EIO Country Profile

2013

Eco-innovation in the Netherlands

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Eco-Innovation Observatory

The Eco-Innovation Observatory functions as a platform for the structured collection and analysis of an extensive range of eco-innovation information, gathered from across the European Union and key economic regions around the globe, providing a much-needed integrated information source on eco-innovation for companies and innovation service providers, as well as providing a solid decision-making basis for policy development.

The Observatory approaches eco-innovation as a persuasive phenomenon present in all economic sectors and therefore relevant for all types of innovation, defining eco-innovation as:

“Eco-innovation is any innovation that reduces the use of natural resources and decreases the release of harmful substances across the whole life-cycle”.

To find out more, visit www.eco-innovation.eu

Any views or opinions expressed in this report are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Commission.

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Eco-Innovation Observatory Country Profile 2013: The Netherlands

Author: Geert van der Veen and Matthias Ploeg

Coordinator of the work package: Technopolis Group Belgium

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Mr Robbert Droop of the Dutch Ministry of Environment and Infrastructure for the information he provided.

A note to Readers

Any views or opinions expressed in this report are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union. A number of companies are presented as illustrative examples of eco-innovation in this report. The EIO does not endorse these companies and is not an exhaustive source of information on innovation at the company level.

This brief is available for downloaded from www.eco-innovation.eu/countries

Comments on this brief are welcomed and can be provided at www.eco-innovation.eu/netherlands

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Table&of&contents&

Summary ...............................................................................................................................................5!

1! | Introduction ...................................................................................................................................6!

2! | Eco-innovation performance .......................................................................................................7!

3! | Selected eco-innovation areas and new trends.......................................................................10!

4! | Eco-innovation barriers and drivers in the Netherlands.........................................................11!

5! | Eco-innovation policy landscape ..............................................................................................12!

6! | Good practice examples.............................................................................................................14!

References ...........................................................................................................................................16!

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Summary

The Eco-Innovation performance of the Netherlands has for the first time since the start of the EIO dropped below the average in the EU-28. The composite index decreased sharply from 110 in 2010 to 91 in 2013 and its ranking dropped to 13th place. The lack of policy attention for eco-innovation was already identified years ago in EIO reports and is now evident by its new ranking. Compared to earlier years there is a decrease in almost all criteria, with dramatic drops in eco-innovation outputs and socio economic outputs. Only the score for eco-innovation activities improved, but is still very low at 61 (23rd position).

Most of the main trends as identified in the 2011 EIO country profile for the Netherlands are still current – the primary trend is the pervasiveness of eco-innovation in all sectors. ‘Bio-based economy’ is a second important trend, but is still far away. Circular economy and cradle-to-cradle are becoming main trends also outside the university domain. Green services are also on the upswing but more slowly than might be expected.

The strength of regulation as a driver has diminished because new EU legislation is now often more stringent than national standards (and the new Dutch government has an explicit viewpoint not to be a leader in the EU in the environmental area). Sustainability however is seen as an important opportunity for companies to grow in new markets, and recently specific government attention has been focused on the ‘circular economy’. The cultural climate for eco-innovation in the Netherlands is not overly positive.

All in all the Dutch government policy regarding eco-innovation is not very ambitious. A more active green innovation policy is needed to meaningfully create green growth.

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1 | Introduction

The Netherlands is a small (41.567 km2) and with 16.8m inhabitants a densely populated country (404.8 inh/km2, 2014). GDP was EUR 599b in 2012; nominal GDP/capita is EUR 35.800 (2012, Eurostat), 4th in the EU, after Luxemburg, Ireland and Austria. An indication of the performance of the Dutch economy is that the Netherlands ranks 8th in the Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum (2013).

Almost 75% of gross added value in the Netherlands comes from the services sector. Industry is responsible for 18.7% of gross added value; agriculture and fisheries for 1.7% (Eurostat). Important industry sectors are food & beverages and refining & chemical industry.

According to the Innovation Union Scoreboard 2013 (IUS, 2013) the Netherlands is among the innovation followers in the EU, but closing in on the innovation leaders. GERD has sharply increased in recent years to 2.16% (CBS, preliminary figures 2012); however is still below the 3% Lisbon target.

