Who can apply
NIKI is for an industrial company in the Netherlands. It is for industry (Dutch business classification SBI, main group C) and the processing of waste and waste water (SBI 37 and 38.2). The company executes the project itself and owns the installation. The basic engineering, the technical base design, is complete.
- Two categories. Category A is a direct CO2 saving in the production process. Category B is the replacement of fossil carbon in the product chain. At least 50% of the CO2 reduction is in these categories.
- A loss-making project. The subsidy is for projects with a negative net present value, which means projects that make a loss on their own.
- A group from abroad. A Dutch BV of a foreign group can apply when the BV operates the industrial company in the Netherlands and owns the installation. The application includes a chart of the whole group, with the shareholdings.
What you receive
The subsidy is for the investment costs (CAPEX) and the operating costs (OPEX) together. RVO uses the net present value of the cash flows during operation, after the revenue from the products.
The subsidy is your bid per tonne multiplied by the expected CO2 reduction. Each application is for at least €30 million, and at most the budget of the round. The highest bid that counts is €300 per tonne.
What the subsidy is worth per application
| Bid per tonne of CO2 | Expected CO2 reduction | Subsidy |
|---|---|---|
| €100 | 500,000 tonnes | €50 million |
| €200 | 300,000 tonnes | €60 million |
| €300, the highest bid | 100,000 tonnes | €30 million, the minimum |
In the 2025 round, the project of the company Reju received €135 million.
How RVO ranks the applications
- Complete applications only. Everything is complete on the closing date.
- Ranking. RVO ranks on the bid in euro per tonne of CO2 avoided. The more CO2 a project avoids per euro, the higher it ranks.
- Assessment. RVO checks the category, the conditions, and the financial, technical, operational and commercial feasibility. The correct use of the NIKI calculation method also counts.
- Decision. RVO decides within 13 weeks and can extend this once by 13 weeks.
How we arrange the application
Our team arranges the full application. A specialist from our network works with your engineers on the calculations and the project plan. You decide at every step, and RVO decides on the subsidy.
| Work | Who does it |
|---|---|
| The required NIKI calculation model for the CO2 reduction, and the bid per tonne | The specialist from our network, with your engineers |
| The project plan with the financing of your own share, and the climate plan | The specialist and our team, with your figures |
| The management declaration, the group chart, the public summary and the statement on financial health | Our team, with your board |
| The accountant report on the costs | Your accountant, with our preparation |
| The Dutch company of a group from abroad, with its registrations and eHerkenning, the Dutch business login | Our team |
| After the grant, the yearly reports | Our team, with your accountant |
Our fee consists of a feasibility check at a fixed price, a fixed amount for the application file and a percentage of the subsidy granted, all agreed in advance. You see each amount in your proposal before you decide.
- Our team has a look first. You describe the project, the technology, the CO2 reduction and the timetable.
- Feasibility check. With the specialist, we test the project against the categories and calculate a first bid.
- Proposal. You receive the scope of the work and the fee before you decide.
- Application. We prepare the calculations, the plan and the declarations, and submit a complete application before 16 December 2026.
- After the grant. We prepare the reports during construction and operation.
When to apply
- The 2026 round. From Monday 16 November 2026, with the forms in Mijn RVO from 9:00, until Wednesday 16 December 2026 at 17:00 Dutch time.
- Project ideas. The period for project ideas is closed.
- 2027. The dates for 2027 follow later. In April 2026 the Dutch government announced this second round for the autumn of 2026.
Payments and obligations after the grant
- Start. The project starts within one year of the decision.
- Operation. The installation is in use within 4 years of the start. Ten years of operation follow.
- Advances. RVO pays the advances partly in the investment phase and partly during operation.
- Reports. During construction, you send a yearly control report with a statement from an accountant.
- Final settlement. RVO sets the final subsidy 10 years after operation starts.
Other schemes our team arranges
- Energy and industry subsidies in the Netherlands. The overview, with the EU Innovation Fund, the European Hydrogen Bank, SDE++ and WBSO.
- Renewable energy and carbon reduction (SDE++). A subsidy per unit of renewable energy or avoided CO2, for 12 or 15 years.
- Climate investments in industry (VEKI). Up to €30 million for proven technology that cuts CO2.
