Up to February 15, industrial companies are expected to submit applications for funding through NRRP for integrated investments aimed at increasing energy efficiency in industry. The first call under the NRRP I5 measure, concluded in September 2022, attracted 14 calls for funding and led to the modification of eligibility conditions in response to market requests.
The budget of the entire support scheme for investments in energy efficiency is 64 million euros. “We aim to have at least 50 projects”, stated Cristian Ilie, the general director of the Directorate for Energy Efficiency within the Ministry of Energy, at EnergynomicsTalks.
Each beneficiary can reach a maximum aid value of 1.2 million euros. “Changes were made to the guide and the financing scheme, we obtained approvals from the Competition Council, from the Ministry of Investments and European Projects”, so that the intensity of state aid increased from 30% to 50% for small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, a supplement of 15% may be applied, bringing the state aid intensity to 65%, for firms located in disadvantaged areas.
In the first call, energy efficiency interventions were limited to one site per firm. “Now one company can modernize more than one sites”, stated Cristian Ilie. “Moreover, if a company wants to submit more projects, for different interventions, it can do it now.”
Investments financed under measure I5 must prove a positive impact in terms of:
- reduction of energy consumption (electrical and thermal energy, energy resources)
- the reduction of GHG emissions, related to the energy savings achieved as a result of the implementation of the investment
- reducing the energy intensity of the beneficiaries’ activity
- the development of systems for monitoring energy consumption and progress in energy efficiency made by economic operators;
- financial support of energy services provided by specialized economic operators
- stimulating the investments made by economic operators in order to reduce energy consumption and increase the energy efficiency of economic activity.
- a more resource-efficient, greener and more competitive economy, leading to sustainable development, which is based, among other things, on a high level of environmental protection and the improvement of its quality
Project submission is to be made electronically, and the investment implementation period through the NRRP I5 measure has to end before December 31, 2025.