, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. This happened during the trade mission in South Africa on green hydrogen, circular waste processing and…
RVO Netherlands is organizing an innovation mission to Brazil in the field of bio-raw materials for chemicals from 11 to 15 December. The mission is interesting for companies that develop innovative ways to produce building blocks for the chemical industry from biomass and want to build or strengthen contacts with Brazilian knowledge parties, companies and governments. This innovation mission…
Even after the departure of Eurocommissioner Frans Timmermans, the European Green Deal remains the center of the European Commission's policy. EC President Ursula von der Leyen underlined this this week in her 'State of the Union' speech. Von der Leyen spoke of a 'boiling planet' that leads to extreme temperatures, droughts, storms and forest fires.…
In recent weeks, a number of political parties have shared their draft election manifestos. The NVDE has listed the relevant passages that touch on the climate and energy transition. The full analysis can be found here: Draft election manifestos K&E 2023. Climate and energy topics are clearly presented by all parties in the draft election manifestos. Some striking resolutions from…
The StemWijzer 2023 and other election guides for the 2023 House of Representatives elections will be updated after the holidays. In addition, you will also find an overview of the party programs here, if they are already known. These will be different House of Representatives elections than usual, after the fall of the cabinet. The period to prepare for this is…
The NVDE has provided input for the upcoming elections in a letter to the political parties. Over the past year we saw how damaging our dependence on Russian fossil energy is. One country proved capable of hitting our economy and society and thereby financing a horrific war. Green Energy Day is therefore also a…
Entrepreneurs can apply for the Sustainable Energy Production and Climate Transition Incentive (SDE++) again from September 5 to October 5, 2023. The European Commission has approved the changes in the new opening of the SDE++. The main stumbling block were the so-called 'fences' in the budget. Budget reserved for less profitable techniques Earlier this year, the opening…
Focus on reuse of organic residual flows RVO Netherlands is organizing a trade mission to Valencia, Spain on November 7 to 9, aimed at the reuse of organic residual flows. RVO Netherlands is organizing a trade mission to Valencia, Spain on November 7 to 9, aimed at the reuse of organic residual flows. Do you work in the field of reuse of organic residual flows?…
What does the energy system of our future look like? In the draft National Energy System Plan (NPE), the government describes what is needed for a climate-neutral energy system in 2050, and how we get there. Citizens and entrepreneurs can give their opinion about the draft plan in the digital counter of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). A sustainable energy system…
Together with a broad social coalition, we call on the House of Representatives not to let the climate approach come to a standstill. Simply because we will not achieve our climate goals, but certainly also because citizens, employees and companies need stable and predictable policy. The National Climate Platform sent the following letter to the…
Circular batteries and solar panels, 6G, radio frequency technology and climate-neutral ships. These and other innovative projects by companies, knowledge institutions and governments form the basis for the Netherlands to remain at the forefront of technological (manufacturing) industry and sustainability. As part of the investments (4 billion euros) announced today by Minister Micky Adriaansens (Economic Affairs and Climate)…
The Netherlands wants to be climate neutral by 2050. This has major consequences for the future energy system. It changes how we generate, transport, store and use energy. And offers economic opportunities and room for new revenue models. In order to have a sustainable energy system in 2050, we must start planning and preparing for this now. The choices…
From May 22, the new subsidy round of the Circular Economy Knowledge and Innovation Agenda will be open for the development of circular products, services and processes. A total of 2,5 million euros in support is available for developments within the manufacturing industry, construction and consumer goods. There will be an information meeting on June 1. We are currently using…
State Secretary Heijnen (IenW) and Minister Jetten (Climate and Energy) inform the House of Representatives about the status of the introduction of the sustainability criteria for bio raw materials in regulations. In addition, the letter is about: PDF document | 10 pages | 745 kBParliamentary document: Letter to Parliament | 12-05-2023
In addition to being known in Limburg for their Burgundian lifestyle, they work hard on healthy food and a healthy living environment. Making agriculture and industry more sustainable is an important part of this. The Province of Limburg is therefore making more than 600.000 euros available for the 'Circular cultivation and chemistry' project. Europe contributes…
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has published a roadmap on safe and circular design in industrial biotechnology. This publication is one of the results of the research program DIRECT: Designing inclusively for a safe and sustainable circular economy transition. This includes taking into account principles in the areas of safety, sustainability and…
Bioenergy Europe welcomes the publication of the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA). However, they lament a lack of strategic vision for the bioenergy industry and net negative technologies such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). The Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) is part of the Green Deal Industrial Plan, which aims to boost the competitiveness of the European...
