Promotion of Hydropower Plants

The Funding Program for the Construction and Expansion of Hydropower Plants of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia supports municipalities, districts, public institutions, companies, educational providers, as well as associations and clubs in projects for climate-friendly electricity generation from hydropower. Funding is provided for grid-connected new installations or expansions of existing hydropower plants with an electrical capacity of up to 1,000 kW. The goal is to make a significant contribution to the energy transition and the transformation towards a climate-neutral energy system in North Rhine-Westphalia. The program is part of the funding guideline “progres.nrw – Climate Protection Technology” and is granted as a non-repayable subsidy. Currently, the application process is paused; a resumption will be announced in due time.

Eligible applicants include, in addition to municipalities and districts, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), schools, continuing education institutions, as well as non-profit associations and clubs with headquarters or project locations in North Rhine-Westphalia. Prerequisites include the submission of an economic feasibility study as well as proof of the location and technical design of the plant. Eligible costs include expenses for planning, economic feasibility studies, construction of brand-new hydropower plants, and expansion of existing systems. For the application, a declaration by the entrepreneur, a statement on the company status, and – for public applicants – a treasurer’s declaration must be submitted. Once the application phase reopens, interested applicants can submit their applications via the program portal and, together with experts, unlock the potential of hydropower in NRW.