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2 December 2021
Publication series – 67 of 78 Insights
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – Netherlands
- Briefing
With our Corporate Energy @TW series, we aim to highlight current developments and issues in the renewable energy sector across different jurisdictions. Taylor Wessing’s international Energy & Infrastructure industry group has more than 50 experts across 16 offices. We have been active in corporate/M&A and financing in relation to renewable energy for more than 15 years and have extensive legal and commercial expertise and market knowledge. We are currently ranked fourth globally according to the number of renewable energy M&A deals in the Clean Energy League Tables 2021.
Question: What are the most important current developments in the field of renewable energy transactions and financing?
Answer: The Netherlands is aiming for a rapid transition to a low-carbon economy. Ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets are thus at the centre of the country’s energy and climate policy. In October 2017, the Dutch government presented an ambitious energy policy, which aimed to achieve a 49% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared to 1990) and a 95-100% reduction by 2050. On 1 September 2019, the Dutch Climate Act came into force and the Dutch Climate Agreement was introduced. The latter sets out how the Netherlands plans to achieve its CO2 reduction objectives and was prepared in conjunction with 100+ organisations, companies and governmental authorities. It provides for governmental action in the electricity, transport, agriculture and land use, industry, and built environment sectors.
In 2020, renewable energy accounted for 11.1 percent (2019: 8.8 %) of the total Dutch energy consumption. The increase was largely due to rising solar and wind power capacity. While the overall share of renewables is still low, the development of renewable energy projects in the country is speeding up. The Netherlands is supporting large-scale PV and other renewables through the SDE++ program. Large-scale solar continues to prevail in the SDE++ program for large-scale renewable energy projects, which is one of the main drivers of planned and contracted PV capacity in the Netherlands. In June 2021, the Dutch Government selected projects with a combined capacity of 3,535 MW in the second round of its 2020 program. About 1,803 MW of the total can be attributed to rooftop PV, while ground-mounted and floating PV plants will account for 1,732 MW of capacity. Due to the “rapid growth of wind and solar farms”, Dutch Grid company Tennet renewed its warning about severe network congestion until at least 2029. For explanation, it added that 4.8 GW of solar and wind generation capacity was either already in place or under development in the regions of Gelderland and Flevopolder alone – the equivalent of six conventional power plants. The 5.6 GW capacity of the Gelderland and Flevopolder regional network is already contracted.
The need to invest in and to upgrade existing infrastructure is also visible in the offshore industry. Just recently, the European Investment Bank granted a €250 million loan to finance an electricity transmission corridor from Eemshaven to Vierverlaten in the province of Groningen, enabling the transmission of offshore wind energy to Dutch and European users. Given the country’s targets, further investment in energy infrastructure can be expected: total installed capacity of offshore wind power in the Netherlands is around 2.5 GW in 2021 and should increase to at least 4.5 GW by 2023.
In recent years the Netherlands has seen an increase in the demand for the supply of renewable energy from large energy consumers. Large corporates such as AkzoNobel, DMS, Google, Philips, Amazon and Microsoft have signed long term PPAs to secure the supply of renewable energy. We expect this trend to continue as large corporates are striving to cut their carbon emissions. It is expected that this will lead to an increase in negotiations about complex long-term PPAs.
Question: What market developments can be expected towards the end of the year and beyond?
Answer: Due to planned government support and the rising demand for renewable energy from the private sector, we expect an increase in the development of renewable energy projects and an increase of transaction activity.
Question: What has been your personal “game changer” or “highlight” in the field of renewable energies since the beginning of 2021?
Answer: The ruling of a Dutch court against Shell at the end of May 2021 was ground-breaking. For the first time, a multinational company was legally obliged to protect the climate; we can assume this ruling will have a signal effect. The question of whether individuals have a claim to climate protection against companies and states and can assert this claim may have far-reaching and not fully assessable (legal) consequences. In the short term, at least part of these consequences became visible. Shell sold its oil and gas production in the Permian Basin, the biggest American oil field, to ConocoPhillips for $9.5 billion in cash. September 2021 can be interpreted as a strong sign of increasing pressure on European oil companies to exit polluting sectors and move towards producing cleaner energy instead. Shell recently also sold its stakes in offshore oil and gas fields in Malaysia and the Philippines.
Do you have any questions or are you interested in an (interdisciplinary) discussion with our Corporate Energy & Infrastructure team? We look forward to talking to you!
In this series
EEG 2027 – Overview of the Planned Amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act
10 March 2026
by Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham), Dr. Christian Ertel
The NIS2 Directive: Challenges Renewable Energy Companies
18 February 2026
EU specifies certification of permanent CO₂ removals
11 February 2026
by Dr. Janina Pochhammer, Dr. Niels L. Lange, LL.M. (Stellenbosch)
Electricity Tax Amendment 2025/2026: New rules for BESS, charging infrastructure and renewable energies
14 January 2026
Battery storage systems in outdoor areas - current classification in accordance with § 35 BauGB
19 December 2025
HR compliance in the energy sector – customs authorities step up the fight against sham-employment
15 December 2025
The Current Challenges for Offshore Wind Energy in Germany
2 December 2025
by Multiple authors
Offshore wind in Germany: from market premiums to Contracts for Difference?
28 November 2025
by Multiple authors
Energy Sharing under Section 42 of the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG)
26 November 2025
Bundestag Decides on the Privileging of Battery Storage Facilities in Outdoor Areas under § 35 (1) BauGB
12 November 2025
Industrial electricity price: Initial assessment and opportunities for companies
21 November 2025
by Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham), Johannes Schaadt-Wambach, LL.M. (Prag)
FIDIC – An introduction to the FIDIC Suite 2017
22 October 2025
by Multiple authors
The Renewable Energy Expansion Acceleration Act – a boost for the energy transition in Austria?