High population density and significant economic activities have created large environmental pressure in the Netherlands. The quality of the Dutch environment, however, has improved since 1990: air emissions, connection rate to wastewater treatment and recycling of municipal waste are at the forefront in the EU (WIFO 2009, PBL 2013). There are still large environmental challenges related to greenhouse gas emissions (and related use of renewable energy, reduction of energy consumption), local air quality (dust, although the situation has improved greatly in the last 5 years, PBL 2013a), noise and pressure on nature (biodiversity, ecological water quality) (WIFO 2009; PBL 2010).

The cleantech sector in the Netherlands provides for an added value of EUR 5b, almost 1% of the Dutch GDP. The sector employs 61.000 FTE and had an annual growth rate of 6% in the period 1996-2010 (CE, 2013). The broader ‘green economy’ (including waste management, etc.) has an added value of EUR 13b (2.2% of GDP) and employs 127.000 FTE. Consciousness for sustainability is high, especially within the large multinationals that are important for the innovation potential in the Netherlands. In the Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2013/14 AKZO Nobel and Air France/KLM are supersector leaders, and quite a few others are among the sustainability leaders in their sector. Sustainability and innovation have been considered together already for quite a long time, but the concept of eco-innovation has only recently become explicit in Dutch policymaking and Dutch debate. Recently the Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment prepared for communication to the Parliament a new policy programme on the circular economy as a driver for eco-innovation. In this communication the Ministry follows a systemic approach in changing from waste management to resource management.

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2 | Eco-innovation performance

The analysis in this section is based on the EU 28 Eco-innovation scoreboard (Eco-IS) for the year 2013. Eco-IS via its composite Eco-innovation index demonstrates the eco-innovation performance of a country compared with the EU average and with the EU top performers. Eco-IS is based on 16 indicators, which are aggregated into five components: eco-innovation inputs, eco-innovation activities and eco-innovation outputs as well as environmental outcomes and socio-economic outcomes

Figure 2.1 EU27 Eco-innovation scoreboard 2013, composite index

Source: EIO, 2013

Figure 2.1 shows the composite index for the Eco-innovation scoreboard 2013, putting the Netherlands now below average place in the EU-28. The composite index for the Netherlands decreased sharply from 110 in 2010 to 91 in 2013. In the ranking the Netherlands dropped to 13th place. The clear leaders are Sweden and Finland, with Germany and Denmark traditionally following closely and the UK rising up with the leaders as well. The Netherlands is now in the range of Ireland and Italy and clearly behind Belgium, Austria, France, Luxemburg and Spain. The lack of policy attention for eco-innovation identified in previous EIO reports now clearly shows in the ranking.

When comparing the five components to the EU average and assessing the changes in the last years, a number of things stand out. Figure 2.2 shows that the Netherlands scores below average on all criteria except resource efficiency outcomes. Compared to earlier years there is also a decrease in almost all criteria, with dramatic drops in eco-innovation outputs and socio economic outputs. Only the score for eco-innovation activities improved, but is still very low at 61 (23rd position). The following section outlines the positions and changes in these five components by looking at the individual indicators.

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Figure 2.2 Components of the eco-innovation composite index for The Netherlands, 2013

Source: EIO, 2013

Eco-innovation inputs

The eco-innovation input composite score 2013 dropped 6 points compared to 2012. The composite average score for eco-innovation inputs consists of an above average score for the percentage of R&D personnel in total employment (114), a low score for governmental environmental and energy R&D appropriations and outlays (62) and a just below average score on cleantech venture capital (where in the past the Netherlands scored high).

Eco-innovation activities

The score on eco-innovation activities is the only score of the Netherlands that increased, but is still very low. The only sub-indicator that changed (because of data availability) is the number of ISO 14001-certified companies in the Netherlands, which increased from 1326 to 2085. This shows that ISO 14001 is finally taking off in the Netherlands. When it was introduced its standards were considered less adequate to reduce emissions than previously established voluntary agreements and were therefore not much promoted;l however this seems to have changed.

