Making real estate more sustainable: These are the top five Dutch subsidies for 2023

If you are making plans to make your real estate more sustainable in the Netherlands, it is advisable to check whether you can obtain financial support. There are several subsidies to encourage sustainability measures in buildings. We list five 2023 subsidies: the order of importance depends on the applicant. What are the conditions and how do you apply?

#1 ISDE for business users 

ISDE stands for Investment Subsidy for Renewable Energy and Energy Savings. That is quite a mouthful! This is a business subsidy for making buildings, rented houses and production processes more sustainable, for example by installing a hybrid or other heat pump, a solar water heater, solar panels or a small wind turbine.

The ISDE is intended for every business user in the Netherlands and there is a generous budget available. The sustainability measures that are subsidised are relatively easy to implement. Thanks to ISDE, real estate owners can receive the ultimate incentive to install solar panels, for example.

What conditions apply?
To apply for the ISDE for businesses, you need a valid Chamber of Commerce number. You apply for the subsidy before you start working on the sustainability plans. After your application has been approved, you must implement the measures within 24 months and start using the solar panels or heat pump, for example. Needless to day, you cannot apply for a subsidy for sustainability work for which you have previously received funding. A final condition for the ISDE for business users is that you retain ownership of and continue to use the measures for at least one year.

How do you apply for ISDE for businesses?
The ISDE is available immediately and runs until 31 December 2023. You can be reimbursed up to €12,500 in costs. Once you have made the plans and have all the documents in order, you can submit the subsidy application to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

#2 SVM 

If you want to make energy savings in your building but you don’t yet know how, the SME Sustainability Subsidy Scheme (SVM) may be of interest. Using this subsidy, you can be reimbursed 80% of the costs of an energy consultant. This includes not only the advice itself, but also support in its implementation. Examples include requesting and reviewing quotations.

The SVM supports entrepreneurs, but is also suitable for sports clubs that wish to become more sustainable, for example. The personalised advice for your building may result in sustainability measures such as insulation, LED lighting, more efficient appliances and solar panels.

What conditions apply?
This sustainability subsidy is intended for SMEs with up to 250 FTEs and an annual turnover of up to €50 million. Please note that the business premises to be made more sustainable must not be covered by the statutory energy-saving obligation. You can choose your own energy consultant, but they must have at least two years of proven experience advising SMEs on energy saving and sustainability. The subsidy amount for the advice is between €400 and €750 and the maximum amount including implementation support is €2,500.

How can you apply for this subsidy?
The SVM has been available since 1 April 2023 and will remain open until 30 September. To obtain reimbursement for the sustainability advice, apply to the RVO for the SVM. For that purpose, you need at least level 2+ with authorisation for RVO services at level eH2+.

#3 DUMAVA

The Sustainable Social Real Estate Subsidy Scheme (DUMAVA) has been a great success. You can apply for the subsidy for energy advice, energy label certification and sustainability measures, involving public buildings.

What are the DUMAVA conditions?
This subsidy is aimed at making buildings with a public function, such as schools, hospitals, theatres, museums, religious institutions, playgroups and community centres, more sustainable. To apply for DUMAVA, the building must have an SBI code stated on the DUMAVA list. If you meet this condition but the organisation pays income or corporation tax, you will not be eligible for the subsidy. Implementation of the recommended sustainability measures must take place after application for the subsidy and must be completed within two years of receipt.

How can you apply for this subsidy?
This subsidy is currently inactive as the available budget ran out as of October 2022. A new round will open in September 2023 with a total budget of €190 million and you can apply once more for support to make your social real estate more sustainable. If you are going to apply for the DUMAVA subsidy, note whether the amount is above or below €25,000 as there are two different application procedures.

#4 SDE++

If you want to contribute to the energy transition, projects to generate renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions are eligible for the SDE++. Examples include geothermal, gas from biomass and low-carbon heat such as an electric boiler. The SDE++ is a special subsidy because it supports large-scale projects focusing on new technologies. These are therefore operating subsidies that support a project for a period of 10 to 15 years.

What conditions apply to this subsidy?
To be eligible for the SDE++, your company or organisation must carry out a feasibility study and also attach it to the application. In addition, you must have an electricity connection of at least 3 x 100 amps. Various additional conditions apply per category and type of project, which can be found at RVO.

How do you apply for the SDE++?
As it involves long-term projects and financial support, the application process is more complex than for other subsidies that boost sustainability. The 2023 SDE++ will reopen for applications on 6 June at 9 a.m. Be quick as this round will continue until 6 July 2023 at 5 p.m. You can apply for subsidies for various categories per address. If you want to know more about the SDE++, read it at the RVO.

#5 HER+ 

The Renewable Energy Transition (HER+) subsidy encourages large-scale innovations targeting carbon reduction by 2030 by means of renewable energy. Examples include energy from solar, wind and hydropower. Projects that achieve cost savings for carbon-reducing technologies are also eligible. Examples include projects relating to residual heat, hydrogen and combustion, gasification and fermentation of biomass.

What are the HER+ conditions?
The HER+ subsidy is part of the framework for meeting the 2030 climate targets. Projects receiving subsidy must therefore contribute to this aim. For instance, the project should achieve savings on future subsidies for sustainability. A condition is that the savings are greater than the amount of subsidy applied for. Offshore wind energy projects are an exception to the cost-saving condition for future subsidies. When applying, you need to substantiate the expected cost savings of your project with data and calculations.

How do you apply for this subsidy?
The HER+ has been open since 3 April 2023 and will remain open for applications until 31 August 2023, unless the significant available budget of 30 million is distributed earlier. You apply for the subsidy via the RVO. Please note that this application process takes about 1.5 hours.

Small bonus

If you want to become more sustainable but you are not a real estate owner, there are plenty of sustainable choices you can make. Moreover, the government also offers subsidies for sustainability that are not related to real estate, such as greening transport. One example we highlight here as a bonus is the Subsidy Scheme for Emission-Free Company Cars (SEBA). If you are an entrepreneur opting for a new electric car, apply for the SEBA before entering into the purchase or lease agreement. You can be reimbursed up to €5,000 for greening your business kilometres.

Needless to say, the 2023 sustainability subsidy that best suits your real estate will depend on the buildings’ possibilities. The sustainability measures already implemented and the knowledge you have in-house also play a role. Are you already well on your way to sustainable real estate or are you not yet sure where to start?