Does your company have an innovative technology that needs to be tested, validated or demonstrated in practice? The Dutch Demonstration Energy and Climate Innovation grant (DEI+) may be a relevant funding opportunity.

DEI+ supports companies that work on innovations contributing to lower CO₂ emissions in the Netherlands. This can involve a pilot project in which a technology is tested in a practice-like environment, or a demonstration project in which a new technology, installation or application is demonstrated in real-life conditions. According to RVO, a pilot project focuses on testing and improving a prototype, process or service, while a demonstration project concerns equipment, systems or technologies with technical and economic risk that are new to the Netherlands or applied in a new way in the Netherlands.

For companies, DEI+ can help bridge the gap between development and market deployment. This is often the stage where financing becomes challenging: the technology is promising, but still needs to be proven at scale, in a realistic environment or within the operations of an end user.

Which DEI+ grant opportunity fits your innovation?

DEI+ consists of several funding themes. The right route depends on the type of technology, the intended application, the project structure and the way in which CO₂ reduction is achieved.

DEI+: Energy and climate innovations

The broad DEI+ module for energy and climate innovations is aimed at companies that want to test or demonstrate an innovative technology that saves energy or reduces CO₂ emissions. This module includes themes such as energy efficiency outside buildings, renewable energy, flexibility of the energy system, infrastructure facilities and CCUS applications. RVO lists a total budget of €134 million for this module, with a maximum grant of €30 million for demonstration projects and €25 million for pilot projects and test and experimentation infrastructure projects.

This module can be relevant for companies working on process sustainability, energy storage, smart energy control, residual heat use, renewable energy integration or CO₂ capture and utilisation. A strong application must clearly show that the innovation is sufficiently novel and that the contribution to CO₂ reduction in the Netherlands is well substantiated.

DEI+: Gasification of residual streams

For companies investing in gasification technology, there is a separate DEI+ module for gasification of residual streams. This grant supports production installations that convert residual streams into products such as green gas, methanol, transport fuels, chemicals or syngas for industrial use. RVO lists a total budget of €150 million and a maximum grant of €30 million per project.

This module may be relevant for companies working with biogenic residual streams, mixed residual streams or integrated conversion chains. Process steps such as pretreatment, torrefaction, gasification, gas cleaning and upgrading may also be part of the project, provided the project fits within the conditions of the scheme.

DEI+: Sustainable built environment

The Sustainable built environment module focuses on innovations that make homes, residential buildings, non-residential buildings or districts low-carbon. This funding window is open until 27 August 2026. RVO lists a total budget of €6 million and a maximum grant of €1 million for both pilot and demonstration projects.

This module is relevant for companies and end users working on the sustainability of existing buildings. Examples include innovative solutions for energy efficiency, renewable energy in buildings, heating and cooling infrastructure, digitalisation, smart control systems or enabling innovations that support large-scale implementation. RVO explicitly states that pilot projects may also contribute indirectly to sustainability, for example, through labour savings, digitalisation or climate adaptation.

DEI+: Hydrogen and green chemistry

For innovations in hydrogen and green chemistry, DEI+ includes a dedicated module funded through GroenvermogenNL. RVO lists a total budget of €38 million. The module is intended for companies that want to carry out a pilot, demonstration or test and experimentation infrastructure project in the field of hydrogen and green chemistry.

Projects may relate to the transport and storage of hydrogen carriers with a conversion step, the use of hydrogen as an industrial fuel, green hydrogen as a feedstock for e-fuels or chemical processes, electrochemical conversion of CO₂, plasma technology and enabling innovations around electrolysis. RVO excludes, among other things, blue hydrogen, hydrogen from biomass or waste, and infrastructure for hydrogen tanks under this module.

DEI+: Biobased Circular

The Biobased Circular module supports pilot and demonstration projects involving polyesters from biobased carbohydrate-rich feedstocks. The objective is to stimulate circular processes and reduce CO₂ emissions. RVO lists a total budget of €22 million, with a maximum grant of €1 million for pilot projects and €10 million for demonstration projects.

This module can be relevant for companies working on industrial production processes for biobased polyesters, chemical building blocks, biodegradable or recyclable products, new industrial routes for bio-based feedstocks or recycling processes for materials based on biobased polyesters.

Why a DEI+ application requires a strong project structure

A DEI+ application requires more than a promising technical idea. RVO assesses whether the innovation is concrete and sufficiently novel, how it differs from the current state of the art and whether technical, economic and market-related risks are properly substantiated. For pilot projects, the international state of the art applies; for demonstration projects, the Dutch state of the art applies.

The application must also clearly demonstrate how the project contributes to CO₂ reduction in the Netherlands, how the project will be financed and why the grant is necessary to move towards practical implementation. RVO also emphasises that applicants must properly substantiate their own contribution to the project costs, for example through a bank statement, investor statement, annual report or business plan.

A strong DEI+ application, therefore, connects technology, market perspective, project execution and financing. The innovation must not only be technically sound, but also translated into a convincing project plan, work packages, deliverables, budget, risk analysis and CO₂ reduction case.

How The Future supports your DEI+ application

The Future supports companies in assessing, structuring and writing DEI+ applications. We help determine which DEI+ module best fits your project and whether the project should be positioned as a pilot project, demonstration project or test and experimentation infrastructure project.

We then translate the innovation into a well-substantiated application. This includes a clear problem statement, technical innovation description, comparison with the state of the art, project objectives, work packages, planning, budget, risk analysis, business case and CO₂ reduction argumentation.

We also support the preparation of a project idea check, so that companies can obtain early feedback on the fit and feasibility of the project. RVO offers the possibility to submit a project idea in advance and indicates that this can help discuss the feasibility and chances of success of the project.

This allows your team to focus on the technology and its practical implementation. We ensure that the project is clearly structured, subsidy-ready and convincingly presented.

Would you like to know whether your innovation fits DEI+?

Does your company have a technology that saves energy, reduces CO₂ emissions or contributes to the climate transition? This is a good moment to assess whether DEI+ is the right funding route.

Contact us at The Future. We are happy to explore the funding opportunities, the most suitable DEI+ route and the structure of a strong application.