5-Site Program for Coal-Fired Power Plant Locations in the Ruhr Area
Sustainable strengthening of the five power plant locations particularly affected by the coal phase-out—Duisburg, Gelsenkirchen, Hamm, Herne, and the Unna district—through innovation promotion, structural transformation, and climate protection projects.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
Strengthening innovation, value creation, and employment at the five locations and throughout the Ruhr region – through the promotion of structurally effective projects in the fields of sustainable land development, innovation systems, energy & climate protection, the education value chain, and mobility.
Eligible expenses
- Capital expenditures (machinery, infrastructure)
- Planning services
- Consulting and project management
- Site development and preparation
- Innovation and research projects
Non-eligible expenses
- Personnel expenses (except project-related external personnel costs)
- Financing costs
- Operating costs
- Retroactive costs
Eligible to apply
- Public Institutions
- Companies
- Non-profit Organizations
- Educational Institutions
Funding requirements
- Location in Duisburg, Gelsenkirchen, Hamm, Herne or Unna district
- Project contribution to structural effectiveness according to the Investment Act for Coal Regions
- Integration into the action plan of the 5-site program
- Future Agency and Structural Strengthening Council award
Documents required for application
- Project outline
- Proof of regional consensus/regional seal
- Reference to action plan
- Financing plan
- Sustainability proof
- CO₂ calculation
- Justification of additionality
Evaluation criteria
- Structural effectiveness
- Contribution to climate protection and sustainability
- Number of jobs created
- Degree of innovation
- Regional value creation
- Activation of land potential
Description
5-Locations Program NRW: The 5-Locations Program strengthens the hard coal power plant sites Duisburg, Gelsenkirchen, Hamm, Herne, and the district of Unna in the Ruhr area, which are particularly affected by the coal phase-out, through sustainable structural funding. Municipalities, companies, research institutions, and non-profit organizations can receive up to 90% grants for capital expenditures such as machinery, infrastructure, land development, as well as for planning and consulting services. A focus lies on forward-looking fields of action: Sustainable Land Development mobilizes brownfield and industrial sites; the Innovation System is expanded through R&D projects and transfer centers; Energy & Climate Protection focus on efficiency, renewable energies, and decarbonization. This is complemented by Education Chains to secure skilled workers and Intermodal Mobility with low-emission transport solutions. The project duration is up to 60 months, with a funding rate of up to 90%. Continuous submission of applications is possible; project outlines alone can be submitted at any time. After selection by the Structural Strengthening Council, the full application is submitted.
The program offers a strategic framework for innovation, value creation, and employment. Key prerequisites are proof of location (Duisburg, Gelsenkirchen, Hamm, Herne, or district of Unna), contribution to structural impact according to the Coal Regions Investment Act, and integration into the regional action concept. Evaluation criteria include climate protection contribution, job creation, and level of innovation. Projects in digitalization, research & innovation, energy efficiency, environmental and climate protection, infrastructure, regional development, and business financing are supported. Project managers benefit from professional advice from Zukunftsagentur NRW, the district governments, and the project office of Business Metropole Ruhr. With a budget of up to EUR 662 million from the NRW state government, the transformation at the five locations is advanced and a sustainable, crisis-resilient economic structure is established.
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