The other sub-indicators (response on material and energy reduction innovation activities as recorded in the CIS5 survey) have remained the same since both this and last year the CIS data were based on the 2008 edition.

Eco-innovation outputs

The drop in the previously very high score for eco-innovation outputs continued in 2013. The Netherlands still scores above average on the number of academic publications related to eco-innovation (148), but is no longer among the leaders. The leading position in the number of eco-innovation patents has disappeared completely – now with a score of 78, which is below average. This is not in line with the overall high number of patents from the Netherlands (mainly based on the patent activity of the Dutch multinationals in electronics). The score of the indicator on eco-innovation related media coverage is still extremely low. As previously stated this may be related to the methodology of looking at electronic media. However, the attention for sustainability in major newspapers and many other periodicals is not very high and it is not often referred to as ‘eco-innovation’, as this concept is still not made explicit in Dutch policy discussions.

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Resource efficiency outcomes

The Dutch position in resource efficiency outcomes is consistently strong, with particularly good material productivity. The Netherlands has however been surpassed by the UK (while Luxembourg is also better performing). The solid score of the Netherlands may to a large extent be related to the sizable services sector in the Netherlands; there is also a large heavy industry sector (oil refineries, chemical industry, steel manufacturing, aluminium production). This year however both the energy productivity index and CO2 emissions intensity index are now slightly above EU average. Water productivity is still very good, just below the leaders United Kingdom and Ireland.

Socio-economic outcomes

Compared to the last edition, the 2013 EIO scoreboard shows a significant decrease in the composite index score for socio-economic outcomes, falling back to 2010 levels. The major change is the decrease from exports of eco-industry products from around 1% of total national exports to 0.22%. The remark in the 2011 report (when an increase was seen from 0.18% to 0.94%) that it was not very certain that the growth was sustainable is now confirmed. What the cause for these large fluctuations is remains however unclear. In eco-industry turnover the Netherlands is leading with the UK with a share of 0.68%. Employment in eco-industries is however much lower than in many other countries (score of 69, employment of 0.49%). These last two indicators are significantly lower than reported in 2010 and 2011 due to changes in data sources.

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3 | Selected eco-innovation areas and new trends

Most of the main trends as identified in the 2011 EIO country profile for the Netherlands are still present.

The first trend is the pervasiveness of eco-innovation: although many strong traditional export sectors have a weak eco-innovation performance (PBL, 2013; exception is the agro-food sector) there are examples in almost every sector of successful eco-innovations.

As in 2011, opportunities are seen in the ‘bio-based’ economy. The strong agro-food and chemical sectors offer opportunities for replacement of fossil fuels by other bio-based sources. The ambition of the Dutch Platform Green resources is to replace 30% of fossil resources by 2030. The additional potential in the European market for bio-based has been estimated at EUR 80-120b (WUR 2008 in PBL 2013). Development of the market is however a question of (tens of) years, and the drivers in the Dutch society for a green transition are less well developed than those in surrounding countries like Denmark, Germany and the UK (PBL, 2013).

The trend towards sustainable design that was identified in 2011 has strengthened. Circular economy and cradle-to-cradle are becoming main trends also outside the university domain. With a recycling and reuse percentage of almost 90% of all waste is the Netherlands leading in the world. Recycling related sectors have grown much faster than the Dutch economy. Recycling is however only a first step to a ‘circular’ economy: the challenge is in the further creation of more value from waste. (TNO, 2013) estimates the potential for growth in the circular economy in the Netherlands on EUR 7b, involving 54.000 FTE. In the metal and electronics sector this e.g. involves increased maintenance and repair, more intensive reuse and further growth of recycling; in the bio-sector important options are bio-refining, biogas recovery and the more intensive separation of consumer waste.

Green services are also on the increase but more slowly than might be expected from such a strong service-based economy as the Netherlands. Green banking is on the rise, but only a minority of banks are ‘green’ and their market share is limited. In other sectors (e.g. health care and tourism) eco-innovation is not yet prominent. One interesting trend is when sustainable services are combined and traditional products are delivered in a new business model of a service (e.g. the concept of the company Turntoo is to provide ‘light’ instead of lamp bulbs and the leasing of jeans instead of buying one (Lease a Jeans), see examples in chapter 6).

