Entrepreneurs made less use of tax benefits for the purchase of energy-saving means, such as heat pumps and solar panels, last year. The investments they reported result in energy savings comparable to the annual energy consumption of 584,000 households. The energy savings remain roughly the same as in 2023. This is evident from the annual report of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) on the Energy Investment Deduction (EIA).
Energy List
Entrepreneurs can deduct 40% of the investment costs from their taxable profits with the EIA. The energy investment (in a business asset) must meet the description on the so-called Energy List.
The Energy List is updated every year. New business assets are added, and some are removed from the Energy List. For example, if entrepreneurs make little or no use of them. Or if the payback period of an investment in these business assets is now less than 5 years.
You can submit a proposal for the Energy List 2026 until September 1st. Submit a proposal.
Fewer Applications
In 2024, entrepreneurs applied for tax benefits for energy-efficient investments totaling over € 3.2 billion. The number of times companies made use of the EIA is a third lower than a year earlier.
Invest Earlier
A possible explanation is that companies accelerated investments in energy-saving business assets in previous years due to high energy prices. Also, in 2024, various business assets on the Energy List were tightened or removed, as these are now standard or to some extent mandatory. As a result, entrepreneurs no longer received tax benefits for them.
For example, entrepreneurs can only apply for tax benefits from the EIA for existing buildings for heat pumps. Because in new construction, a heat pump is now standard. For solar panels, entrepreneurs with a small consumer connection can only receive tax benefits for systems with limited capacity.
Higher Investment Amount
The investment amount per application in 2024 is nearly 2 times higher than the average amount that entrepreneurs reported in the past. This is partly due to inflation, but mainly due to several large investments that entrepreneurs are currently making.
Transport and Energy Storage
In 2024, entrepreneurs applied for fewer tax benefits for energy-efficient investments in buildings and agriculture. For investments in energy storage and transport, RVO sees an increase. Investments in battery storage have increased by 70% compared to a year earlier. Battery storage can make a significant contribution to preventing an overloaded electricity grid.
Want to Know More?
- Ministry of Climate and Green Growth
- Ministry of Finance