European Clean Industrial Deal: 'own' green industries first
The European Commission is giving priority to European companies in green investments, with new rules for state aid and tenders.
Published on February 26, 2025
Team IO+ selects and features the most important news stories on innovation and technology, carefully curated by our editors.
Today, the European Commission will unveil its long-awaited Clean Industrial Deal, with new state aid and procurement rules. This initiative aims to compete with China and the US while accelerating climate goals. With the Clean Industrial Deal, the EU wants to support industry without compromising climate policy. By shifting the focus to liquefied natural gas and an integrated long-term strategy for agriculture, Europe is trying to find a balance between economic growth and environmental conservation. Rising sales of electric cars are already showing success, but challenges remain.
Clean Industrial Deal as a catalyst
Today, the European Commission launched the Clean Industrial Deal, aiming to save tens of billions of euros on fossil fuel imports. The extensive measures to strengthen the European industry include simplified sustainability reporting and investment regulations, encouraging government agencies to place European orders for green investments. The approach is two-fold: on the one hand, state aid rules are relaxed to stimulate investment in clean industry, and on the other hand, the focus is on protecting citizens from high energy prices. This allows companies to recoup their green investments.
Some measures include speeding up the permit procedure for sustainable energy projects, revising the energy tariff structure, and increasing subsidies for renewable energy. The new energy rules should also support renewable energy companies struggling with cheap imports. The European Commission recognizes that high energy prices are a crucial challenge for industry.
“The fact that the US is now distancing itself from the green agenda... does not mean we will do the same. On the contrary. It means that we must take a step forward,” said EU energy commissioner Dan Jørgensen in an interview with Reuters.
Investment of the month: CarbonX is ready to play its part in Europe’s battery industry
Every month, we interview a startup that has received an investment recently. This month: CarbonX.
CarbonX: example of ‘green’ innovation from Europe first
The Delft-based startup CarbonX, among others, will receive a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) to develop a more sustainable alternative to graphite in batteries.
The Delft-based startup CarbonX has reached an important milestone in European battery technology. The company, founded in 2014 as a spin-off of Delft University of Technology, was selected from 1,211 proposals and is one of 71 leading companies to receive funding. Their innovative technology offers a sustainable alternative to graphite in batteries, consuming five times less energy than the production of synthetic graphite. This is strategically important as more than 95% of graphite comes from China. The award of a €2.5 million grant is crucial in the European industrial transition.
CarbonX's growth trajectory illustrates the transformation that European industry is undergoing. With currently 15 employees, the company plans a subsequent financing round of €25 million in the first quarter of 2026. CEO Rutger van Raalten emphasizes the company's evolution: “We have evolved from an advanced materials company to a supply chain solution, which may be less sexy but more necessary.” The company is preparing for a production site in the port of Rotterdam and is investigating possible expansion into the United States. Recent investments are being used to secure raw materials and increase battery testing capacity.