Sustainable energy remains strong: the Netherlands is not a frontrunner in Europe in application, but technology wise its position is strong in many areas.

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4 | Eco-innovation barriers and drivers in the Netherlands

In Figure 3 the main drivers and barriers for eco-innovation in the Netherlands as identified in the 2010 eco-innovation report are summarised.

Figure 3 Drivers and barriers for eco-innovation

Drivers

! Successful business model

! Stringent regulation

! Long-term profitability expectations of investors

! Personal commitment of senior officials in companies and civil service

Barriers

! Lack of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial spirit

! Risk aversion

! Aversion against environmental issues

As with any activity, economic issues help define success in eco-innovation. It is most likely to succeed when the innovation will lead to price and or performance advantages besides environmental advantages. Since negative environmental effects are only partially taken into account in the prices for goods and services this reduces the drive for eco-innovation.

The technical position in the Netherlands is rather good: in many scientific and technological disciplines Dutch universities are among the top in the world. Transfer of technology from universities has received much attention but is still open for improvement.

The percentage of students in technological disciplines at universities is limited and non-Dutch students often fulfil PhD positions. -Entrepreneurship was traditionally not well stimulated at universities (and broader in society) but this has recently changed, and in the last few years the number of new entrepreneurs in the Netherlands has increased.

As has been mentioned above, eco-innovation in the Netherlands was large scale in the 1970s with the introduction of a levy on water pollution. The regulatory and policy framework was the initial driver that created a financial driver to invest in water treatment facilities. The huge investments created a market for (new) technologies and sparked R&D and innovation, and created the technical and technological capital in the area of water technology. The country is still one of the world leaders in this area. Although not absent (the Netherlands still has stringent environmental standards) the strength of regulation as a driver has diminished because new EU legislation is now often more stringent than national standards (and will be even more in future since the new Dutch government has the explicit viewpoint not to be a leader in the EU in the environmental area). Sustainability however is seen as an important opportunity for companies to grow in new markets (Tweede Kamer 2011), and recently specific government attention is realised for the circular economy (see below). Market stimulation has always been an important feature of Dutch environmental policy: fiscal stimulation measures for the purchase of equipment with environmental benefits or in the sustainable energy area has been supported since the 1990s (budget 2014: EUR 232m, however a decrease with EUR 20m in comparison to 2013). Environmental procurement measures are in place but do not seem to have large effects.

The cultural climate for eco-innovation in the Netherlands is rather negative. Consumer demand for e.g. organic foods is with 2.7% of total food demand much lower than in Denmark (7.2%) or Austria (6.0%)(FiBL, 2012). The Dutch are furthermore sceptic about the potential for green growth than Germans or Danes (EU Barometer, 2012).

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5 | Eco-innovation policy landscape

Environmental policymaking in the Netherlands started already in the 19th century (Nuisance Law of 1875). Modern environmental policy took off with an introduction of a levy on water pollution in the 1970s. With this levy a means of financing investments in water purification was created, resulting in cleaner surface water as well as a leading position of the Dutch water purification industry based on innovation induced by regulatory requirements. Until the 1990s the Netherlands remained a leader in environmental policymaking. In the last 10-15 it abandoned its standpoint to aspire leadership in the field of environmental policymaking and now ‘just’ wants to adhere to EU regulation. This has reduced an important drive for eco-innovation. The coordinating Ministry for eco-innovation is the department for the Environment & Infrastructure, funding comes from various ministries (often Economic Affairs). There have been specific subsidy programmes for developing environmental technologies since the 1980s, most of them using broad definitions of environmental technology aiming at all industries, not only the traditional eco-industries. There has also been significant attention for stimulating the market for innovative technologies with fiscal facilities. Attention for the non-technical side of eco-innovation appeared in the late 1990s (coming from environmental and energy policy), culminating in the transition approach in the early years of the 20th century, where stakeholders from academia, industry, NGOs and government jointly try to solve major environmental problems (best examples are energy transition and agricultural transition).

