NRW.Global Business: Latest YouGov survey shows low awareness of investment opportunities for net-zero industries in Rheinisches Revier

What is holding back the UK's booming net-zero economy from expanding into mainland Europe? One possible reason is limited awareness of a key instrument designed to encourage investment. According to a YouGov survey commissioned by NRW.Global Business, few businesses are familiar with the benefits of the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA). The same is true of Rheinisches Revier and its status as a Net-Zero Valley.

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DÜSSELDORF, Germany, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The UK's net-zero economy continues to grow strongly. A YouGov survey commissioned by NRW.Global Business reveals that more than a third (35 per cent) of UK companies plan to invest in net-zero technologies over the next five years. The survey involved 256 professionals and executives.

Businesses in key green industries looking to expand into mainland Europe can benefit from EU regulatory support for their investments. The EU's Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) aims to boost European manufacturing of net-zero technologies and accelerate approval procedures for related projects.

A regulation offering significant opportunities but attracting little attention

Despite the opportunities it offers, the regulation remains unfamiliar to many in the UK business community. Around two years after it came into force, 32 per cent of respondents have never heard of the NZIA, while 25 per cent recognise the name but know little about it. Only 15 per cent are familiar with its key provisions. Awareness of the concept of 'Net-Zero Valleys', which stand to benefit particularly from the framework established by the NZIA, is similarly limited among respondents.

Location factors: infrastructure, skilled workers and funding are key

Since the beginning of September, Rheinisches Revier in western Germany has also been a Net-Zero Valley. "The Net-Zero Industry Act presents significant opportunities for green industrial development, but its potential is not yet widely recognised internationally," said Jochen Pollotzek, Head of Division Rheinisches Revier at NRW.Global Business. "The EU has much to learn from the UK's green industries," he continued. "At the same time, our Net-Zero Valleys provide ideal conditions for companies involved in developing, manufacturing and financing net-zero technologies to expand their operations."

This is particularly true of Rheinisches Revier, which Pollotzek believes is ideally placed to meet the requirements of UK companies seeking investment locations. Of those surveyed, 74 per cent rated good infrastructure and 72 per cent the availability of skilled workers as either 'fairly important' or 'very important' when choosing a location. Access to funding (70 per cent) and streamlined, fast-track approval procedures (65 per cent) were also high on their list of priorities.

"Companies investing in Rheinisches Revier benefit from well-established value chains and access to ready-to-develop sites with excellent transport and logistics links," explained Jochen Pollotzek. He also highlighted plans to connect the region to the European hydrogen backbone network and its position at the intersection of major European data corridors. Grid connections are already in place in what is known as 'Germany's Energy Heartland'.

RWTH Aachen University, one of Germany's Universities of Excellence, Aachen University of Applied Sciences and Forschungszentrum Jülich are not only internationally renowned research institutions but also a source of highly qualified graduates. "As a Net-Zero Valley, we can also offer companies streamlined planning and approval procedures," explained Pollotzek. "The development of net-zero technologies is advancing rapidly here."

Unlocking potential: raising the region's international profile

Many UK companies considering expansion into Europe have yet to discover the advantages of investing in Rheinisches Revier. In fact, 61 per cent of respondents are unfamiliar with the region as a business and investment location.

"I would encourage UK companies to come and see Rheinisches Revier for themselves. They will find a dynamic business location and reliable partners," said Jochen Pollotzek. "The combination of a strong industrial base, cutting-edge research and the momentum generated by the Net-Zero Valley initiative makes Rheinisches Revier a highly attractive investment location. We need to do even more to promote these strengths internationally."

About the survey

The survey was commissioned by NRW.Global Business and conducted through online interviews with members of the YouGov panel who had previously agreed to participate. A total of 746 professionals and executives were surveyed between 12 and 30 July 2026: 256 in the Netherlands, 234 in Switzerland and 256 in the United Kingdom. No quotas were applied to the sample, and the results were not subsequently weighted. The findings are therefore not representative.

About Rheinisches Revier

Rheinisches Revier in western North Rhine-Westphalia is Europe's largest lignite mining region and one of Germany's major centres of energy-intensive industry. The region is set to phase out opencast lignite mining by 2030. Backed by €14.8 billion in funding for its transformation and strong existing infrastructure, Rheinisches Revier aims to become Europe's first climate-neutral industrial hub. NRW.Global Business, North Rhine-Westphalia's state-owned trade and investment promotion agency, is working to attract international companies to participate in this transformation and seize the opportunities it presents.

Press contact

Phuong Anh Kitty Krause
Marketing Project Manager, Rheinisches Revier
+49 211 13000-501
krause@nrwglobalbusiness.com 
https://www.rheinisches-revier.com/