EU Commission approves €1.2bn Dutch scheme for industrial decarbonisation

Why is NIKI important for decarbonisation?

The European Commission has given the green light to a €1.2 billion Dutch support scheme aimed at accelerating industrial decarbonisation. The programme, known as NIKI, is designed to help companies slash lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by backing both direct decarbonisation initiatives and projects focused on resource efficiency and circularity.

The approval of NIKI marks a significant step in the Netherlands’ efforts to transition to a low-carbon economy, especially in energy-intensive industries. The scheme supports projects that either directly decarbonise production or reduce emissions through smarter resource use, such as replacing fossil-based materials with recycled ones. 

Open to all company sizes in manufacturing, waste management, and remediation, projects must cut at least 100 kilotonnes of GHG emissions over their lifecycle. NIKI is technology-neutral, encouraging diverse solutions from electrification and hydrogen to material reuse and circular manufacturing.

National funding, local outcomes

The NIKI scheme complements Amsterdam’s regional climate targets and the city’s 2050 circular economy roadmap, offering financial support for companies in the Netherlands driving emissions reductions through material efficiency and process innovation.

Local companies are already working towards the circular transition and decarbonisation in the Dutch capital. Metabolic offers advice on adapting to global challenges by developing scalable solutions. Pretty Plastic is building from waste - trash to tile, as they say. Droppie is an innovative collection point that rewards the delivery of waste. REFLOW’s pilot in Amsterdam examines the textile flow to create more circular textiles.

Read all about the energy ecosystem in Amsterdam