Netherlands Blocks €277 Million Funding For SolarNL Project

The Government of the Netherlands will not be disbursing the €277 million conditional funding for the SolarNL incentive program, which was established to support domestic solar PV manufacturing in the country. The decision by the cabinet follows a negative recommendation from the National Growth Fund’s (NGF) advisory committee.  

A collaboration of academia and industry, SolarNL was created for the development and industrialization of new solar PV technologies. It was awarded €412 million by the NGF in 2023, out of which €135 million was released for Phase I. The remaining €277 million was conditionally awarded for phases II and III.  

This spring, SolarNL requested the disbursement of €110.7 million for Phase II of the project, but the NGF said it found that factors that should make the project a success are not, or only partially, present.

NGF explains, “Therefore, establishing a new solar PV sector in the Netherlands with large-scale production no longer seems realistic. Therefore, the advisory committee recommended discontinuing the conditionally awarded NGF contribution for this purpose.” Its recommendation led the cabinet to decide against granting the request. 

SolarNL took on the task of developing silicon heterojunction (HJT) solar cell technology and the construction of a factory, the development and commercialization of perovskite film technology, and the development and commercialization of integrated solar products (see Dutch Push For Solar Panel Manufacturing). 

The board of SolarNL had earlier expressed its disappointment with the NGF recommendation. In its defense, it says that the HJT solar cell factory construction has not been realized due to ‘unexpectedly unfavorable market conditions and the lack of private financing’, while the commercialization trajectory for perovskite is still unclear. It targets large-scale commercialization in the second half of its term, after 2028, having entered a ‘promising innovation phase’.

Defending the potential for solar in the country, the SolarNL consortium believes that the country needs to install 6 GW of solar panels annually for its energy transition. It aims to explore collaboration with industrial partners.

Meanwhile, there is still hope as the NGF informs, “In the coming months, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (KGG) will consult with stakeholders to determine the consequences for SolarNL of the cancellation of funding for the second and third phases. Some of the funding already allocated for the first phase of the project has not yet been spent. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (KGG) is considering submitting an amended plan for this phase of the project.”

The decision follows SolarPower Europe and the European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) urging the EU to provide immediate support for solar PV manufacturing in the bloc, beyond the Net Zero Industry Act framework (see EU Solar Industry Calls For Immediate Manufacturing Support).