Vision, mission and strategy
Through its vision, mission and strategy, EBN plays a central role in shaping public-private cooperation in energy development in the Netherlands. As the national public energy company, EBN is actively committed to delivering a sustainable, reliable and affordable energy supply for citizens and businesses in the Netherlands. Its ultimate goal is to help realise a climate-neutral energy system by 2050.
Our vision
Over the coming years, our energy system will undergo a fundamental transformation. This is essential if we are to achieve the climate goals. Across the Netherlands, work is underway to build a climate-neutral energy system that provides sustainable, affordable and reliable energy. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the benefits and burdens of the energy transition are shared fairly. The energy system of the future must be a just system that works for everyone, both now and in the years ahead.
This will require major changes. Close cooperation between government, industry and civil society organisations is crucial. Together, we must make existing value chains more sustainable, develop new ones and ensure strong connections between them to create a new energy system.
Only by working together can we fully unlock the potential of the land, sea and subsurface for the development of the energy system of the future. A system whose final form we cannot yet fully predict.
In our vision, strong public direction and coordination are needed to accelerate the energy transition. Clear regulatory frameworks are essential, as is a government that is willing to invest where this can help drive progress. On behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Energie Beheer Nederland fulfils this role in the natural gas, heat, and CO2 transport and storage value chains.
Source: EBN infographic 2025
Our mission
Our mission is to accelerate the development of a sustainable energy system together. As a public energy company, Energie Beheer Nederland is committed to helping accelerate the implementation of Dutch energy and climate policy.
The EBN strategy: Fit for 60
The Dutch energy transition is a story of both ambition and conditions. The Dutch government has set clear targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands: a reduction of at least 55%, and preferably 60%, by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, and a climate-neutral energy system by 2050.
The conditions for achieving these goals are equally clear. Energy is essential to society. Today and in the future, sufficient energy must be available to meet the needs of households and businesses. In addition to being sustainable and readily available, that energy must also be affordable, reliable and socially acceptable.
EBN’s strategic pillars focus on developing an integrated energy system through public-interest system development, a sustainable gas system, a sustainable heat transition, and responsible CO₂ storage.
The war in Ukraine, the resulting rise in energy prices and the need for government intervention to ensure adequate gas storage levels have highlighted that security of energy supply cannot be taken for granted. There is every reason to assume that this situation will not change quickly. Even if the war comes to an end, the global energy market is unlikely to regain the level of stability seen in previous years. As a result, the urgency of the transition to a sustainable energy system is even greater than it was before.
As a policy participation of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, EBN is committed to accelerating the energy transition and the development of a climate-neutral energy system by 2050, while ensuring that energy remains reliable and affordable. EBN occupies a unique position. With a long-standing focus on public-private cooperation, it is the only public organisation involved in the energy transition that is also active on the energy production side. Through a broad range of themes and activities, EBN contributes every day to meeting the Netherlands’ current need for reliable and affordable energy, while at the same time helping to make the Dutch energy system more sustainable and supporting the development of a climate-neutral energy supply for the future.
The strategy for 2023 and beyond builds on these developments and on EBN’s ambition to help achieve the Netherlands’ climate goals. It is a strategy that reflects EBN’s public mandate, recognises the importance of affordability and security of supply, and seeks to unlock the combined potential of land, sea and the subsurface. It is also a strategy designed to accelerate the energy transition by promoting the optimal integration of the various elements of the energy system. The strategy is built around four strategic pillars.
- A sustainable gas system: after 2040, EBN aims to market gases that are climate-neutral. EBN is also involved in the electrification of offshore platforms, the reuse of infrastructure and the exploration of sustainable gases. Read more about the strategic pillar ‘A sustainable gas system’.
- System development in the public interest: the development of a sustainable and accessible energy system for everyone. Read more about the strategic pillar ‘System development in the public interest’.
- Responsible carbon storage: EBN is working towards the development of a CO2 transport and storage system in the North Sea. Read more about the strategic pillar ‘Responsible carbon storage’.
- A sustainable heat transition: EBN is working on the large-scale development of geothermal energy through various projects and on the development of collective heat systems. Read more about the strategic pillar ‘A sustainable heat transition’.