Netherlands Porthos SDE++ Operational Subsidy

The Dutch SDE++ (Stimulation of Sustainable Energy Production) is the global gold standard for supporting CCUS OPEX. It operates on a ‘Viability Gap Funding’ model, covering the deficit between carbon capture costs and the prevailing market carbon price for 15 years. For the 2024-2025 rounds, the budget was expanded to €8 billion with a subsidy intensity cap of €400 per tonne of CO2. The Porthos project in the Port of Rotterdam is the flagship beneficiary, securing a €2.1 billion grant reservation to enable industrial customers like Air Liquide and Shell to connect to North Sea sinks. This policy provides the multi-decade financial certainty required to position the Netherlands as the primary CO2 logistics hub for Northern Europe.