The number of instruments has significantly decreased in the last few years, and budgets have gone down as well. The most important support instruments that are at present available for eco-innovation are presented in Figure 4:

Figure 4 Dutch government instruments for eco-innovation support

Innovation supply side Innovation demand side Other TKI support: support for joint R&D projects within the top sectors, as part of sectoral research programmes (generic)

EIA/MIA/VAMIL: fiscal support for the acquisition of environmental friendly production equipment by companies

Green investment funds: fiscal support for investors in ‘green’ projects

WBSO/RDA: fiscal support for R&D (generic)

Fiscal facilities for consumers: e.g. decreased taxes or low-emission cars and support for consumers making investments in energy saving in their homes (insulation, double glazing, efficient heating, etc.)

Green deals: organisational government support for green innovations initiated in society

SDE+: investment support for sustainable energy

In the Green Deals introduced in 2011 the cabinet supported parties in society and helped create conditions for innovation and new sustainable entrepreneurial activities. The support is not financial, but is organised by linking parties into networks, supplying knowledge and information, providing a clear and workable legal framework and sustainable and innovation oriented procurement. About 150 Green Deals with companies, civil society organisations and other governments (such as provinces and municipalities) have been made so far. In a recent evaluation (Greendeals, 2013) both public and private parties were positive about the green deal approach.

Some examples of successful scaling up of Green Deals include an energy saving approach for schools in Utrecht, in which 17 schools have already become energy efficient; simplified funding for replacing asbestos roofs and installing solar panels; the successful use of bio-kerosene by KLM in 200 flights and a Concrete Chain Sustainability approach including agreements on

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cooperation; better use of existing technologies and developing innovations for drastic CO2 emission reduction and recycling of concrete.

Recently (January 2014) the Netherlands Ministry of Environment and Infrastructure prepared to communicate to the Parliament a new policy programme on the circular economy as a driver for eco-innovation (VANG, 2014). This so-called VANG-programme (Van Afval Naar Grondstof: ‘From Waste To Resource’) is mainly a policy programme, but also includes intentions to support the development of new business models (including ‘chemical leasing’), a revolving fund ‘circular economy’ to promote circular economy innovation and including the circular economy in the fiscal support programmes MIA and VAMIL.

All in all the Dutch government policy regarding eco-innovation is not very ambitious. According to PBL, 2013: “the magnitude and direction of innovation lag behind what is desirable from a strategy of green growth. Moreover, it is not obvious that the choices companies make are also for society as a whole the best. The government therefore can not remain on the sidelines”. A more active green innovation policy is needed.

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6 | Good practice examples

Turntoo: forget ownership, it’s all about performance

Source: http://www.rau.eu/en/innovatie/turntoo/

Keywords: leasing, ownership, service-based concept, business model innovation “The idea that products are the property of consumers no longer holds true. As a consumer, I am only interested in how a product performs, not whether or not I can own it. Sufficient light, comfortable seating, a good audiovisual set-up – those are the main things. From now on, we will be consuming on the basis of product performance,” according to Thomas Rau, the masterminds behind turntoo, a platform that turns around the relationship between producers and consumers. In the turntoo model consumers do not buy products but they buy services and pay for the performance, e.g. you buy “light” instead of lamp bulbs: The package of service responds to the stated need for light at the work spot, and covers everything needed to ensure that function, including the lamp-fittings, the repairs, the return after use and end-of-life, but also the energy bills. The manufacturers retain ownership of their own products, and can therefore more easily innovate and make closed recycling loops. !Turntoo develops this service-based concept in cooperation with various partners, including Desso, Mosa, Philips, Triodos Bank, Van Gansewinkel, Van Houtum

Source: http://www.rau.eu/en/innovatie/turntoo/

Further information: Thomas Rau, +31(0)204190202, pr@rau.eu

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Lease-a-Jeans

Source: http://www.leaseajeans.com/

Key words: fashion, organic, leasing, recycling, Fairtrade

Lease-a-Jeans is a concept from the fashion industry where jeans are not sold to the customer, but rather leased. The producer has complete control over the material loop of the jeans and can optimise this loop from a commercial and social point of view.

