Municipalities are obliged to include the construction of biogas plants in their municipal planning, as well as the allocation of grants for selling biogas to co-generation plants and the natural gas net. The scheme became effective as from the 2010 planting season. The grant can be given to areas in normal operation, in which planting results in a large reduction of nitrogen, and at locations where a reduction in the nitrogen burden can contribute towards meeting the requirement of the Water Framework Directive.