State Secretary Heijnen (IenW) answers questions from the standing Senate Committee for Infrastructure, Water Management and the Environment. The committee had asked questions about the letter to Parliament dated December 15, 2022. The letter to Parliament was about: Download 'Answers to questions about Parliament's letter about evaluation of competitive advantage of aviation and maritime shipping and share of bio-raw materials' PDF document | 3 pages | 391 kBParliamentary document:…
It is high time that circular and biobased construction became the norm. This means stopping pilots and test projects in this area. It has long been shown that it is possible. The urgency is too great to get stuck in experiments. The ball is now in the court of clients for housing projects, such as municipalities, housing associations and provinces.…
Lodewijk Asscher will become the new, independent chairman of the Sustainable Aviation Table (DLT). As leader of this partnership, which brings together airports, airlines, knowledge institutions, fuel producers and the manufacturing industry, he will drive the sustainability of the aviation sector in the coming years. Aviation must become more sustainable in the coming years. To this end, the Sustainable Aviation Agreement…
During a technical briefing in the House of Representatives on January 25, Maarten Abbenhuis (COO Tennet) answered the question from Henri Bontenbal (CDA) about the importance of coal-fired power stations and biomass for future security of supply. Biomass is adjustable power, which makes this raw material ideally suited for energy demand, also in the future.
An exploration of the possibilities for the accelerated application of renewable building materials in construction and infrastructure. We must do everything we can to achieve a 100% circular construction economy by 2050. This is what the Circular Construction Economy Transition Team (CBE) says. According to the model of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, it involves four steps: build less, less…
Biomass has been a much-discussed topic for years. For one person this is a solution for replacing a fossil raw material to make products or produce energy, for another the use of biomass is not negotiable at all. Rightly or wrongly, but what is the attitude of the Netherlands with regard to the use and…
ChristenUnie (CU) sees the large-scale application of bio-raw materials as a solution to the many challenges facing society and agriculture. “Producing bio-based raw materials is a beautiful and much-needed new branch with earning opportunities for our farmers and a major contribution from them to the climate challenge,” says MP Pieter Grinwis…
The German government is laying the foundation for sustainable use of biomass from forestry, agriculture and waste management. To this end, on October 6, the Ministry of Economy and Climate Protection, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of the Environment presented key points to ensure sustainable production and use of biomass in Germany that is consistent…
The government and industry members of the Biofuture Platform Initiative and Campaign announced the publication of their Biofuture Statement affirming the essential role of bio-based fuels, chemicals and materials. The government and industry members of the Biofuture Platform Initiative and Campaign announced the publication of their Biofuture Statement, which…
The Netherlands has taken major steps towards a more sustainable energy system. At the same time, much more action is needed to achieve the climate goals: We are now heading for a 39 to 50 percent CO2 reduction in 2030, instead of the target of 60 percent. The Netherlands has thought itself rich for too long and postponed matters. 'The rose-colored glasses have to come off and...
