Future vouchers for the Rhineland region

The phase-out of lignite mining and the associated green transformation will pose major challenges for companies in the Rhenish mining area over the next few years. Business models, supplier structures and employee qualification requirements will change - often requiring considerable operational adjustments. At the same time, structural change and digitalization offer many companies the opportunity to make processes more climate-friendly and resource-efficient or to tap into new growth markets.

The state and the EU are using the Just Transition Fund (JTF) to support three - freely combinable - modules from the wide range of "Zukunftsgutscheine Rheinisches Revier" to support change in the region:

• TransformConsult (consulting)
• TransformInvest (investments)
• TransformExpert (personnel)

Funding is provided for projects that aim to transform production processes, business models and diversify products in terms of sustainability, resource conservation, energy efficiency, climate protection and digitalization, as well as digitalization projects if the company is active or wants to become active in a green transformation market.

What is funded?

• Investments for the energy and resource-oriented optimization of industrial and commercial plants and processes
• Innovation investments up to the development of prototypes with the goal of a climate-neutral economy
• Investments for the digitalization of business and production processes (if the company is active in a green transformation market/wants to become active)

In particular, expenditure on plant, machinery, patents and operating licenses is eligible for funding.

How is funding provided?

• The maximum funding rate is 60%.
• Investments in tangible and intangible assets for the sustainable diversification of production (in accordance with Article 17 of the GBER)
• Process and organizational innovation (in accordance with Article 29 of the GBER)
• Investments in environmental protection (in accordance with Article 36 of the GBER) insofar as these go beyond legal requirements

Individual funding under the GBER is limited to a maximum of €2 million per company and project.

In the case of de minimis funding, the maximum funding amount is 200,000 euros. It is reduced by the de minimis aid that the company has received in the last two tax years and in the current tax year. This also includes subsidies for the TransformConsult and TransformExpert modules.