The Dutch government has cancelled the funding of SolarNL, a domestic solar PV manufacturing programme.
This decision comes as the National Growth Fund (NGF), a government-run investment programme for green energy, recommended cancelling funding for for phases two and three of the SolarNL programme.
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“Establishing a new solar PV sector in the Netherlands with large-scale production no longer seems realistic,” said the NGF in its decision regarding the solar manufacturing programme, adding: “Therefore, the advisory committee recommended discontinuing the conditionally awarded NGF contribution for this purpose.”
Launched in 2023, the SolarNL programme aimed to establish a domestic solar manufacturing industry in the Netherlands with an emphasis on three technologies: heterojunction (HJT) solar cells, flexible perovskite films and integrated PV products for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and vehicles.
It had initially allocated €135 million (US$159 million) in funding in the first phase, and conditionally awarded a total of €277 million awarded for phases two and three that will no longer be allocated.
The SolarNL programme comprised a consortium of solar companies that aimed to build solar manufacturing capacity in the Netherlands and included, among others, MCPV, Solarge, HyET Solar and research group TNO.
“MCPV deeply regrets the Dutch government’s decision to end State Aid support for the SolarNL programme. Today, more than ever, the EU urgently needs a predictable, resilient, and reliable energy system.
“Achieving this requires the rapid and large-scale deployment of net zero technologies, with solar power leading as the low-cost champion. Europe’s solar industry is as vital to our future as agriculture and defense,” Marc Rechter, CEO at MCPV, told PV Tech.
Last October, the company raised €4.2 million in finance to support the construction of a 4GW HJT cell manufacturing plant in the country. Located in Veendam, northern Netherlands, the plant aimed to begin production in 2026. The company also plans to build a module assembly plant in Spain, for which it received funds from the government’s RENOVAL programme, aimed at boosting clean energy manufacturing in Spain.
“Despite this setback, MCPV is actively responding by advancing alternative projects both within Europe and beyond, determined to drive the clean energy and digital transition forward. The company will communicate more details about these projects at a later stage,” added Rechter.
More support for European solar manufacturing industry
This decision follows two of the major European solar trade associations, the European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) and SolarPower Europe (SPE), asking EU policymakers to take measures to support a European solar manufacturing industry, beyond the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), which came into force in June 2024.
In a joint letter to the European Commission and Ministers of the Competitiveness Council ahead of a solar PV ministerial meeting on 30 September 2025, the two trade bodies called for the implementation of five key measures, including an action plan for the European solar industry.
“To overcome those shortcomings, the European solar industry needs urgent support—both financially and politically,” Christoph Podewills, secretary general of ESMC, told PV Tech.
“An action plan would incorporate both, a strong call to the member states but also the instruments the letter is calling for: Made in Europe in public procurement, as part of the revision of the public procurement regulation; opex support; a dedicated Clean Manufacturing Fund; and also support from the EIB (loan guarantees [and] low-interest loans).”
The Netherlands was not the only country to launch a subsidy programme to help renewables manufacturing in Europe. Earlier this year, Spain awarded €210 million in funding to seven solar PV manufacturing projects, including MCPV’s module assembly plant, and this summer, it launched a new subsidy programme with a total of €480 million of financing available.
