SDE++: Renewable electricity

You can apply for a subsidy for wind turbines on land.

Do you plan to build a wind turbine near an airport? Under national laws and regulations, the maximum tip height is 150 metres. The tip height is the distance from the ground to the tip of the highest blade.

This rule applies to wind turbines near the following airports:

• Schiphol
• De Kooy
• Deelen
• Eindhoven
• Gilze-Rijen
• Leeuwarden
• De Peel
• Volkel
• Woensdrecht

The rule also applies to wind turbines near the part of Kleine-Brogel Air Base that is located above Dutch territory.

More information about height restrictions

You can find more information about height restrictions in section 2.5.4 'Burgerluchthavens en militaire luchthavens (CNS en vliegveiligheid)' (Civilian airports and military airfields (CNS and aviation safety) of PBL’s memorandum 'Hoogtebeperkte categorie wind op land' (Height-restricted Onshore Wind') (in Dutch).

The ‘Viewer Hoogtebeperkingen Luchtvaart' (Viewer Aviation Height Restrictions) viewer is available on the page 'Hoogtebeperkingen luchtvaart' (Aviation height restrictions) of RVO’s website. This map shows the height limits near airports. The information comes from the Ministry of Defence and the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT). 

You can also apply for a subsidy for wind turbines in areas where height restrictions apply because they may interfere with military radar systems.

You can apply for a subsidy for wind turbines on a flood defence managed by Rijkswaterstaat. The turbines may also be located in nearby areas where building restrictions apply, such as on or near a dike.

These rules apply to primary flood defences. These protect the Netherlands from flooding in areas where water levels rise during storms or high water in major rivers, the IJsselmeer, or the Markermeer. They also include:

• the Volkerak-Zoommeer
• the Grevelingenmeer
• the tidal part of the Hollandsche IJssel
• the Veluwerandmeren

You can also apply for a subsidy for wind turbines near coastal flood defences. These are flood defences along:

• the North Sea
• the Westerschelde
• the Oosterschelde
• the Wadden Sea
• the Dollard
• the Eems

The hard and soft coastal defences of Maasvlakte 2 are also included. Examples are dunes and sea dikes on land.

You can also apply for a subsidy for wind turbines near front-line flood defences. These are flood defences with water on both sides, such as the Afsluitdijk and the Delta Works in Zeeland.

Wind turbines on inland dikes are not included. These dikes have much lower safety requirements. The costs are similar to those of regular onshore wind turbines. You can therefore apply for a subsidy for wind turbines on inland dikes under the Onshore Wind category.

Check all water defences on a map

You can find all water defences and sea water defences on the map ‘Wind op waterkering SDE++’.

You can apply for a subsidy for solar panels that are installed on a roof or mounted on a building façade. A permanent canopy that protects vehicles from the weather is also considered a building. This does not apply to canopies with another purpose, such as structures that cannot be used to shelter vehicles.

Please note: if your building façade faces east or west, separate categories apply.

This category is for:

• Installations that require minor changes to an existing roof. These may include changes to the roof or building structure, or the installation of a support structure for the solar panels. You must include a statement from a structural engineer with your application. The statement must explain what changes are needed to make the structure suitable for the installation.
• Installations with lightweight solar panels. These panels must weigh no more than 10 kilograms per square metre of roof area covered by the panels.

Solar panels on east- and west-facing building walls help spread the load on the electricity grid more evenly throughout the day. An east-facing wall produces electricity in the morning, while a west-facing wall produces electricity in the afternoon and evening.

This setup matches your energy needs in the morning, afternoon, and evening. However, the total yearly electricity production is lower than for a south-facing wall (approximately 15% to 20% less).

You can apply for a subsidy for solar panels that are installed on floating structures on water. This also applies to solar panels placed at sea.

You can apply for a subsidy for solar panels that are installed on land. If you install the panels on the ground, you must do this in a nature-inclusive way. This means that you take into account the welfare of flora and fauna.

Please note: there is a separate category for vertically installed solar panels.

With solar tracking systems on land, the panels automatically follow the position of the sun. This allows you to produce more energy. Solar tracking systems have higher investment costs than standard systems. However, they also have a higher number of full-load hours for which you can receive a subsidy. Therefore, the base amounts and correction amounts are the same as for standard systems.

A feasibility study is required for solar tracking systems. You must also include an energy yield calculation with your application. This calculation is used to determine the maximum number of full-load hours.

Solar park with tracking and non-tracking solar panels

Are you applying for a subsidy for a solar park where not all solar panels follow the sun? Then you must submit 2 separate applications: one for the portion of the subsidy with solar tracking panels and one for the part without solar tracking panels. 

You only need to include an energy yield calculation with the application for the solar tracking portion. It is not possible to change the category after submitting your application.

If panels are installed on the ground, this must be done in a nature-inclusive way. This takes into account the welfare of flora and fauna.

You can apply for a subsidy for two-sided solar panels that are installed vertically on land. This allows the land to be used for 2 purposes, e.g. agriculture or livestock farming. This type of installation also helps spread the load on the electricity grid more evenly throughout the day.

