10 years of the EXI: Environmental solutions for the world

white globe on colourful background with '10 years exi" on it

We are celebrating 10 years of the EXI

Over 200 projects featuring “GreenTech made in Germany” in around 100 developing and emerging countries, with the funding volume totalling EUR 82 million – that is the track record so far of ten years of the Export Initiative Environmental Protection (EXI).

Under the motto “German environmental solutions for the world”, the anniversary year is fully characterised by considering past achievements and future plans. The funding programme of the German Federal Environment Ministry will be presented during the anniversary year at events including the IFAT in May. A particular highlight is the EXI Annual Conference in September, where actors from projects, politics and practice come together.

Ten years of the EXI – a good time to pause for a moment and look back:

How has the EXI developed during the last 10 years? What milestones have been achieved? And who are the people behind the projects?

During the course of the anniversary year, this page will regularly provide insights, project stories and reviews that demonstrate what the Export Initiative Environmental Protection has achieved worldwide.

Four statistics in a grid showing 203 funded projects with a checklist icon, 97 countries with a globe icon, 106 participating organisations with a group around a table icon, and 82 million euros funding volume with hands holding a money bag icon

The development of the EXI

A horizontal timeline with a yellow bar marks years from 2016 to 2026. Blue text boxes above and below the timeline indicate milestones and events, each connected to the timeline by a thin line. The timeline begins with the start of the EXI at the BMU as the Export Initiative Environmental Technologies and ends with the EXI at the re publica. Key events include project management by VDI/VDE-IT, the first funding call, the first EXI network meeting, the first EXI at IFAT Munich, the first project management report, the first project funding with an investment component, renaming to Export Initiative for Environmental Protection, the first 'hydrogen' project, monitoring success upon the 200th project, and an annual conference with anniversary celebration. A blue bar below the timeline notes a strategic partnership with the DIHK (Chambers for GreenTech, NOW, GIZ, and RETech).

2016 – The birth of the EXI

The Export Initiative for Environmental Protection was officially ‘born’ on 7 March 2016, when the very first funding guideline entered into force. This saw the start of the first international environmental projects and laid the foundation for more than 200 initiatives.

DIHK Service GmbH (Chambers for GreenTech) has been a partner of the EXI right from the start and, in cooperation with the Chambers of Commerce Abroad, prepares markets for German environmental technologies.

Oliver Larsen präsentiert vor einer Gruppe Besuchender — Since 2018, the EXI has been exhibiting regularly at the IFAT in Munich, the world’s leading trade fair for environmental technologies.

2018 – Further partnerships and first IFAT appearance

The EXI develops further: on 16 March 2018, the Nationale Organisation Wasserstoff- und Brennstoffzellentechnologie (NOW - National Organisation for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) signed a cooperation as part of the Export Initiative Environmental Protection.

With these two strong partners, the EXI gained further international networking. The first feasibility studies on remote green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies were approved and global transformation projects were initiated.

Also in 2018, the Export Initiative appeared for the first time at the IFAT Munich, the world’s leading trade fair for environmental technologies. Visitors were able to learn about funded projects and the activities of the German Federal Environment Ministry.

2021 – The EXI becomes investment-based

In 2021, the Export Initiative Environmental Protection was expanded by an investment focus. Apart from feasibility studies, pilot projects and showcases with investment requirements could now also be implemented in a targeted manner. This enabled not only the conceptual development of environmental technologies, but also their testing and demonstration under real conditions. The first investment projects started in 2022.

The German RETech Partnership (RETech) becomes a partner of the EXI. It supports and strengthens German GreenTech companies in their internationalisation and the establishment of sustainable circular economy and waste management concepts abroad.

The ANAJO project built a pilot plant in Jordan to demonstrate the use of anaerobic treatment procedures in sewage treatment plants.

ZUG is a non-profit federal company that works as a service provider for various federal ministries.

2022 – New project management agency and evaluation

Another milestone followed in 2022: ZUG gGmbH took over as the project management agency for the Export Initiative Environmental Protection. As a leading project management agency of the Federal Environment Ministry, ZUG is responsible for around 25 funding programmes and competence centres in the areas of the environment, climate action and nature conservation.

The EXI’s activities so far were also systematically analysed for the first time. The first external evaluation confirmed the effectiveness of the initiative and provided valuable input for its further development.

2023 to 2025 – Visualising effects

From 2023, the focus was on the direct effects of the Export Initiative Environmental Protection. ZUG gGmbH questioned former grant recipients regarding their completed projects, in order to particularly document the economic benefits of the funding.

The accompanying monitoring also confirmed that the EXI is developing measurable impacts. Through its targeted connectivity with the focus topics of other departments – particularly Economic Co-Operation and Development – the Export Initiative increasingly established itself as an interface funding programme.

End of 2025, the GIZ and RETech are successfully completing their projects within the EXI.

zwei Männer vor Abfallsammelfahrzeug schütteln Hände — A successful model for sustainable waste management has been established in four Ukrainian municipalities as part of the EXI.

Gruppenfoto der Teilnehmenden mit Staatssekretär Tidow und ZUG-Geschäftsführerin Constanze Haug — The next EXI Annual Conference will take place in 2026 – with a focus on the programme’s tenth anniversary.

2026 – Outlook

Developments so far give the direction for the coming years: since 2016, the EXI has established itself as a funding instrument for the international testing of German environmental technologies and is in constant demand within the GreenTech sector.

At the same time, the added value of cross-departmental cooperation is becoming evident, for example with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Aerospace.

A clear trend is also evident in the project structure: instead of many small, short-term individual projects, larger and longer-term collaborative projects are increasingly emerging. This approach is expected to gain further momentum with a stronger focus on investment and improved commercial utilisation of the results.

Looking forward, the EXI is also set to play a greater role in facilitating the transition from publicly funded projects to private financing.

The EXI is active worldwide

world map with EXI projects in 97 countries

The EXI is active in 97 countries. It does not have any specific country priorities, but concentrates on countries with development potential in the GreenTech sector.

Regional activities of the EXI