News item | 25-04-2025 | 15:30
The Council of Ministers has agreed to the measures that Minister Hermans (climate and green growth) proposes for a strong, clean and resilient Netherlands. The recent geopolitical developments and bottlenecks in the energy transition show that these measures are desperately needed. Companies must actually be able to make it more sustainable, bottlenecks must be removed in implementation, energy must remain affordable and energy dependence must be reduced quickly.
- Reduction of electricity costs for industry
- Conditions for sustainability industry are improved with CO2-Stol
- Extra measures to resolve bottlenecks and expand the power grid faster
- Cabinet works opportunities for lower net rates
- Sustainment subsidy SDE ++ extended before 2026
Minister Hermans: “With this package we are taking concrete steps to ensure that our country becomes strong and more independent. Our country becomes strong when we are on our own feet, with energy up close, a strong economy and a strong industry. To achieve this, I focus on creating the right preconditions and the removal of the bottlenecks. I am realistic to do not take that not executable, but do not do that and do not do and do not do and do not do and do not do and do and do not do it and do and do not do and do and do not do and do and do not do it and do and do not do it and do and do not do it and do not and do and do not do it and do not do it and do and do not make it possible to do so and do and do not make it possible to do so and do and do no measures that and do not make it possible to do so that are executable and and do not do it that do not executable that do not exhaps that are executable, can be reached together. ”
Conditions for sustainability in order
To switch to energy up close, to become less dependent on abroad and to provide all new homes with electricity, the power grid must be expanded as quickly as possible. That is why Minister Hermans, in collaboration with national network operator Tennet, now comes with a package of measures to expand the power grid faster. By taking more control over the 25 most urgent high-voltage projects, adjusting laws and regulations for shorter procedures and with area investments in municipalities where a lot of infrastructure comes together for the power grid. In addition, TenneT will adjust the method to accelerate projects for more than a year.
Weather and clean industry
Dutch industry is strong and provides us with a lot of prosperity. She takes care of our products, jobs, innovation and independence. But the world is changing quickly and our industry is under heavy pressure. That is why the government is opting for measures to ensure that industry can make the right investments to make it more sustainable. The cabinet extends the indirect costs compensation by three years with which the high electricity costs are printed for a level playing field with abroad.
The government assumes that companies have sufficient opportunities to invest in sustainability due to the measures taken. The cabinet therefore will give companies extra time in the coming years to make the Co more sustainable2-Tax on this. To keep a stick in the long term, the government is now taking the option for an extension of the CO2-Tax after 2032. The cabinet is open to alternatives and will discuss this with the industry and other stakeholders. Climate neutral in 2050 remains the most important goal.
The government is investing heavily in the capture and storage of greenhouse gases with the CCS project Aramis so that industry can make it more sustainable. The aim is to make an investment decision in 2026, so that the underground storage of CO can be started from 20302. The government also helps to reduce financial risks, for example if less use is made of the infrastructure than expected. € 639 million is reserved for EBN, so that this state participation can participate in the infrastructure and storage. The cabinet thus takes great risks out of the project.
The government will also adjust the policy in the transition to circular plastic. The plastic standard and levy do not take place in the current form, a better alternative is being looked at. In the field of hydrogen, the government provides clarity for the long term, to both customers and producers. To stimulate hydrogen production, € 2.1 billion is available. To stimulate the application in the industry, € 662 million is available. The government opts for a relatively low mandatory amount of renewable hydrogen of 4%. This allows this obligation to better wear for customers. In addition, the refining route for green hydrogen is adjusted so that it becomes more attractive to use green hydrogen in the production of fuels.
Continue with logical measures
To continue to encourage companies to make it more sustainable, the Sustainable Energy Production and Climate Transition (SDE ++) incentive scheme will be reopened in 2026 with a budget of € 8 billion. The government is also focusing on the development of policy that has not yet been completed. This concerns, for example, the introduction of the mandatory share of green gas and accelerating a CO2-Free electricity sector.
Also in the mobility sector and the built environment, the government opts for measures that logically match what has already been initiated. For example, the government wants to make it easier for people to choose an electric car. Due to a standardization in the business leasing market, it becomes cheaper for employers to opt for an electric car.