Extra boost for sustainable innovations in industry

On May 1, 2024, a renewed grant opens for research into the feasibility of innovations that help reduce CO2 emissions in Dutch industry. More money is available, companies are given longer to conduct research and the application process is simpler. Thus, the scheme offers companies more opportunities to research sustainable technologies before investing in them.

More grant per research

Rolf van der Gaast, coordinator of the Top Sector Energy (TSE) Industry Studies subsidy scheme at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), explains, "A major change is the increase in the maximum subsidy amount from €2 million to €4 million per study." This adjustment applies to the entire grant, so also to innovations in the field of hydrogen and green chemistry. A separate grant has been available for this since this year.

This will allow companies to prepare larger and more impactful projects. Van der Gaast continues: "This offers a unique opportunity for innovative companies to go a step further in their sustainability initiatives." This gives the industry more power to take technical steps for a better climate, which in turn supports the ambitions of the Climate Agreement.

Longer the time

In addition, the maximum durations for large studies are longer. Van der Gaast: "For larger projects, one year is often too short. That's why the maximum duration for projects with more than €1 million in funding is now 2 years." This allows time for thorough preparation and more in-depth research. This gives companies more room to look for more sustainable and innovative solutions within this longer duration.

Easier applications

Another important change is that companies can more easily determine whether their projects stand a chance of receiving a subsidy. Van der Gaast explains, "We have reduced the subsidy to 2 clear categories. That makes it clearer for entrepreneurs."

For the TSE Industry studies, a total of €26.4 million in funding is available. An additional €10 million is available for hydrogen and chemistry. The scheme is open from May 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

Tips for entrepreneurs

RVO emphasizes that an application should really be about feasibility studies in preparation for a decision to invest in a particular technology, not research and development. The studies must be about activities needed to answer feasibility questions. "A clear follow-up project is necessary," Van der Gaast stressed.

He therefore urges companies to come up with a well-thought-out project proposal when applying for funding. In addition, companies can seek advice on their project idea from RFO without obligation before submitting an application.