Amsterdam /Delfzijl, the Netherlands – EemsGas Project – with an investment of €100 million becoming one of the largest production facilities for biomethane (green gas) in the Netherlands – has received an SDE++ subsidy grant from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). This provides an operating subsidy worth €149.8 million. The subsidy gives EemsGas certainty of operating income for the next fifteen years. EemsGas is a 50/50 joint venture in which sustainable raw materials producer Perpetual Next and Gasunie, the leading Dutch natural gas infrastructure and transportation company, have been working together since 2022 to produce large volumes of biomethane from waste wood.
At the end of last year, EemsGas already received commitment for a DEI+ investment subsidy of €30 million. This is earmarked for the construction of a green gas plant at the Chemical Park in Delfzijl. The SDE++ subsidy now awarded supports the production phase: it covers a minimum price for biomethane and thereby provides long-term certainty on operating income.
For the development of the plant, EemsGas entered into a partnership with TNO, which provides the gasification technology. The plant – featuring leading-edge technology – will deliver 18 million cubic meters of green gas per year, many times the production volumes of conventional green gas production facilities.
Rene Buwalda, CEO of Perpetual Next: “Both subsidies not only demonstrate a substantial financial commitment by the Dutch government, but also underline the importance of this development for the energy transition and the competitive position of the Netherlands. The plant will make a strong contribution to our country’s energy independence and, moreover, will help meet the globally growing demand for biomethane.”
Hans Coenen, COO of Gasunie: “This commitment provides additional support to make the deployment of gasification technology for the production of renewable fuels such as green gas a success. Sustainable molecules have an important role to play in ensuring our security of supply.”
The maximum subsidy amount of €149.8 million applies over a production period of fifteen years, from 1 July 2029 to 30 June 2044. The actual annual payment varies with the market price for gas and acts as a price safety net guaranteeing a minimum level of income over the full term.
The plans will be finalized in the coming period, so that construction of EemsGas can commence in 2027. It should be operational in 2029.
Perpetual Next
Perpetual Next converts organic waste into high-value, renewable raw materials such as biomethanol – a sustainable alternative to fossil methanol. The company is building large-scale production sites in the Netherlands, Estonia and the US and is working on further international expansion. In doing so, it is accelerating the transition to a circular, climate-neutral economy.
Gasunie
Gasunie is a leading European energy infrastructure company. It manages and maintains more than 15,000 kilometers of high-pressure gas pipelines in the Netherlands and northern Germany, and provides safe, reliable and sustainable gas transport and storage services. Wholly owned by the State of the Netherlands, Gasunie focuses on the energy transition with innovative solutions for hydrogen, CO2, biomethane and heat infrastructure, in service of the public interest and a competitive European energy market.
