Minister of Climate and Green Growth Hermans and State Secretary Jansen of Public Transport and Environment signed letters of intent late last week together with provinces and two companies for faster CO2 reduction. A new scheme has also been drawn up to tackle peak loads in industry, and the government wants to support new companies with green applications, technologies and products.
The government is committed to greening existing businesses and supporting new green businesses to future-proof the economy and combat climate change. The steps taken now are part of realising these ambitions. The government speaks of important steps towards a cleaner future for Dutch industry.
'Our industry is important for the Netherlands'
Minister Hermans: "Our industry is important for the Netherlands, I don't want to see it go abroad. Industry makes our daily products, provides jobs and makes us less dependent on other countries. However, production must be cleaner and I want these companies to become more sustainable here. Companies themselves also indicate that sustainability is necessary for their future. I often hear this in conversations. By involving companies outside the biggest emitters in our tailor-made approach, we show that the Netherlands is serious about green growth."
Letters of Intent were signed with bio-refinery Alco Energy Rotterdam and agricultural cooperative Royal Cosun. The declarations set out ambitions around CO2 reduction and improving the living environment. Although both Alco Energy Rotterdam and Coöperatie Koninklijke Cosun are not peak consumers, they are still expected to make a significant contribution to making the Netherlands more sustainable. The expected CO2 reduction is 0.5 megatons.
The parties pledge to reduce their CO2 emissions by 70% between 220202 and 2030. They are also committed to sustainable innovations for their customers. The companies are also taking measures to reduce their nitrogen emissions. Cosun will achieve a reduction of at least 25%, while Alco Energy will achieve at least 10%. They will also study where the bottlenecks to sustainability lie and map how the government can help to remove them.
Subsidies for reducing nitrogen emissions
In addition, the cabinet awards two subsidies for reducing nitrogen emissions to the companies Rockwool and Yara Sluiskil. It also opens a subsidy scheme for installations that filter ammonia from the air.
The subsidies are part of a broader approach aimed at reducing nitrogen emissions from peak loaders in industry. The government is allocating 78 million to tackle peak loads. The money is intended to allow companies to take the necessary steps to make their operations more sustainable and reduce their impact on the environment.
Supporting new green companies
The cabinet wants to build a new and green industry at the same time. This includes both existing companies producing green products as well as new companies focusing on pioneering innovations. "I see wonderful examples of this. But there are still many challenges for these kinds of companies, think for example about financing and market entry. That is why I am working on an approach to building new industry," said Minister Hermans.
The cabinet is also committed to future-proofing industry. Among others, through the Investment Subsidy for Manufacturing Industry Climate Neutral Economy (IMKE), for which a total subsidy budget of 148 million euros is available. Applying for the IMKE and Peak Load Industry can be done through RVO.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Photo: Shutterstock
