The first call for applications for the Priority Programme has been launched in Poland

The first call for applications for the Priority Programme “Renovation with guaranteed savings EPC (Energy Performance Contract) Plus” has been launched in Poland

The first call for applications for the Priority Programme “Renovation with guaranteed savings EPC (Energy Performance Contract) Plus” has been launched. It is a comprehensive instrument to support investments improving the energy efficiency of buildings implemented under the EPC formula. In the first call for proposals, housing cooperatives, housing associations and local government units may apply for funding for the modernisation of multi-family residential buildings.

From 13 December 2021, applicants will be able to continuously submit fiches (pre-applications) and applications for investment grant funding under the first call of the pilot Priority Programme “Renovation with guaranteed savings EPC (Energy Performance Contract) Plus”.

NFOŚiGW will finance the projects with funds from the Modernisation Fund (FM). The fiches will be delivered from 13 December 2021 to 31 March 2022, while applications for grants will be delivered from 13 December 2021 to 28 February 2023. The beneficiaries of the programme may be housing cooperatives, housing associations, local government units, commercial law companies in which local government units hold 100% of shares and which have been established to implement the tasks of local government units specified in legal acts. The budget of the first pilot call for proposals is PLN 10 million. Co-financing will be provided in the form of grants until the allocation of funds is available under the first call. The amount of the grant will depend on the implemented standard of improvements. The subsidy offered by NFOŚiGW is intended to cover the building owner’s contribution to financing the thermomodernization investment, while the remaining part of financing is provided by the partner – Energy Service Company (ESCO).

The President of NFOŚiGW Prof. Maciej Chorowski emphasizes how important it is to support thermo-modernization investments.

The scale of needs in the area of energy efficiency of buildings in Poland requires that traditional grant support be supplemented with other financial instruments. This is achieved through a pilot support system for investments in the thermal modernization of buildings in the model of energy service companies (ESCOs) based on the guarantee of energy savings. – emphasizes President Chorowski.

The programme supports the modernization works of multi-family residential buildings enabling a reduction in final energy consumption by at least 30% compared to the existing state (before modernization), with the building’s demand for final energy for heating, ventilation and domestic hot water (EKH+W) after modernization being no more than 85 kWh/(m2*year). The program distinguishes 3 standards of improvements: improvement only installation or combined with the implementation of a minimum scope of thermo-modernization works, optimal scope of energy modernization – works with the dominant share of thermo-modernization works, after which EK will decrease by at least 45% and a high standard of energy modernization – works with the dominant share of thermo-modernization works, after which EK will decrease by at least 60%.

At each stage of preparing the flashcard and the application, the Applicant will have the opportunity to use the support of the Energy Advisor, whose role in the first call will be performed by the National Energy Conservation Agency S.A. (KAPE) Questions regarding support from the Energy Advisor should be sent to the following e-mail address: doradcaepc@kape.gov.pl KAPE has many years of experience both in comprehensive consulting in the entire construction process for local government units, enterprises, residents, as well as in the implementation of investments in deep thermal modernization of buildings and performing energy audits of buildings. We want to use them to support building owners in identifying projects and talks with ESCO – assures Mariola Zmudzińska, Vice-President of the Management Board of KAPE S.A.

It is worth noting that the pilot program is implemented in cooperation between the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and the Polish Development Fund (PFR), whose role is to enable the ESCO company to obtain financing in the form of forfaiting or in another, alternative form. By implementing the ESCO investment support program, the National Fund will use the experience from the FinEERGo-Dom project, implemented since 2019, financed by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme, which aims to support innovation in the European Union. The FinEERGo-Dom project, in which, apart from Polish experts, representatives of Austria, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia also take part, assumes the implementation of an energy efficiency financing model based on the EPC formula in these countries.

An Energy Performance Contract (EPC) is a modern way of financing investments affecting reduced energy consumption in buildings. The EPC agreement is concluded by the entity planning thermal modernization with the ESCO Company, which provides energy efficiency improvement measures along with their financing at the stage of investment implementation, while taking on most of the financial risk. The ESCO is also involved in the maintenance and management of energy in buildings during the repayment period, and its remuneration is conditional on the achievement of guaranteed savings.