The government wants the Netherlands to be less dependent on other countries for energy, raw materials and products. Our industrial sector also needs to be 100% climate neutral by 2050. The government is working on this, step by step, together with companies and grid operators.

Industries must use 100% sustainable energy by 2050

 Our industries are important for the Netherlands. They generate jobs and income, and make products that we use every day, such as paper, foods and medicines. But the production of these goods causes emissions of greenhouse gases (CO2) and nitrogen. In 2023, Dutch industries emitted 54 megatonnes of greenhouse gases, which was 31% of the Netherlands’ total emissions that year. Under the Climate Act, the sector must be 100% climate neutral by 2050.

Goal: economic independence and lower CO₂ emissions

The government wants to keep industrial companies in the Netherlands. The aim is that they should make up 10 to 15% of the Dutch economy. But the sector also has to become more sustainable. To achieve this , the government is for instance expanding the electricity grid and helping companies with their energy costs.  

The government wants companies to make their products using clean methods here, rather than moving to countries where they can use polluting methods. When sustainable companies stay in the Netherlands, their production, jobs and earnings stay here too. And that makes us less dependent on industries in other countries.

The goal of being 100% climate neutral by 2050 will be achieved in steps.

  • By 2030, the industrial sector must have reduced its CO₂ emissions to around 29.6 megatonnes. That is 66% less than in 1990. The sector must also contribute towards another climate goal: 50% less raw materials use.
  • Between 2030 and 2050, companies must go further, working towards a 100% climate neutral sector.

Government is helping industries become sustainable

There are many ways in which the government is helping industrial companies become sustainable. For example:

  • There are grants for companies that want to make their production processes greener. For instance, grants to invest in energy efficiency, to develop sustainable technologies or to reduce CO2 emissions (also called carbon emissions).
  • The government is investing in major green energy projects, such as wind farms and solar farms. This will make more cl ean electricity available.
  • The government is funding research into other ways to produce clean energy.
  • The government supports companies that capture and store their carbon emissions so the gas does not go into the air.
  • Companies with high carbon emissions must pay a carbon tax.

All these measures are set out in the National Programme for Sustainable Industries. That programme is accompanied by a roadmap. It gives a breakdown of who has to do what, and when, in order to achieve the sustainability targets.

Additional agreements with biggest carbon emitters

The companies with the highest carbon emissions must together reduce their carbon emissions by 16 megatonnes by 2030, compared with 2021. 

To speed things up, the government is making additional agreements with major industrial emitters such as Tata Steel, Dow, Nobian, OCI, Shell and Yara. The most logical or most important steps are different for each company, so each agreement is tailor-made.

Besides carbon emission reduction, the agreements may also include commitments to improve environmental quality around production plants. To help companies comply with the agreements, the government can provide grants or priority access to the grid.

The government is now extending its tailor-made approach to other companies that want to reduce their carbon emissions faster. They are eligible if they can realise an additional reduction of at least 0.1 megatonnes of CO2.