In 2019, the government concluded the Dutch Climate Agreement together with important sectors and trade associations. It is a set of measures and plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent in the Netherlands by 2030 compared to 1990. Many of the 600 agreements have not yet been worked out in detail. For the study discussed here, the researchers selected and clustered the measures that are already concrete and will have an impact on SMEs.
Effects
The effects of the measures will differ per entrepreneur. Do you have a business premises or do you regularly deliver in the city centre? Then you will have to move towards natural gas-free entrepreneurship, improve your energy label, and take into account the zero-emission zones in city centres. Are you a major consumer of energy? In that case, the rising tax on electricity and natural gas will result in higher costs.
Opportunities
Of course, costs for one entrepreneur offer opportunities for another. For example, do you work in the installation, software, or cleantech industry? The energy transition opens up new markets. From a growing demand for heat pumps to the need for new techniques for energy storage, smart energy systems, and applications for logistics management.
SME sectors
The ministry examined the effects in detail for 10 SME sectors.
Directly to the branches, all in Dutch:
- Bakeries
- Cafés and restaurants
- Contractor companies
- Metal companies
- Courier companies
- Installation companies
- Greenhouse horticulture
- Dairy farm
- Cleantech
- Software companies
With the digital tool of MKB Climate Work (in Dutch) you can discover support schemes for your company.
Bakeries
A bakery with its own building, gas-fired ovens, and a delivery van will be more expensive annually. According to a calculation example in the report, a bakery with a turnover of 1 million euros will no longer have an 8 to 9% profit margin, but rather 6 to 7%. Bakeries also have to make substantial investments in order to do business without natural gas. For example, buying electric ovens.
Discover what is changing for bakeries (in Dutch), what you can do yourself, and what subsidies are available.
Cafés and restaurants
For hospitality entrepreneurs, the structural annual costs will probably not increase. Energy-saving measures compensate for the higher energy costs. However, hospitality entrepreneurs can expect to invest substantially as a result of the measures announced in the Dutch Climate Agreement. For example, to make the building more sustainable and to purchase electrical kitchen equipment.
Discover what is changing for cafés and restaurants (in Dutch), what you can do yourself, and what subsidies are available.
Contractor companies
The plans to switch off natural gas in the Netherlands create a lot of work for contractor companies. Because buildings must be better insulated and the demand for sustainable heat will increase. Structural annual costs for contractor companies are likely to rise, as they will have to invest to make their business premises energy neutral and to switch off natural gas. When that is done, the annual energy costs will decrease. Overall, the researchers expect the current profit margin of 9-10% to remain the same, depending on the situation per company.
Discover what is changing for contractor companies (in Dutch), what you can do yourself, and what subsidies are available.
Metal companies
A metal company will have higher annual expenses, mainly due to measures that increase the tax on transport and energy consumption. Energy-saving measures and switching to electrical equipment cannot offset these costs. According to a calculation example in the report, the measures will reduce the average profit margin from 14-15% in the future by about 0 to 3% to 11-15%.
Discover what is changing for metal companies (in Dutch), what you can do yourself, and what subsidies are available.
Courier companies
Annual costs will increase for most courier companies, mainly due to measures that increase taxes on transport and energy consumption. Energy-saving measures and switching to electrical equipment offset these costs. The research report states that the current profit margin of 6-7% remains the same, depending on the situation per company. However, courier companies await substantial investments, such as fully electric delivery vans.
Discover what is changing for courier companies (in Dutch), what you can do yourself, and what subsidies are available.
Installation companies
The plans to switch off natural gas in the Netherlands create a lot of work for installation companies. Because the demand for sustainable heat sources such as heat pumps and solar panels is growing. Installation companies will have to invest in order to make their business premises energy neutral and to switch off from natural gas. When that is done, the annual energy costs will decrease. Overall, the researchers expect the current profit margin of 9-10% to remain the same, depending on the situation per company.
Discover what is changing for installation companies (in Dutch), what you can do yourself, and what subsidies are available.
Greenhouse horticulture
For most greenhouse horticulturists, especially in lighted cultivation, the annual costs will increase. Greenhouse horticulture will have to deal with higher energy costs, the switch to natural gas-free entrepreneurship, and agreements to save energy. For example, with an extra horizontal energy screen, extra insulation, or selective heating. According to a calculation example in the report, a greenhouse horticulturist with a turnover of 1 million euros will no longer have a 9 to 10% profit margin, but 3 to 4% with the same energy consumption.
Discover what is changing in greenhouse horticulture (in Dutch), what you can do yourself, and what subsidies are available.
Dairy farms
Dairy farms play an important role in achieving the climate goals. Because dairy farms use a lot of land and energy, and cows emit the greenhouse gas methane. The sector wants a climate-responsible dairy sector and energy-neutral dairy farming by 2030. It is still unclear what the exact measures from the Dutch Climate Agreement will look like for dairy farming. And what the effects on reducing emissions will be. That is why the research report lists a number of possible measures. And which subsidies you can use for those.
Discover what is changing in dairy farming (in Dutch), what you can do yourself, and what subsidies are available.
Clean tech
The Dutch Climate Agreement offers many new opportunities for entrepreneurs in clean tech. For example, for innovations in agriculture, transport, and for buildings. Clean tech is a collective name for companies with products or services that contribute to a cleaner earth. Such as producers of LED lamps, generators of sustainable energy, and companies that work with recycling.
Discover what is changing in clean tech (in Dutch) and what opportunities there are.
Software companies
The Dutch Climate Agreement offers software companies many new opportunities. A software company will hardly spend more per year as a result of the measures in the Climate Agreement, the researchers write. According to a calculation example in the report, a software company with a turnover of 1 million euros will maintain the current margin of 4 to 5%.
Discover what is changing for software companies (in Dutch), what you can do yourself, and what subsidies are available.