Lease-a-Jeans was founded in 2013. All their materials organically produced by Fairtrade companies (no child labour, fair wages); and their production processes are focused on minimising environmental footprint (e.g. use of 30% recycled fibres; the packaging out of recycled materials; labels out of waste-cotton and the information on the labels printed with ecological ink).

The jeans may be leased for a low monthly fee (EUR 5/month). When the jeans are returned to Lease-a-Jeans at the end of the leasing contract, they will make a new piece of fashion out of it or recycle the fibres. A deposit system (EUR 20/pair of jeans) guarantees that the jeans are returned.

Further info: http://www.leaseajeans.com/index.php?route=information/contact

Solliance

Source: www.solliance.eu Key words: R&D centre, solar cells, PV, thin film Solliance is an alliance of 5 research centres (in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands) and a university (TU Eindhoven) that performs research and development in the field of thin film photovoltaic solar energy. Solliance’s ambition is to strengthen the position of the ELAT-region (Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen triangle) as a world player in thin film PV. Together with world leading regional industry various new concepts are developed and tested. In December 2013 Solliance produced the world’s first organic photovoltaics (OPVs) to be made exclusively with inkjet printing processes. The processes offer complete flexibility of cell shape, substrate and structure, so are ideal for rapid product development and prototyping.

The research at Solliance is meant to maintain European presence in the PV industry, especially in the subsector of equipment manufacturers for the PV industry.

Solliance: Ronn Andriessen, T: +31 40 402 04 07, e-mail: ronn.andriessen@tno.nl

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References

CE, 2013: M.J. (Martijn) Blom, M.J. (Marnix) Koopman, D. (Dagmar) Nelissen, M.H. (Marisa) Korteland Clean en green in de Nederlandse economie Economische omvang en groeikansen Delft, CE Delft, juli 2013, available at http://www.ce.nl/publicatie/clean_en_green_in_de_nederlandse_economie/1416

FiBL, 2012: Helga Willer, Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau, (FiBL), 2012, The European Market for Organic Food, BioFach 2012, available at www.organic-world.net/.../willer-2012-02-16-session-global-market.pdf ‎

Greendeals, 2013: Ministerie van Milieu&Infrastructuur, 15 November 2013, Kamerbrief over voortgangsrapportage en audit Green Deal-aanpak, available at http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten-en-publicaties/kamerstukken/2013/11/15/kamerbrief-over-voortgangsrapportage-en-audit-green-deal-aanpak.html

IUS, 2013: Hugo Hollanders and Nordine Es-Sadki, UNU-MERIT, 2013, Innovation Union Scoreboard 2013, Brussels, European Union, available at http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/files/ius-2013_en.pdf

PBL, 2013: PBL Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving, 2013, Vergroenen en verdienen. Op zoek naar kansen voor de Nederlandse economie, PBL (Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving) Den Haag, available at http://www.pbl.nl/sites/default/files/cms/publicaties/PBL-2013-Vergroenen-en-verdienen-1061.pdf

PBL, 2013a: PBL Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving, 2013, Compendium voor de Leefomgeving, Fijn stof in lucht, aantal dagen met een daggemiddelde boven 50 µg/m³, 1992-2012, PBL, , available at http://www.compendiumvoordeleefomgeving.nl/indicatoren/nl0243-Fijnstofconcentratie%2C-daggemiddelde.html?i=14-66

TNO 2013: Ton Bastein Elsbeth Roelofs Elmer Rietveld Alwin Hoogendoorn, TNO, Kansen voor de circulaire economie in Nederland; report no. R10864, TNO, Delft, available at https://www.tno.nl/content.cfm?context=thema&content=prop_publicatie&laag1=895&laag2=912&laag3=99&item_id=954

VANG 2014: Ministerie van Milieu en Infrastructuur, Januari 2014, Van Afval Naar Grondstof Uitwerking van acht operationele doelstellingen, Bijlage 1 bij de kamerbrief Invulling programma Van Afval Naar Grondstof, Ministerie van Milieu en Infrastructuur, Den Haag, available at http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten-en-publicaties/rapporten/2014/01/28/van-afval-naar-grondstof-uitwerking-van-acht-operationele-doelstellingen.html

WUR (2008): WUR, 2008, Biobased Economy. State-of-the-art assessment, Den Haag.