The European Parliament yesterday (14 September) took its position on two important files for the bioenergy sector: the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). Primary woody biomass is an essential renewable energy source to meet the EU Parliament's ambition to increase renewable energy to 2030 percent by 45, and…
Since July 1, the Bio-Economy Platform has had a coordinating role in the further development of the BioEnergy export group. This new role has been agreed with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and trade organization FME. Thirty Dutch companies with export ambitions are members of the BioEnergy export group. RVO and FME support these companies in their export plans. Platform Bio-Economy…
The province of Overijssel has resumed support for bioenergy. This is good news for the sector. But the support is not without conditions. The province keeps the advice of the SER in mind. This advised parties to use biomass as much as possible for high-quality applications. Only where there is no other option,…
Minister Jetten (Climate and Energy) answers questions about policy efforts for bio-raw materials. The Senate factions of PvdD, Nanninga and SGP have asked these questions. View the questions and answers here:
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy is currently working out how ETS companies can demonstrate as of January 1, 2023 that the biomass they burn meets European sustainability requirements. The NEa facilitates the ministry's communication with the ETS companies involved on this subject. Below you can read the message from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy: From January 1, 2023…
Bioenergy Europe welcomes the adoption of the report on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) delivered at the meeting of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) in the European Parliament. The ITRE report on the RED revision shows clear improvements compared to the Commission proposal and…
By 2030, the energy mix in the European Union must consist of 40 percent renewable energy. This was agreed by the EU climate and energy ministers in Luxembourg. Minister Rob Jetten calls it a 'nice agreement', which must now be negotiated with the European Parliament. The EU wants to become as sustainable as possible in order to become climate neutral by 2050...
The Netherlands is on the eve of an unprecedented transition. In response to the letter to Parliament from Minister Jetten for Climate and Energy, parties at the Agriculture and Land Use climate table are calling on them to capitalize on their unique solutions for the climate transition. Realizing the transition not only requires appropriate tools, but also honest recognition of CO2 gains and a realistic…
Minister Jetten (Climate and Energy) shares the conclusions of the Dutch Emissions Authority's research into the sustainability of bio-raw materials from Estonia intended for energy applications with the House of Representatives. Conclusion of report The conclusion of the research by the NEa states that the areas from the SOMO report can almost certainly not be related to bio raw materials that…
EU sanctions coming into effect on July 10, 2022 will put an end to Russian wood pellet exports to Europe, which is expected to cause waste management problems at Russian sawmills. According to Lesprom Analytics, the EU accounted for 80 percent of Russia's wood pellet exports . If you want to know more about this, come to the…
Recent monitoring by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) shows that more and more government subsidies are going to circular projects. The flow of money increased from €236 million in 2018 to €295 million in 2020. In the study, they looked at projects from 23 Dutch and European subsidy schemes, ranging from MIT and DEI to…
Trade-offs and considerations of different interests are unavoidable in order to achieve the Dutch climate goals. Rejecting several options such as CCS, biomass and nuclear energy makes climate goals unattainable. This is stated by Minister Rob Jetten for Climate and Energy in the government's appreciation of the latest reports from the UN climate panel. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published in February…
Jessica Marcus, vice president, policy and operations, US Industrial Pellet Association, wrote an op-ed in biomassmagazine.com on the revision of EU biomass regulations. At a time when Europe needs as much affordable, sustainable and safe energy as possible, last week's vote by the European Parliament's ENVI Committee to restrict the use of…
Biomass was one of the alternatives to fossil fuels. The government wants to get rid of it more quickly. New subsidy applications will no longer be processed. But we also want to get rid of fossil fuels. For the climate and for our energy independence. According to critics, this is now in danger. RTL Z News had an item about this: https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/economie/tv/video/5308175/biomassa-klimaat-veiligheid-gas-poetin
How do we strive for an energy system at the lowest costs? What does our sustainable future look like and with what policies? Whether or not nuclear energy in the Netherlands? How do we accelerate the transition away from natural gas? What can the industry do and what role does the government play? In this webinar led by TNO colleague Katharina Andres, Martin…
The province of Overijssel will again invest money in biomass that involves burning wood. Financing for this was suspended last year because it could not be guaranteed that only sustainably grown wood was used. But it turns out that making demands is not allowed. According to the provincial government, biomass is 'necessary' for the energy transition and to achieve the climate challenge. An…
The province of Overijssel wants to invest money again in biomass that involves burning wood. According to the provincial government, biomass is 'necessary for the energy transition and to realize the climate challenge'. The financial tap of the Overijssel Energy Fund must therefore be turned on again for certain applications of biomass. This mainly concerns heating applications, such as the heating of monumental buildings…
Innovative projects that lead to lower CO2 emissions are desperately needed to achieve the energy transition (transition to sustainable energy). Entrepreneurs sometimes encounter high start-up costs. The Renewable Energy Transition (HER+) subsidy can make the difference in allowing local projects to continue in that phase. The HER+ subsidy scheme is open until March 31...