- Research for the energy transition (MOOI). Up to €4 million for research by at least three companies.
- Innovation Credit. A government credit for technical and clinical development.
- EU Innovation Fund. Up to 60% of the relevant costs of large clean-industry projects.
- Hydrogen and methanol ships. Up to €4 million per ship for a hydrogen or methanol energy line.
- Hydrogen in mobility (SWIM). For hydrogen refuelling stations together with transport companies.
For companies in the Netherlands, the overview in Dutch is subsidie aanvragen voor je bedrijf.
Sources
- Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), NIKI (read on 1 November 2026, in Dutch)
- Staatscourant 2025, 20041, the NIKI rules (in Dutch)
- Staatscourant 2026, 33351, amendment of the NIKI rules (in Dutch)
- Dutch opening regulation for 2026, wetten.overheid.nl (in Dutch)
- Dutch parliament, Kamerstuk 29826, nr. 307, letter on industrial decarbonisation of 10 April 2026 (in Dutch)
Last reviewed on 1 November 2026.
Company formation
Your company in the Netherlands
One package for the full setup. You sign a power of attorney in your own country. The notary in the Netherlands does the rest. You receive a proposal with the price for your situation before you decide.
Swipe to see all four options →
Your Dutch BV
- The notary deed, signed for you with a power of attorney
- Registration at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK)
- The identity check the law requires
- Registration of the owners in the register of ultimate owners (UBO register)
- Your tax number and VAT number
- The list of documents from your country, and how to legalise them (apostille)
- Advice on the setup for low tax from the start: one company or a holding, your first financial year and your salary
- Personal support during the setup and the start of your company
Holding and operating company
Set up for growth of your company and your wealth.
- Two companies, set up together, with everything from the BV package for both
- You can pay profit to your holding tax-free (participation exemption)
- In your holding, you keep your profit apart from the risks of daily business, and you can invest it
- If you sell your operating company later, your holding receives the profit tax-free
What you can add
Made for your company. The price is in your proposal.
- Business bank account: the complete file your bank asks for
- eHerkenning: your login for the Dutch tax portal
- EORI number: your number for import and export
- Article 23 licence: you settle import VAT in your VAT return, so you keep that cash in your company
- One VAT return for all your online sales in the EU (One Stop Shop, OSS)
- Payroll tax number, so your company can pay you a salary
- A lower director salary, prepared and submitted to the tax authority
- The 30% ruling for you or your staff, when you relocate to the Netherlands
- Bookkeeping, VAT returns and annual accounts
- Licences and EU rules for your sector
Your first-year plan
Before you start trading, our team looks at everything you plan to do, prepares a plan for your first year and files the applications for you. See the first-year plan →
- The registrations and licences your company needs
- Your salary, dividend and loans from your company in year one
- The tax schemes and deductions you are entitled to
- Your numbers for the first year: tax, salary and what you keep in your company
You see the exact amount in your proposal before you decide. Owners from some countries need extra checks.
Want our team to have a look? →Ask our team on your next stepFrequently asked questions
What is the Dutch NIKI subsidy?
NIKI is short for Nationale Investeringsregeling Klimaatprojecten Industrie, the national investment scheme for industrial climate projects. It pays part of the cost of scaling up a proven technology that cuts CO2 in industry, for the investment and the operation together.
How much NIKI subsidy can a company receive?
Each application is for at least €30 million, and at most the budget of the round. For 2026 the budget is €250 million. The amount is the bid per tonne multiplied by the expected CO2 reduction.
When can you apply for NIKI?
Companies can apply from Monday 16 November to Wednesday 16 December 2026 at 17:00 Dutch time. The dates for 2027 follow later.
How does RVO rank NIKI applications?
RVO ranks the complete applications on the bid in euro per tonne of CO2 avoided. The lowest bid ranks first, and the highest bid that counts is €300 per tonne.
Can a company from abroad apply for NIKI?
A Dutch private limited company (BV) of a foreign group can apply when it operates the industrial company in the Netherlands and owns the installation. The application includes a chart of the whole group.
What does the fee for the application consist of?
Our fee consists of a feasibility check at a fixed price, a fixed amount for the application file and a percentage of the subsidy granted. You see each amount in your proposal before you decide.