Within the DEESME2050 project, an inventory of funding opportunities for energy efficiency at EU level has been made. The main findings are reported below.
The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) are EU financial instruments designed to implement the regional policy of the EU. They aim to reduce regional disparities in income, wealth, and opportunities. In the current 2021–2027 funding period, ESIFs have already supported over 4 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, SMEs often need external guidance to access these opportunities, which is why specialized support providers at national level can be valuable.
One of the key instruments is the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which is designed to strengthen economic, social, and territorial cohesion in the European Union. The ERDF finances programmes in shared responsibility between the European Commission and national and regional authorities in Member States.
Between 2021 and 2027, ERDF focuses on making regions more competitive, greener, more connected, more inclusive, and closer to their citizens. SMEs remain a priority, with funding directed toward their sustainable growth, competitiveness, and resilience.
The Cohesion Fund (CF) was established in 1994 for strengthening the economic, social, and territorial cohesion of the European Union in the interests of promoting sustainable development. In the 2021-2027 period, it supports investments for actions towards environmental protection and investments in transport infrastructure for the trans-European networks. The Cohesion Fund is reserved for Member States whose gross national income (GNI) per capita is less than 90% of the EU average.
The Just Transition Fund (JTF), part of the 2021–2027 Cohesion Policy, supports regions most affected by the shift toward climate neutrality by 2050. Its goal is to prevent widening inequalities and help territories adapt to structural change. The most carbon-intensive regions of Member States can access the fund, also outlining measures to tackle social, economic, and environmental challenges. JTF will protect the citizens most vulnerable to the transition by facilitating employment opportunities, improving energy-efficient housing, facilitating access to clean, affordable and secure energy. Moreover, JTF will support companies and industries in reducing the carbon footprint through the transition to low-carbon technologies, creating attractive conditions for public and private investors, providing easier access to loans and financial support.
The Innovation Fund is a large funding programme for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies in energy-intensive industries. The Fund aims to finance a varied project pipeline achieving an optimal balance of a wide range of innovative technologies in all eligible sectors (energy intensive industries, renewable energy, energy storage, CCS and CCU) in EU Member States, Iceland and Norway.
The InvestEU Programme supports sustainable investment, innovation, and job creation across Europe, by leveraging private and public funds. InvestEU simplifies access to funding for businesses, including SMEs, and projects. It is built around three main components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal.
The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is a temporary instrument, entered into force in February 2021. It finances reforms and investments in EU Member States made from the start of the pandemic in February 2020 until 31 December 2026. Through the Facility, the Commission raises funds by borrowing on the capital markets. These are then available to its Member States to implement ambitious reforms and investments that make their economies and societies more sustainable, resilient, and prepared for the green and digital transitions and address the challenges identified in country-specific recommendations under the European Semester framework of economic and social policy coordination.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is one of the largest providers of climate finance. It aims to accelerate the green transition, boost technological innovation, bolster security and defence, support regional cohesion and social infrastructure development. EIB manages the European Local ENergy Assistance (ELENA) facility, which provides grants and technical advice to the public and private sectors to help energy efficiency projects. Moreover, EIB participates in the Private Finance for Energy Efficiency (PF4EE) initiative aiming at increasing the availability of debt financing for eligible energy efficiency investments and at making energy efficiency lending a more sustainable activity within European financial institutions. PF4EE offers preferential loans for private economic entities who want to invest in energy saving projects. Finally, EIB also support Member States through JASPERS, as it contributes to a greener, more connected, and more innovative Europe. It helps beneficiaries align their projects with the highest EU standards, improving their chances of securing EU funding.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) supports the corporate sector in its countries of operation, through several financing programmes that promote climate resilience, low-carbon transition and sustainable business practices. The EBRD can offer high impact loans, where the interest rate of the loan is coupled with the climate outcome of the investment. The EBRD flagship Green Economy Financing Facilities (“GEFFs“) for the financial sector, combine technical support and finance to accelerate the uptake of best performing technologies among small businesses and homeowners. It operates through a network of more than 150 local financial institutions across 28 countries and has delivered more than EUR 5 billion to around 250,000 eligible investments undertaken by industrial, SME, residential and municipal clients that are collectively estimated to avoid more than 9 million tonnes of CO2 each year. Another EBRD programme is the FINTECC programme. It targets private SMEs and provides technical assistance and incentive grants to introduce innovative climate technologies with low market penetration and to foster transition to more sustainable business models.
Also some national-based funding opportunities have been taken into account for four European countries: Bulgaria, France, Italy and Poland. In Bulgaria, the main funding opportunities are the National mechanism for financing energy efficiency (NMFEE), targeting both industrial sector, transport and public sector and the Bulgarian Energy Efficiency and Renewable Sources Fund (EERSF), targeting both private individuals, corporate clients and municipalities.
In France, the main funding opportunities include the Tremplin pour la transition écologique des PME, the Pret Economie d’Energie (PEE), the Certificats d’economies d’energie, the Tax Credit, the PRO-refei and the PRO-SMEn.
In Italy, the the main funding opportunities are the White Certificate scheme, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), the Ecobonus and Superbonus, the Conto Termico, the Transizione 4.0 and the Fondo Nazionale per l’Efficienza Energetica.
In Poland instead, the main funding opportunities are the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and the White certificates scheme.
For all the countries, there are some available measures from the National Energy and Climate Plan.
