Study 34: Benchmarking of support schemes and measures in European countries for the decarbonisation of industry

This study identifies and analyses the aid and support schemes aimed at decarbonising industry in a selection of seven European countries, a crucial issue for the development of this type of high-impact project.

The research aims to answer two key questions:

• What schemes are available in the target countries? What are their characteristics?
• Which specific measures are best suited to the various types of industrial players?

Seven countries were selected for this study: Germany, Austria, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland and the United Kingdom. This selection is based on an in-depth analysis of key criteria, such as national political stability, energy costs, the scale of their industrial activity, and the market potential for decarbonisation solutions.

The scope of the search for devices was limited to two main categories:

• Financial mechanisms (such as grants towards project investment costs, tax relief and incentives for research and development)
• Coercive measures (such as carbon taxes and energy efficiency legislation).

Only national schemes have been mapped.

In total, 86 schemes covering different types of funding and decarbonisation levers were identified.

This work revealed a degree of harmonisation in the eligibility criteria for these schemes, particularly in the case of programmes involving calls for proposals.

The study concludes by assessing the suitability of some of these schemes for five profiles of industrial stakeholders representative of ALLICE’s members. It identifies the main challenges specific to each profile and highlights the most appropriate schemes in relation to their characteristics and objectives.