After years of preparation, "Green for Businesses" is set to launch in spring 2025. The state will also support batteries.
SIEA promises to reveal the conditions soon. However, they were supposed to be known last year.
It will be similar to the "Green Homes" scheme, but for businesses. Entrepreneurs should newly have simplified access to subsidies for heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, solar collectors, wind turbines, and battery storage.
This should be enabled by the European funds project "Green for Businesses," which the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA) already announced at the beginning of 2023. Since then, we have repeatedly reported on its delayed preparations in articles on Energie-portal.sk.
"The intention is to publish the conditions by the end of 2024 and then launch the project," SIEA spokesperson Zuzana Valentová stated last autumn. "The project has been approved. Currently, based on the approved project, we are preparing the publication of the support conditions and will subsequently finalize the specifications for the information system through which applications can be submitted."
However, the project's status has not changed in recent months, neither in the last months of last year nor in the first months of the current year. The "ball" remained on the Ministry of Economy's side. However, now it seems that the project preparation is truly heading towards the final stage.
They will start accepting subsidy applications
As SIEA informed at the end of last week, €66.5 million has been allocated for the anticipated support for Slovak companies. The aid will be intended for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that want to invest in renewable energy sources (RES).
In the form of a voucher, companies can receive financial support for the preparation of an energy audit and the installation of equipment that uses RES, specifically photovoltaic panels, heat pumps, solar collectors, wind turbines, and energy storage systems - batteries.
Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, as well as sole traders from all over Slovakia, will be able to receive financial support. "Small businesses and operations based in family houses, such as car repair shops or smaller bakeries, can also apply. Our goal is to help entrepreneurs reduce their energy costs and strengthen their energy independence," said Ľubica Šimková, General Director of SIEA.
The maximum support per company is €50,000. A company can receive support of 40% of eligible expenses, or up to 45% if it demonstrates that more than 80% of the energy produced, with at least half of it used within the company. For an energy audit, the voucher will cover 45% of eligible expenses. Installation limits are set at 250 kW for electricity, while there are no restrictions for heat.
According to the published schedule, SIEA anticipates that the project conditions should be published during April 2025. The agency expects to start registering applicants at the end of the month, and the submission of applications should begin in May. Throughout May to July, SIEA then plans to gradually open allocations according to the type of technology and region.
The total budget for "Green for Businesses" is €66,560,948.90, of which €44.4 million has been allocated for less developed regions and the remaining €22.1 million will be available for more developed regions.
"The 'Green for Businesses' project is financed from the European Regional Development Fund – the Slovakia Programme and is part of the aid package of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, which is allocating over €160 million to support energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in businesses," SIEA announces, adding that in addition to "Green for Businesses," they will launch two other calls.
The first will be support for energy efficiency and RES in businesses, which will be intended for the comprehensive modernization of RES equipment and energy savings. The second is to be Support for the construction of new facilities for the production of electricity from RES and battery systems.
The minimum support per project is €50,000, and the maximum support per project must not exceed €3 million. The maximum contribution rate can be up to 65%, depending on the size of the company and the activity carried out.
"Unlike the previous programming period, it will be possible to obtain support for two types of measures through a single application. Almost €43 million has been allocated for increasing the energy efficiency of businesses, and more than €24 million for the use of renewable energy sources," the agency informed.
Source: www.energieportal.sk