23 September 2025
Federal Network Agency discussion paper on reforming grid fees for industry and commerce
25 September 2025
by Multiple authors
German-Dutch Treaty on Cross-Border Energy Projects
18 September 2025
by Multiple authors
Energy communities in Austria and the new Electricity Industry Act (ElWG)
15 September 2025
New amendment to the Energy Industry Act (EnWG) introduced in July and August 2025
8 September 2025
Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) – a new state aid framework for the green transformation of industry
8 September 2025
by Dr. Michael Brüggemann, Johannes Schaadt-Wambach, LL.M. (Prag)
Industrial electricity prices: initial assessment and opportunities for businesses
18 August 2025
by Johannes Schaadt-Wambach, LL.M. (Prag), Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Regulatory Framework for Transmission System Operators in Germany
18 August 2025
by Multiple authors
Court ruling on the effectiveness of availability guarantees for wind turbines
31 July 2025
New Legal Framework for the Commercial Use of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU)
11 July 2025
by Multiple authors
Are offshore wind converter platforms a bottleneck in the energy transition? New German government wants to create production capacities at German shipyards
17 June 2025
by Multiple authors
Speeding up the energy transition - the new German government’s plans for gas and steam power plants and its quest for the right technology for renewable energy
8 May 2025
by Multiple authors
Update - Change of government opens the door to carbon capture and storage and carbon capture and utilisation
17 April 2025
by Multiple authors
The special fund for infrastructure and climate protection - what is next?
10 April 2025
by Multiple authors
Changes to CBAM through Omnibus legislative package
10 April 2025
The role of heat probes in the energy transition: Authorisation procedures and potential
26 March 2025
CJEU judgement on customer installations in accordance with Section 3 No. 24a Law on the Energy Industry EnWG
26 March 2025
by Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham), Dr. Christian Ertel
Will the new German government open the door for carbon capture and storage?
26 February 2025
by Multiple authors
Waste heat from data centres - new reporting obligations under the EnEfG
6 February 2025
by Multiple authors
Oman and Belgium Sign Landmark MoU on Green Hydrogen Cooperation
11 December 2024
Decision day: Grid fee exemption in customer systems and energy price brake put to the test
28 November 2024
by Dr. Christian Ertel, Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Hydrogen core network - The Federal Network Agency’s strategy for the energy transition
11 November 2024
by Multiple authors
Amendment to the Energy Industry Act: changes for energy supply companies and grid and system operators
18 September 2024
by Dr. Christian Ertel, Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Standard Essential Patents: A new challenge for the IoT and smart meter world
10 September 2024
Land acquisition and data protection: The importance of the GDPR when project developers request owner data
18 July 2024
by Dr. Patrick Vincent Zurheide, LL.M. (Aberdeen), Dr. Julia Wulff
Municipalities to share profit in wind turbines and ground-mounted photovoltaic systems
11 July 2024
Solar Package I - Overview of Changes to Ground-Mounted and Building-Mounted PV Systems
27 May 2024
Mandatory special charge for open space photovoltaic systems in Brandenburg
21 February 2024
A new era for wind energy investments in Hungary
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
26 January 2024
Updating the National Hydrogen Strategy
6 November 2023
by Dr. Niels L. Lange, LL.M. (Stellenbosch), Dr. Janina Pochhammer
The new CO2 border adjustment mechanism (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism - “CBAM”) - first statutory reporting obligations set for January 2024
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
3 November 2023
New IT security requirements for the energy sector
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
1 September 2023
by Dr. Paul Voigt, Lic. en Derecho, CIPP/E, Alexander Schmalenberger, LL.B.
Does monument protection hinder the expansion of renewable energies?
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
16 August 2023
The amending law to strengthen digitisation in the urban land use planning process and the further expansion of renewable energies
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
6 July 2023
Challenges for data center operators - The federal government’s draft bill for an energy efficiency act
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
12 April 2023
by Multiple authors
The Energy Charter Treaty in the Light of the Electricity Price Brake: An opportunity for investors to litigate?
27 January 2023
Ordinance for Determining Critical Infrastructures (KritisV): Renewable energy plants as critical infrastructure and requirements for IT protection
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
12 July 2022
by Dr. Paul Voigt, Lic. en Derecho, CIPP/E, Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Liquefied Natural Gas Projects in Germany: The LNG Acceleration Act
Q&A series: Energy & Infrastructure
10 June 2022
Participation of local municipalities in the context of wind and photovoltaic projects
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
5 May 2022
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – France
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
27 April 2022
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up - United Kingdom
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
15 March 2022
Building energy performance: the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
14 February 2022
Fit for 55 – Hydrogen and the Reform of the European Gas Market
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
11 January 2022
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – Netherlands
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
2 December 2021
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – Poland
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
21 September 2021
by Olav Nemling
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – Austria
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
18 August 2021
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up - Germany
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
12 July 2021
Floating Foundations for Offshore Wind Farms
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
8 June 2021
Species protection exemption: Significance for wind energy
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
25 May 2021
Power-to-Hydrogen
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
6 April 2021
Focus PV – Floating Solar and Agrivoltaics
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
23 March 2021
Related Insights
EEG 2027 – Overview of the Planned Amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act
by Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham) and Dr. Christian Ertel
The NIS2 Directive: Challenges Renewable Energy Companies
The Collective Heat Act: the Next Step in Greening the Built Environment
by Claus Bunge