Answer from Minister Jetten (Climate and Energy), also on behalf of the State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management (received February 7, 2022) See also Appendix to Acts, meeting year 2021-2022, no. 1363 1 Do you share the opinion that it is unacceptable that the CO2 biomass emissions increased by 16 percent in 2020? [1] Answer Just as your Chamber looks…
Nature and nitrogen minister Christianne van der Wal (VVD) does not expect that nitrogen policy will have to be completely overhauled, now that the court in Zwolle has ruled that the policy of tolerance for small emitters to date is contrary to the law. She has confidence in the approach agreed in the coalition agreement. The judge has…
Today the four coalition parties present their coalition agreement. The core of the coalition agreement is: offering perspective by tackling the major issues of this decade. Such as the future of agriculture, the problems in the housing market and the undermining of the democratic constitutional state. And of course the approach to the climate issue. The coalition agreement includes…
This year, the national subsidy fund for sustainable energy projects will probably be largely claimed by projects for CO2 storage under the North Sea. But due to the high CO2 price, they currently do not need that subsidy at all, while other projects are falling by the wayside, experts tell NU.nl. This year, a total of 12 billion euros in subsidies were requested via...
State Secretary Yeşilgöz-Zegerius (EZK – Climate and Energy) answers questions about Indufor's research into biomass from Estonia, in response to the SOMO report. Member of Parliament Bontenbal (CDA) asked the questions. View the questions and answers here:
The Netherlands promises to stop investing in foreign coal, oil and gas projects. The government has decided to join a group of countries that pledged during the climate summit in Glasgow to end government support for fossil projects outside their own borders within a year. The outgoing cabinet previously said…
Greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands are expected to decrease by 38-48 percent in 2030 compared to 1990, based on the established and proposed policy. This means that the government's target of emitting 2030 percent less in 49 than in 1990 is not yet in sight. Recent plans, including from the Budget Memorandum, can contribute to further reduction...
Renewable energy has overtaken fossil fuels as the primary energy source for the first time in the European Union. A new report from the European Commission states that renewable energy, such as wind and solar energy, as well as biomass and hydroelectric power stations, accounted for 38 percent of electricity generated in the EU last year. Fossil fuels accounted for 37 percent.…
State Secretary Yeşilgöz-Zegerius (EZK) sends the House of Representatives a response to the report 'Dutch Wood Pellet Imports – Is Dutch Biomass Burning Contributing to Forest Loss in Baltic States?'
State Secretary Yeşilgöz-Zegerius (EZK – Climate and Energy) answers questions about the origin of biomass. Members of Parliament Van Raan (PvdD) and Thijssen (PvdA) have asked these questions.
A large part of the billions of euros in energy subsidies that are available every year for large sustainability projects remain unused, according to research by consultancy firm CE Delft. At the end of 2019, this amounted to 3,2 billion euros. Part of the subsidy has flowed back to the treasury in recent years. The Dutch Association of Sustainable Energy Companies (NVDE), which is commissioned…
The 'Fit for 55' package that the European Commission presented last week includes a large number of energy and climate proposals to reduce emissions in the EU by 2030% by 55. Biomass plays a role in the energy mix. European Commissioner Frans Timmermans stated that this specifically concerns biomass from residual wood, where…
The Subsidy Scheme for Sustainable Energy Production and Climate Transition (SDE++) was published in the Government Gazette on September 22, 2020. With this scheme, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate encourages the reduction of CO2 emissions.
