The Netherlands Adopts a Danish-Inspired Digital Heritage Law
This is an article from our partner DBDH.
The Dutch parliament has adopted its first comprehensive district heating law, and Denmark's model is a clear source of inspiration.
For years, DBDH, the Danish Energy Agency, and the Danish Embassy in The Hague have partnered with Dutch authorities through the Export Energy Global Programme (EGP) via strategic cooperation, study tours, and market-development projects. The law even cites Denmark and the Danish Energy Agency multiple times in its explanatory notes, reflecting the depth of that influence.
Danish Energy Agency’s blueprint for the new Dutch DH law
This milestone is a testament to the Danish Energy Agency's sustained cooperation with the authorities in the Netherlands. Danish officials highlight that the new Dutch framework is "deeply inspired by the Danish district heating model," and point specifically to three areas where Denmark has guided policy design: public/municipal ownership, cost-based tariff regulation, and financing structures built around municipal guarantees and Kommunekredit-style solutions.
DBDH’s bridge-building role: projects and delegation visits
DBDH has helped turn high-level cooperation into practical progress: coordinating the CONFIDENCE (empowering Dutch municipalities for district heating) and Front-Runner Cities II (Dutch-Danish collaboration on heat planning and district heating), and curating targeted delegation visits to Denmark for Dutch ministries, cities, and utilities. These visits connected Dutch decision-makers with Danish municipalities, utilities, regulators, and financiers, showcasing how “not-for-profit” principles, transparent governance, and integrated planning translate into bankable, consumer-friendly systems. The Danish trade press also notes the many Dutch delegations engaging Danish organizations and utilities – not only on technology, but on ownership and regulatory setup – underscoring the value of structured, peer-to-peer learning.
A major export opportunity for Danish companies
Today, only about 7% of Dutch households are on district heating; the ambition is roughly one-third by 2050, around 2.6 million new connections. Meeting that goal requires a massive investment of roughly €40 billion, and the Dutch are explicitly looking to providers with deep, proven experience. That spells opportunity across Danish strengths: system planning and advisory; large heat pumps; network design and components; biomass, geothermal, and seasonal storage; and financing/PPP structuring grounded in transparent, cost-based regulation. Danish stakeholders are pleased with The Danish Energy Agency's long-term work now bearing fruit and creating tangible demand for Danish solutions as the Netherlands shifts heat away from gas.
What's in the new law (in brief)
Public/municipal leadership: Large systems majority-owned locally to align planning and accountability.
Cost-based tariff regulation: Transparent, gas-independent pricing overseen by the Dutch regulator.
De-risked financing: Public guarantee schemes (via BNG Bank) inspired by Denmark’s municipal-guarantee model.
What happens next – and how DBDH can help
With the legislative foundation in place, the Dutch roll-out will accelerate. DBDH will continue to coordinate projects, organize targeted delegations to Denmark, and help match Dutch demand with the right Danish expertise, so companies can convert policy momentum into export wins quickly and credibly.
