Overijssel and Drenthe launch joint heat company to accelerate sustainable energy transition
Residents in Overijssel and Drenthe may soon benefit from expanded district heating networks as the provinces establish a new government-backed heat company. With €32 million allocated, this initiative aims to meet growing demand for sustainable heating solutions while commercial projects stall due to new regulations.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| New Entity | Warmtebedrijf Drenthe Overijssel |
| Partners | Province of Drenthe, Energiebeheer Nederland, regional network operators |
| Funding Allocation | €32 million for the first 10 years |
| Start Date | 2027 (due to new legal requirements) |
| Forest Restoration Budget | €3.6875 million |
| Additional Initiatives | Audit Chamber report on land strategy, Information Provision Programme |
| Provincial Council Members | 47 members, 16 parties |
The Provincial Council of Overijssel is the elected governing body responsible for setting regional policy, including sustainable energy transitions and environmental initiatives. It oversees the implementation of provincial strategies, such as district heating networks and forest resilience, ensuring alignment with broader climate and housing goals.
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Province takes next step towards Warmtebedrijf Drenthe Overijssel
Provincial Council of Overijssel has approved on 1 April the plan to establish a new heat company in collaboration with other parties: Warmtebedrijf Drenthe Overijssel. This company will assist in the construction and management of district heating networks. District heating networks are crucial for the transition to sustainable energy in Overijssel. Other approved proposals include the restoration and strengthening of existing forests, the Audit Chamber report East Netherlands ‘Ground for ground strategy’, and the Information Provision Assurance Programme 2026-2028.
Increasing demand for district heating networks
From 2027, district heating networks must be managed by companies with a majority government stake. As a result, commercial parties have halted new projects, even as demand for district heating networks grows. Municipalities decide where district heating networks will be located but often require additional support. Therefore, we are collaborating with the Province of Drenthe, Energiebeheer Nederland and regional network operators. Overijssel is opting for a cautious start, allocating a maximum of €32 million for the first ten years. After this period, Provincial Council will evaluate and decide on further steps.
Restoring and strengthening existing forests
Provincial Council has decided to allocate €3 million for the restoration and strengthening of existing forests in Overijssel. An additional remaining budget of €687,500 will be added to this amount. This funding will be used to make forests more resilient to drought, including by retaining water in the soil for longer. With this investment, the province aims to implement the Overijssel Forest Strategy and continue working towards climate goals. As there is currently little funding available from the national government and Europe, the province is taking the initiative itself. Healthy and resilient forests are vital for nature, climate and the living environment of residents, now and in the future.
Audit Chamber report East Netherlands
Provincial Council has taken note of the Audit Chamber report East Netherlands on ground strategy. The report highlights that land is playing an increasingly important role in major challenges facing the province, such as housing construction, energy, nature and water. Given the scarcity of space and the growing complexity of these challenges, it is essential for the province to make clear choices in land use and the associated instruments. The Audit Chamber sees opportunities to achieve goals more effectively through a more coherent approach. This means better aligning policy areas and setting clear priorities. Provincial Council has asked the Provincial Executive to implement the recommendations from the report and improve future land use.
On the initiative of ChristenUnie and GroenLinks, Provincial Council has added an extra intermediate step through a unanimously supported amendment: the Provincial Executive is asked to first investigate how integrated land strategies can contribute to the societal challenges facing the province and discuss this with Provincial Council.
Information Provision Assurance Programme 2026-2028
Provincial Council has decided to invest in improving information provision over the next three years. The province is transitioning from a policy organisation to an information organisation. The current system is outdated and does not fully comply with laws such as the Wet open overheid (Open Government Act), the Algemene Verordening Gegevensbescherming (General Data Protection Regulation) and the Archiefwet (Archives Act). This approach will ensure better systems and clear working methods. Investments will also be made in staff to retain knowledge within the organisation. This will make the province more reliable and better prepared for the future. A strong information base will support key challenges such as housing construction, energy and nitrogen.
About Provincial Council
Provincial Council is the elected representative body of Overijssel and forms the general administration of the province. Council members are elected every four years by the residents of Overijssel. After the elections, they appoint the Provincial Executive (Gedeputeerde Staten), which forms the daily administration of Overijssel. Provincial Council determines the province’s policy in broad terms and monitors whether the Provincial Executive implements the adopted policy effectively. Overijssel has 47 council members, divided among 16 parties. The Chairman of the Council meeting is the King’s Commissioner Andries Heidema.