National Growth Fund Proposal Biobased Circular Submitted

The plan proposes a transition in the chemical manufacturing industry aimed at restoring the natural materials cycle. Raw materials will no longer be sourced from fossil fuels and will not be incinerated after use; instead, they will come from plant-based sources and will be recycled as much as possible. This will reduce the CO2 emissions of this major Dutch industrial sector to zero, create many new jobs, and provide a substantial boost to the Netherlands’ export position. For more background on the goals and benefits, click here to visit the special page about this plan.

This proposal transforms individual initiatives into an internationally leading circular ecosystem. Biobased Circular is supported by leading European companies (Corbion, Avantium, Cosun, and Renewi), promising scale-up companies (Paques Biomaterials, Relement, Plantics, among others) and leading research institutions (WUR, RUG, TNO, among others). Together, broad research, scaling up, valorization, and chain transition will be initiated and opened to third parties. As a result, many new initiatives with economic potential will emerge. Important application areas include textiles, construction, and packaging.

The application has been submitted to the site of the National Growth Fund.

This proposal also aligns with the National Programme for Circular Economy 2023-2030, published at the beginning of February.

Currently, the submitted proposals are being assessed to determine whether they meet the criteria set by the growth fund. An independent committee will then evaluate the proposals based on their contribution to sustainable earning capacity, strategic justification, and the quality of the plan and proposed governance model. After a positive decision from the cabinet and approval from parliament, the plans can be implemented starting in 2024. Biobased Circular envisions a timeframe of 8.5 years for this initiative.