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ANNEX 1. Policy measures addressing eco-innovations in the Netherlands

Focus of policy measure

Group of policy measures

Type of policy measure Specific measure

Generic eco-innovations

Resource efficiency improvement

Energy efficiency improvement

Reduction of emissions incl. CO2

Other areas (e.g. re- newable energy, etc)

Venture Capital Measure (Regeling Durfkapitaal), not specific for eco-innovation

Venture capital funds

Groen Beleggen (Green Funds Scheme) is a system of green funds (managed by several Dutch banks) that provides cheap financing (lower interest rates on loans) for investments in certain very eco-innovative or green business activities. The money in the funds is provided by savings of private people who receive a tax reduction on their savings.

X

Innovation Fund (Innovatie Fonds), not specific for eco-innovation

Equity/business support

Public guarantee funds

R&D funding

Under development, not specific for eco-innovation Collaborative grants

Support for R&D in public sector and industry

R&D infrastructure

RDA, not specific for eco-innovation, from 2012 Tax incentives for R&D and start-ups

Groen Beleggen” implies tax reduction on supposed return on investments for certain very eco-innovative or green business activities.

X

WBSO, not specific for eco-innovation

Fiscal measures

Tax incentives for R&D personnel Innovatiebox, not specific for eco-innovation

Tailored training courses for companies, entrepreneurs

SUPPLY SIDE FOCUS

Education, training and mobility

Syntens, not specific for eco-innovtaion

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Advise/consulting for start ups, companies, entrepreneurs

Placement schemes for students

Support for R&D workers recruitments

Dutch SME targeted Syntens is a training and awareness centre for improving entrepreneurship. The Ministry of Environment funds a project “Doe Mee” (2010-present) which aims at raising awareness and competences in a group of 200 SMEs which are interested in sustainability (the frontrunners).

X

Competence centres, clusters, science-technology parks

various regional schemes, not specific for eco-innovation

Technology platforms and innovation networks

Foresight and common vision building

the government has brought forward a number of “green deals” within sector actors and value chains. These aim for partnership for a greener economy involving private actors, but do not entail any form of budget or other commitment from the government side.

X

Networks and partnerships

Market intelligence and other forms of information sharing

CO2- emisson tradescheme V Regulations, targets, cap & trade schemes

Various labels for consumer goods, based on EU regulation for cars, houses, electronic appliances

V V Regulations and standards Performance standards,

labeling, certification

Goal of 100% green public procurement at national level and 50-75% at various regional and local levels (see text)

V

DEMAND SIDE FOCUS

Public procurement

“Green“ public procurement of goods and services

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Dutch SBIR includes eco-innovation subjects V R&D procurement

Pre-commercial procurement

Advisory support for technology adopters

VAMIL/MIA: fiscal support for purchasing environmental innovative investment goods (limited by a list of investment goods that is annually renewed)

X

EIA: fiscal support for purchasing innovative energy investment goods (limited by a list of investment goods that is annually renewed)

X

Technology Transfer

Financial or fiscal support for technology adopters

(e.g. grants for purchasing new technology)

Tax inventive for low CO2 cars (see text) X

Tax incentives for consumers (e.g. for purchasing environmentally efficient products)

VAT-reduction for installation activities for reduction of energy in houses

X Tax reductions for products and services (e.g. VAT reductions)

Demand subsidies (e.g. eco-vouchers, consumer subsidies)

project “Doe Mee” which aims at raising awareness and competences in a group of 200 SMEs which are interested in sustainability

X

Support of private demand

Awareness raising and information provision

About the Eco-Innovation Observatory (EIO)

The Eco-Innovation Observatory (EIO) is an initiative financed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment. Since 2009 the Observatory has been developing an integrated information hub on eco-innovation addressed to business, policy makers, innovation service providers and researchers. The EIO supports the implementation of the European Eco-Innovation Action Plan of the European Commission.

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