In February 2007, the Dutch Government set a new target to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 30 per cent by the year 2020. In order to attain this target, the existing aid schemes for renewable energy and combined heat and power were modified, extended and transformed into a new scheme. This new scheme, which stimulates the production of renewable energy and combined heat and power, provides an extra available budget of EUR 2.1 billion. The new scheme was authorised by the European Commission under EC Treaty State aid rules. The total amount of Dutch expenditure for renewable energy currently amounts to EUR 8.3 billion.