If you install the panels on the ground, you must do this in a nature-inclusive way. This takes into account the welfare of flora and fauna.

The category for solar panels along roads and railways is new. 

This category is for projects located directly along roads and railway lines. These projects are often more difficult to carry out, which means that the costs are higher. 

Only projects built on land with the designation “traffic” in the zoning plan or environmental plan are eligible for a subsidy in this category.

If you install the panels on the ground, you must do this in a nature-inclusive way. This takes into account he welfare of flora and fauna.

From the 2024 application round onwards, you will only receive a subsidy for generated electricity that you supply to the electricity grid.

From 2026, there are 2 ways to meet the requirements for a nature-inclusive solar park:

1. You include the conditions in the permit.
   1. Seen from above, there must be at least 25% open space between the rows of solar panels. See drawings below.
   2. You must provide a layout plan and a management plan to prevent a decline in soil quality, water quality, and ecological quality during the subsidy period.
   3. You must monitor the effects of the solar installation on soil quality, water quality, and biodiversity. If needed, you must take extra measures to prevent damage to nature during the subsidy period.
   4. You must carry out a baseline measurement to find out the current quality of the soil, water, and ecology.

To assess your application, it is important that the local authority includes these conditions in the environmental permit.

2. You have a certification mark.

You can also apply for a subsidy for a nature-inclusive solar park if you have a certification mark.

This certification mark shows that the installation:

• does not have negative effects on plants, animals, and biodiversity;
• has enough space between the solar panels for light to reach the ground and to maintain soil and water quality;
• fits well into the landscape.

An example of such a certification mark is EcoCertified.

25% open space between row of solar panels

Seen from above, there must be at least 25% open space between the rows of solar panels. 

In the 4 pictures below, you can see different situations.

Only the space between the tables with solar panels counts. The space around the outer tables does not.

Is there a pond, ditch, or something else between the tables with solar panels that creates extra space? Then you cannot use that extra space to compensate less space between other tables.

In a south-facing setup, the space between the tables is at least 25% of the width of the table.

In an east-west setup, the east and west sides are seen as one table. The space between the tables must be at least 25% of the width of the table on the east side plus the length of the table on the west side. It does not matter if the tables touch at the top (the highest point) or if there is space at the top.

In an east-west setup, is there space at the top (the highest point)? Then you may use this space to make up for having less space at the bottom (the lowest point). This space can count towards the 25% open space requirement.

You can apply for a subsidy for a production system that is partly made with used materials. However, the solar panels and the inverter must be new.

The Solar PV category is only for installations that are connected to the electricity grid through a large-scale consumer connection. This is a grid connection with a total maximum capacity of more than 3 x 80 amperes (A).

You may also connect your installation to the grid through multiple large-scale consumer connections. It is also possible to connect your installation through the large-scale consumer connection of an adjacent property.

However, the installation must always be located at the site for which we grant the subsidy.

You may connect your system to the electricity grid through the large-scale grid connection of a nearby site. Your system must be built at the location for which the subsidy is given.

Do you want to build your system on 2 nearby sites? Or does your location have more than one street adress? Then explain this clearly in your subsidy application.

Do you have a small consumer connection? 

Are you a producer with a small consumer connection? Then you may be able to apply for the Subsidieregeling Coöperatieve Energieopwekking (SCE) (Subsidy Scheme for Cooperative Energy Generation).

The feed-in capacity for which you sign a contract may not be more than 50% of the peak capacity of your Solar PV installation. This requirement applies to many Solar PV projects, but not to solar tracking projects or vertical Solar PV systems on land.

This allows more renewable energy projects to use the available space on the electricity grid. We compensate your project for the small loss in energy yield caused by a lower number of full-load hours by providing a higher base amount. This measure ultimately leads to more renewable electricity from solar panels.

In the application form, we will ask you additional questions about your grid connection and your contracted feed-in capacity.

New contract or expansion of existing contract

There are different situations:

• You have a new contract. For new grid connections, there is no existing feed-in capacity. This means that the contracted feed-in capacity may not exceed 50% of the peak capacity of your solar panels.
• You are expanding an existing contract. For existing contracts, you do not need to include feed-in capacity that is used for other installations, such as a wind farm or an existing Solar PV installation.

Did you already have a contract with the grid operator before applying for a subsidy? And is this contract not yet used for a different installation? Then you must have the contract adjusted so that it meets the requirements of the scheme.

It is also possible that your current feed-in capacity is higher than the peak capacity of your existing installation. In this case, this capacity is deducted from the maximum 50% that you can contract for the peak capacity of your new installation.

In 2026, you may only use solar panels that have caused a maximum of 550 kg of CO₂ emissions per kWp during production. To prove this, your panels must have an environmental product declaration according to the EPD-Norge method. Keep this requirement in mind when purchasing your panels.

You do not need to prove this at the time of your subsidy application. You only need to provide proof after you have actually purchased the solar panels. The decision letter will state when you must send us a copy of your purchase documents.