New “Save Energy” for everyone: The new criteria, funds, and beneficiaries

With new criteria, such as support for vulnerable households, the age of buildings, and the climatic conditions of each region throughout the country, the new “Save Energy – Become Independent” program will be announced in the summer. Next week, a broad meeting of the Recovery Fund’s executive committee is expected to take place, chaired by Deputy Minister of Finance Theodoros Skylakakis and the leadership of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, to discuss all issues related to the design and implementation of the new “Save – Become Independent” program.

3DR Engineering
The new program, which constitutes one of the most emblematic investments through the subsidies of the Recovery Fund, totaling 1.7 billion euros. euros, concerns the energy upgrade of private residences, which is estimated to exceed 80,000, while for the first time they will be included in this businesses and specifically small and medium-sized enterprises but also buildings of the State.

The programme funds will be allocated as follows: €1.081 billion will be allocated for the energy upgrade of private residences, €450 million for small and medium-sized enterprises and €200 million for the public sector. The implementation of energy upgrade interventions in the country’s building stock on an annual basis will contribute to achieving the National Energy and Climate Plan’s target of improving energy efficiency by 38% by 2030, so that final energy consumption is lower than in 2007. The corresponding European target for 2030 is to improve energy efficiency by at least 32.5%.

Qualitative changes
According to reliable information from Realnews, the “Save Energy – Autonomy” program for residences will undergo fundamental changes compared to previous programs, as priority based on the date of submission of the application will no longer play a role, as was the case until now. The plan will include criteria for evaluating and prioritizing the buildings to be upgraded, as well as income criteria, so that low-income households will have priority in joining the program.

After the launch of the “Save Energy – Become Independent” for residential properties, will follow the energy upgrade of buildings owned by the State and the local government through the program “Electra,” with the participation of the private sector (PPP). At the same time, will “run” the energy upgrade of small and medium-sized enterprises, in the framework of the subsidy program of the Recovery Fund, which are planned to be given to businesses that will submit complete business plans. The main reason will be to support those that do not have access to bank lending.

Innovations
The age of the buildings will be a key criterion for subsidizing housing. “A house built in 1950 has much higher energy losses than one built in 2010,” said Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas, outlining the new program’s design. Another innovation will be the application of degree days, which this year were used as a criterion for the payment of heating allowances. Essentially, the model used by the National Meteorological Service, which has recorded energy needs based on climatic conditions in different regions of the country, will be utilized. Based on this data, the subsidy for “Save Energy – Become Independent” will be different in each city, village, and settlement. In other words, there will be coefficients based on degree days, which will be completely different even within the same municipality.