Within the New Energy Taskforce (NET), the Port of Rotterdam Authority and Deltalinqs are working intensively with TenneT and Stedin. They support companies in mitigating grid congestion through quick, smart solutions and larger-scale structural measures.

Regarding nitrogen policy, an area-specific approach is being discussed with several ministries to ensure compliance with the national environmental quality standards for 2030 and 2035 for each relevant nature reserve. These tailor-made solutions should help enable the issuance of investment licences again. Another example is circular projects, which are often hampered by (reused) raw materials being classified as 'waste' throughout the production chain. Therefore, the Port of Rotterdam Authority is committed to working with partners to simplify the revaluation of waste materials as raw materials in circular processes. Several bottlenecks have been identified that could pass with specific policy adjustments. For improving the investment climate in the short term and a consistent and stimulating long-term transition policy, the Port of Rotterdam Authority made a number of concrete suggestions for the ‘informateur’ to present during the cabinet formation process. All this to give the industry the prospect of a sustainable future in Rotterdam once again in 2026 following a year of warnings.

In the Rotterdam port industrial complex many problems come together, such as grid congestion, delayed permits due to the nitrogen cap and higher grid connection costs than in neighbouring countries, which makes competitive generation difficult. This causes planned investments to be postponed. This is where the government and companies need to come together in cluster-level solutions. Under the title 'Recharge Rotterdam', the State, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Deltalinqs and partners are working together on a programme to enable progress on projects and investments by resolving specific bottlenecks quickly.

The outgoing Schoof government asked former ASML CEO Peter Wennink to issue independent advice on the future earning capacity of the Netherlands. Wennink also underlines the urgency of taking action and increasing our strategic relevance. Furthermore, he stresses that maintaining earning power requires economic growth that is inextricably linked to sustainability. This requires taking fundamental decisions in the short term.

The fall of the government prompted ten ministries and the planning agencies CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis and Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) to prepare an overview of the main climate and energy policy choices towards a sustainable, competitive and resilient economy and society. The report, titled 'Routes to Realisation' serves as input for the formation of a new government. 'Policy choices and direction across the entire chain of energy carriers and sources are needed to achieve a socially and economically desirable transition,' the report states. Resolving the chicken-and-egg problem between supply, demand and infrastructure requires planning, standardisation, pricing and subsidies. Otherwise, the chains will not be set in motion, and everyone will be waiting for others to act. Industrial politics is back on the agenda.

Industry issued a stark warning: ensure that Dutch industry is preserved to safeguard future earning capacity and maintain our strategic autonomy. In addition, only with timely investments in CO₂ reduction and sustainability can climate targets be met by 2050. In the Rotterdam industrial cluster, billions in investments are awaiting environmental permits that cannot be issued because of the nitrogen ‘lock’. Two-thirds of these investments would have contributed to the energy transition. Grid congestion, electricity prices and policy uncertainty result in a less favourable investment climate. Several initiatives have since been launched that should lead to solutions in the Netherlands and in Rotterdam.