News item | 01-03-2022 | 10:38
Energy cooperatives and Owners’ Associations (VvEs) can apply from today for support to realize sustainable energy projects in their own environment. This is the second time that this scheme has opened. The budget has been increased to 150 million euros this year. The scheme is aimed at sustainable electricity production from solar energy, wind energy and hydropower. Applications can be made up to and including December 1, 2022 via the Netherlands Enterprise Agency†
The Cooperative Energy Generation Subsidy Scheme (SCE) helps energy cooperatives and Owners’ Associations to realize small-scale sustainable projects with local ownership. In this way, more sustainable electricity can be produced in the short term and local participation is stimulated. The participants must live in the postcode rose (the postcode area plus the adjacent postcodes) in order to participate. The collective approach means that people without a suitable roof of their own can also participate in the scheme. For example, on a joint sunroof. More than 650 cooperative projects received a subsidy during the 2021 SCE round.
Small-scale local projects
The projects that qualify for the SCE are local and cooperative. There are also requirements to ensure that the project is organized by sufficient participants in the area. The subsidy is paid on the basis of the actual amount of sustainable electricity produced. The subsidy is aimed at the ‘unprofitable top’ of the project in relation to the market price of electricity. The subsidy amounts are annually based on the advice of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL).